The Lost World – A Movie Time Machine Adventure

In February 1925, a movie audience in Boston, Massachusetts, sat down for the world premiere of The Lost World, First National Pictures’ epic adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s rip-roaring adventure novel. During the screening, their minds were comprehensively boggled by the astonishing sight of prehistoric beasts rampaging through a primeval wilderness. The silent-era film … Continue reading The Lost World – A Movie Time Machine Adventure

Earl Hurd and the Mystery Animated Short

In May 1924, animation pioneer Earl Hurd was gearing up to release a new 13-part series of animated shorts called "Pen and Ink Vaudeville." The latest edition of my cinema history column Animation Time Machine explores Hurd's early career, including his 1915 patent that effectively marked the invention of cel animation. Here's what Walt Disney … Continue reading Earl Hurd and the Mystery Animated Short

Can I Tempt You with a Felix the Cat Cookie?

You might think movie merchandising is a modern phenomenon. Well, it ain't! One hundred years ago, the animated feline known as Felix the Cat was taking Europe by storm, helped by a massive marketing campaign and all manner of tie-ins including, yes, Felix cookies. In the spring of 1924, The Film Daily published an article celebrating the … Continue reading Can I Tempt You with a Felix the Cat Cookie?

Walt Disney and Paul Terry Compete for Animation Fame in 1924

Which animator is more famous — Walt Disney or Paul Terry? Few people would dispute the answer today, but what if we journeyed 100 years into the past? The latest edition of my cinema history column Animation Time Machine celebrates the 1924 release of "Alice's Day at Sea," the first film ever to emerge from … Continue reading Walt Disney and Paul Terry Compete for Animation Fame in 1924

Wladyslaw Starewicz Brings Stop-Motion Magic to 1920s America

Wladyslaw Starewicz was a pioneer of stop-animation animation. Exactly one hundred years ago, in February 1924, his short film Frogland hit US theatres. What did American audiences make of this innovative movie featuring a pondful of animated frog puppets? Find out in the latest edition of my cinema history column Animation Time Machine, only at … Continue reading Wladyslaw Starewicz Brings Stop-Motion Magic to 1920s America

The Ballyhoo of The Lost World

In February 1926, First National Pictures released its 10-reel silent epic “The Lost World.” Adapted from the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and directed by Harry O. Hoyt, it told of an expedition to a remote Amazonian plateau led by the hot-tempered Professor Challenger (Wallace Beery). On the plateau, the team of explorers discover … Continue reading The Ballyhoo of The Lost World

The Mathematics of Hanging Miniatures

Since the earliest days of cinema, movie producers have used many ingenious techniques to deliver maximum spectacle for minimal cost – especially when creating fabulous settings that couldn’t possibly be built for real. One of these techniques is the hanging miniature. A hanging miniature – also known as a foreground miniature or front miniature – … Continue reading The Mathematics of Hanging Miniatures

Nightfighter Special Effects of 1946

Back in the 1940s, British studios were busy producing all manner of films featuring wartime aerial combat. Many of these were propaganda pieces, while others were more conventional melodramas. The 1946 movie “School for Secrets” — also known as “Secret Flight” — was a bit of both. Written and directed by Peter Ustinov, the film … Continue reading Nightfighter Special Effects of 1946

Moving Mountains for Sergeant York

In the 1941 film “Sergeant York,” directed by Howard Hawks, Gary Cooper played the role of Sergeant Alvin C. York, a US Army soldier who won the Medal of Honor – the US Army’s highest military decoration – for acts of valour in World War I. Cooper’s performance earned him the Oscar for Best Actor … Continue reading Moving Mountains for Sergeant York

Animation Time Machine Visits January 1924

Celebrate the New Year with the latest news from the world of animation ... from a century in the past! Visit the Animation Magazine website now to read my latest Animation Time Machine column. Here's an extract to whet your appetite: The Animation Time Machine sped across the Atlantic to Europe, where it discovered a … Continue reading Animation Time Machine Visits January 1924