Journal of Film Preservation - FIAF

Por Francis Lacassin, editado por Pierre
Bordas et Fils, París, 1995. 328 páginas,
190.- FF.
Este importante trabajo restituye la atmósfera
cultural y empresarial en la nacieron
obras tan importantes como Los vampiros,
Judex, Tih Minh.
The Cinémathèque Royale’s devotion to the
silent cinema is well known: a specialized
theater, daily projections, with piano accompaniment,
research, publications and
restorations. For those far from Brussels,
this admirable activity may be shared,
thanks to the Cahiers du muet, an elegant
publication which includes 100 dossiers produced
by the archive since 1993. The publication
presents 107 films from 10 countries
from the Cinémathèque’s archive, with commentary,
analysis, and celebration by 33
scholars from a dozen countries. Each file is
illustrated by a frame of the film, and there
is a useful index. This original publication
has two great qualities: it draws the attention
to a number of forgotten or lesserknown
films and it provides a wonderful
multiplicity of points of view. A second series
is to be published.
films to fill the expanding number of television broadcast hours around
the world. To meet this demand, the role of the film archivist is crucial
in preserving, cataloguing, and making newsreels more accessible. This
volume pulls together 30 essays dealing with complicated issues of
newsreel collections and their preservation for the future. Amy Kronish
Maître des lions et des vampires. Louis Feuillade
by Francis Lacassin. Paris: Pierre Bordas & Fils, 1995, ISBN 2-86311-271-6,
328 pp, ill., 190FF (paperback)
Francis Lacassin belongs to the (nowadays) rare category of historians for
whom scientific accuracy is as important as the pleasure of reading.
From such standpoint, his latest work is a remarkable accomplishment:
with its outstanding set of rare or previously unpublished illustrations,
and its display of hitherto unknown documentation, Maître des lions et
des vampires is a truly rewarding experience. Titles such as Les Vampires,
Judex, and Tih Minh were never covered with such sense of detail, thus
giving the reader a vivid rendering of the cultural and entrepreneurial
atmosphere in which these cornerstones of silent cinema were made.
Clearly, the author took greater pleasure in dealing with Fantômas and its
descendants than with challenging topics such as the much underrated
Vendemiaire, or the extraordinary series known under the title La Vie telle
qu’elle est. However, the passion and commitment shown by Lacassin in
depicting the personality of a very elusive figure in the history of French
film does not call for analytical distinctions. This book must be read very
much like one of the novels which inspired Feuillade’s films, a pure and
simple invitation to watch those films. Don’t look for a catalogue of
archival sources, or a list of titles mentioned in the book (Lacassin’s
index deals with names of directors, producers, writers and performers);
its filmography is also bound to raise considerable controversy among
specialists. Yet again, that’s not the point about Maître des lions et des
vampires. One may rather see it as the ideal appetizer for a Feuillade festival,
or a form of encouragement for further research. (P.Ch.Us.)
Les Cahiers du Muet
Ouvrage collectif
Cinémathèque Royale, Bruxelles
On connaît bien la dévotion de la Cinémathèque Royale pour le cinéma
muet: salle spécialisée, projections quotidiennes avec accompagnement
au piano, recherches, publications, restaurations.
Pour qui est loin de Bruxelles, cette activité admirable peut être désormais
(platoniquement) partagée grâce aux Cahiers du muet, une élégante
publication qui regroupe 100 fiches produites par la Cinémathèque
Royale depuis 1993 pour répondre aux besoins de sa programmation et
mettre en valeur ses collections.
107 films de 10 pays appartenant aux collections de la Cinémathèque y
sont commentés, analysés et célébrés par 33 chercheurs d’une dizaine de
70 Journal of Film Preservation / 53 / 1996