Description
Book SynopsisAnalyzes film distribution and exhibition practices in order to reconstruct a context for understanding moviegoing at a time when American cities were coming to grips with new groups of immigrants and women working outside the home. This book talks about the history of the film industry, and about the process of imaging a national community.
Trade Review"Like all of Richard Abel's previous works, this book is characterized by careful marshalling of data and the exploration of new sources. There is a wealth of extremely important, instructive information, and the book provides an encyclopedic treatment of film exhibition in the early 1910s and the key film genres of the period. This will be an important book for film studies." - Lea Jacobs, University of Wisconsin, Madison"
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments "L'Envoi of Moving Pictures," Motion Picture Story Magazine (June 1912) Introduction "Signs of the Times," Motion Picture Story Magazine (February 1912) Chapter 1 : American Variety and/or Foreign Features: The Throes of Film Distribution Document: "The Backbone of the Business," Motography (20 September 1913) "The Power of a Nickel," Motion Picture Story Magazine (March 1912) Entr'acte 1: Mapping the Local Terrain of Exhibition Document: "Moving Pictures and Their Audiences," Moving Picture News (16 September 1911) "My Picture Girl," Motion Picture Story Magazine (June 1912) Chapter 2: The "Usable Past" of Westerns: Cowboy, Cowboy Girl, and Indian Pictures, Part 1 Document: "The 'Bison-101' Headliners," Moving Picture World (27 April 1912) "Bein' Usher in a Motion Picture Show," Motion Picture Story Magazine (June 1912) Entr'acte 2: Moviegoing Habits and Everyday Life Document: "Some Picture Show Audiences," Outlook (24 June 1911) "The Motion Picture Cowboy," Motion Picture Story Magazine (August 1912) Chapter 3: The "Usable Past" of Westerns: Cowboy, Cowboy Girl, and Indian Pictures, Part 2 Document: "Latest Snapshots Local and Worldwide," Cleveland Leader (2 March 1913) "In a Minor Chord," Moving Picture News (25 November 1911) Entr'acte 3: A "Forgotten" Part of the Program: Illustrated Songs Document: "Unique Effects in Song Slides," Film Index (6 May 1911) "A Dixie Mother," Motion Picture Story Magazine (July 1911) Chapter 4 : The "Usable Past" of Civil War Films: The Years of the "Golden Jubilee" Document: "Sundered Ties," Moving Picture World (14 September 1912) Document: "Feature Films: The Battle of Gettysburg," New York Dramatic Mirror (11 June 1913) "He's Seen a Lot," New York Morning Telegraph (8 September 1912) Entr'acte 4: Another "Forgotten" Part of the Program: Nonfiction Document: "Reviews of Special Feature Subjects," New York Dramatic Mirror (24 April 1912) "The Maid of the Movies," New York Morning Telegraph (14 December 1913) Chapter 5: The "Usable Present" of Thrillers: From the Jungle to the City Document: "Advertising and Criticising," Moving Picture World (23 November 1912) "The Photoplayers," Photoplay Magazine (July 1913) Entr'acte 5: Trash Twins: Newspapers and Moving Pictures Document: "Moving Picture Sections," Motography (5 April 1913) "The M.P. Girl," New York Dramatic Mirror (12 June 1912) Chapter 6: "The Power of Personality in Pictures": Movie Stars and "Matinee Girls" Document: "Personality a Force in Pictures," New York Dramatic Mirror (15 January 1913) Document: "{hrs}'Miss Billie Unafraid'--Torn by a Tiger but Nervy as Ever to Act the Most Daring Things Ever Seen on the Stage!--Heroine of Movies," Des Moines News (17 November 1912) Document: "Sees the Movies as Great, New Field for Women Folk," Toledo News-Bee (30 March 1914) Notes Bibliography Index
