[net.sf-lovers] New technologies and the cinema

milazzo@cmu-cs-g.ARPA (04/11/84)

From:      Paul Milazzo <milazzo@cmu-cs-g.ARPA>

>   "The truth is that most filmmakers embrace new technologies, once
>   they have been perfected and are economically feasible.  Even
>   Chaplin eventually went to sound."
>                               - Peter Reiher <reiher@UCLA-CS.ARPA>

True, but the process is usually painful and not always better in every
respect.  For evidence of the former, consider the effect the advent of
sound had on Abel Gance; he destroyed his just-completed (silent)
"Napoleon".  Of course, he also later made many sound films.

In support of the latter point, many people have pointed out that the
special effects in Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" were made possible only by
the greater latitude of black-and-white film.

				Paul G. Milazzo <Milazzo@Rice.ARPA>
				(temporarily hiding at CMU)
				Dept. of Computer Science
				Rice University, Houston, TX