What I shall suggest is definitely not a book that is suitable for beginners. But I myself have learned particularly much from the Polish work on the history of movies by Jerzy Toeplitz. Most writers claim that the resistance against talking pictures merely derived from irrational conservatism. I have not encountered any other writer who had maintained that talking pictures from the objective point of view was more poor. You could not make out-door scenes because even a mosquito coming near the microphone would ruin the entire scene. And you could not make scenes in large inside rooms, because of the resonances - which were so frequent in the 1960s when enterprises made some feast for the personnel. If you have not experienced it, take a look at Roy Anderson's movie "A Story of Love". Moreover, the actor had to stare continually at the same flowerpot.
And why did talking movies not start until the late 1920s? The reason was the First World War. In 1914 and onwards it was important that the inhabitant should NOT think of themselves as French or German, but as AMERICAN. In 1914 there was some 500 talking cinemas and some 15'000 cinemas for silent films. Hence, it was logical to favour silent movies.
If anyone has found this information elsewhere I should be happy to receive a note.
The five first volumes have been translated into German. Each volume is immense. And at the end of the fifth volume Toeplitz has not come further than to the year 1954. A longer series of volumes was probably planned. Toeplitz had already in 1930 published professional articles. So he must have died quite a few decades ago. But my impression is that he had gathered a team which could continue the project. I would also think that after the fall of the communist system the Toeplitz project was stopped. I know that a sixth volume has been published in Poland, but I can find no sign that it will ever be translated into German.
Many people (including me) but far from all, think that the best movie ever produced is "Children of Paradise" by Marcel Carné (France, 1945). And I learned unusually much from Child of Paradise. Marcel Carné and the Golden Age of French Cinema by Edward Baron Turk (USA, 1989). To many people I would recommend to start with chapter 9. This is a survey of the German occupation and, hence, the frame under which "Children of Paradise" was produced. There were quite a few clandestine co-workers. For instance, Joseph Kosma wrote the music. But Kosma was a Jew, so another musician (Therriet) posed as the composer.
I do not expect that everyone may profit from my message. But some may.
reply
share