Birth of cinema

Have you ever think, while watching a film in a cinema, how did cinemas look before about 100 years ago? And can we even compare cinemas of that time to cinemas nowadays?

Edison was the person who started it all. In 1894 he introduced Kinetoscope. This device was able to play shorts films. People paid 25 cents for 5 short films - one film, one Kinetoscope - when one film ended you could move to another device with another film. However, the way of watching these movies was totally different as we know it now. A person watch a film from the minuscule peepshow dimension of 1 or 2 inches in height - comfortable, isn´t it?

Although these "cinemas" were complicated, Edison refused to develop projector as he knew that exhibitors would have bought only one piece and not at least five like it was with Kinetoscopes - so he wouldn´t have earned so much money.

However then brothers Lumieres came and Armat, Jenkins, Woodville and Orville, too. With the help of the assistant of Edison, Dickson, they developed and introduced perfected projection devices. Suddenly, cinemas and first films (walking people, waves, train - it was mainly about the new projection technology) became much more popular. People could watch them in theatres, parks and other public places. It was a great advantage of exhibitors as they didn't need actors (however, they added something more to the films - something with real people, but it was not so popular then) and much more people could watch a film at the same time.

When Edison saw huge success of new projection devices he claimed them as his own invention. Anyway, hundreds of people could watch a movie and also the image expanded to 6 - 9 feet life-size proportions.

So this is the beginning of cinemas as we know them now. Hope you remember it when you will be sitting and waiting for a good movie.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      




Have a nice time!

XOXO
Bee