Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Books on projection

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Posted by Gabriel Rhodes (Member # 892) on 08-28-2001, 01:46 PM:

Hello folks,
I'm the guy that posted a while back about working on a documentary film about projectionists. Well, I've done a couple of preliminary Interviews with some fantastic projectionists and I'm currently working on raising a chunk of money to fund the rest of this 16mm documentary.
I am looking for a good book on the history of projection to fill in some of the facts and dates that that I'm not very aware of. Alot of the books I've found on this topic seem to be out of print, but I thought I'd throw this out there to see if anyone knows of any good books on this topic or where I could find them. NOTE: I am not looking for technical manuals, rather an anecdotal history of the craft. Ideas?
Thanks,
Gabe Rhodes

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-28-2001, 01:53 PM:

The most famous and oldest is Richardsons Blue Book (the red book was even older) of Projection
Then there are numerous Camerons books
and Mitchel publish a good book in the 50's

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 08-28-2001, 02:19 PM:

This month's issue (August 2001) of the SMPTE Journal has a paper by D. Karl Malkames: "The Motion Picture Machine Operator: 1900 to 2000". This five page article (pages 527-531) also has photos showing projection rooms as early as 1909.

Here is the contact information for the author:

D. Karl Malkames
Karl Malkames, Inc.
1 Sherwood Pl.
Scarsdale, NY 10583-2704
United States
Phone: 914-723-8853
http://www.smpte.org/smpte_store/journals/

Also check out the SMPTE Motion-Picture Projection and Theatre Presentation Manual, published in 1969, which has many photos and illustrations of 1950's and 1960's theatre technology. The Library of Congress catalog card number is 78-95387.

Back issues of Boxoffice Magazine, International Film Journal, and International Projectionist also would document the evolution of projection technology.

You may want to contact the projectionist's union (IATSE in North America) to see what historical material they may share, and perhaps interview projectionists:
http://www.iatse.lm.com/

Here is the history of the IATSE:
http://www.iatse.lm.com/100yrs.html

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

Posted by Bob Maar (Member # 763) on 08-28-2001, 02:41 PM:

Gabriel, Several Suggestion that might be of help.

There are several organizations that you might contact and receive information from:

The Film Journal which has been publishing a magazine since the 1940's on the theatre exhibition industry. It was founded by Mort Sunshine and is presently being run by his son Bob and located in New York City. 212 246 6460 They are the Sunshine Group Worldwide

In addition to publishing the Film Journal Bob is also a Director of Variety Clubs and executive Director of the Motion Picture Pioneers.

There is Box Office Magazine that has been around since the 50's and are located in Chicago and Pasadena, Ca. Speak with Kim Williamson @ 626 396 0250

There was a third industry Magazine called the Motion Picture Exhibitor that was published in Philadelphia during the 30' through 1974. The publisher was Jay Emmanual The Magazine ceased upon his passing. There may be records in Philadelphia, it was an excellent magazine.

The main branch of the New York Public Library will have copies of the Motion Picture Projection and Theatre Presentation Manual by Don V. Kloepfel Library of Congress Cat. No. 78-95387

Movie Palaces by Ave Pildas ISBN 0-517-53857-1 contains great photos and stories.

The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens NY. Speak with Richard Aidella Chief Projectionist He is a wealth of information.

Posted by Phil Connolly (Member # 465) on 08-28-2001, 02:43 PM:

One great book you should read which gives a great historical background of cinema technology is:

Widescreen Cinema (Harvard Film Studies)by John Belton. Harvard Univ Pr; ISBN: 0674952618

It's still in print and avalible on Amazon.
It covers most film formats their technical aspects and social reasons for their implimentation and retirment.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-28-2001, 02:52 PM:

Jay Emmanual as published a yearly book called Theatre Catalogue that has many excellent articles on new theatre construction and equipments

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 08-28-2001, 02:57 PM:

Marty Hart's "American Widescreen Museum" website has a wealth of information, including detailed background and photos on how theatres converted to the widescreen formats in the 1950's:
http://www.widescreenmuseum.com

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 08-28-2001, 03:15 PM:

There's a really neat book about a real projectionist in the 40' and 50's called "THE REEL MOSE" by Earl Moseley (ISBN 0-9617510-0-2). It was advertized and sold in the publication, The Big Reel, back in 1988.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 08-28-2001, 11:32 PM:

Gabe:

Terry Ramsaye wrote a book in 1926 called "A Million And One Nights" that tells the story of film projection from the 1890's to 1925. Great reading.

I am reading it at work while my machines are doing their thing.

It was re-issued in 1986 in a paperback edition by Touchstone Books.

Posted by Randy Loy (Member # 112) on 08-29-2001, 10:03 AM:

Hi Gabe! Another source you may want to check with is the Theatre Historical Society. Their museum and archives are located in Elmhurst, Illinois, and I understand that they have a great deal of information on various aspects of theatre operations. Although I've been a member for years, I haven't yet had a chance to get to Illinois to see what they have. However, knowing how meticulous a lot of THS'ers are in their research regarding the movie palace era, I'm betting that they have a lot of info on projection in the THS archives. Maybe not books, but probably records of interviews with old-time projectionists, other projection related documents, and photos. Their website can be found at [URL=http://www.historictheatres.org]

A note to our fellow Film-Techers, I've been on-hand for two of the filmed interviews that Gabe did with projectionists recently in Maryland and I think that his documentary project shows real (or maybe that should be REEL ) promise. I'm really looking forward to seeing the final product. Finally, someone who understands us!