| Though it may come as a surprise to both cinema lovers and industry
professionals who believe that 3-D film was born in the early 1950s,
stereoscopic cinema actually began in 1838, more than 100 years before the
3-D
boom in Hollywood was created by the release of Arch Oboler's African
adventure
film, Bwana Devil, filmed in "Natural Vision" 3-D.
Stereoscopic Cinema and the Origins of 3-D Film, 1838-
1952, is a
comprehensive prehistory of the stereoscopic motion picture. In the late
nineteenth century, stereoview cards were popular worldwide, and soon
filmmakers
wanted to capture these "living pictures" with motion, sound, and color.
Writing
a new chapter in the history of early cinema, Ray Zone not only discusses
technological innovation and its cultural context but also examines the
aesthetic aspects of stereoscopic cinema in its first century of production.
Ray Zone is a 3-D artist and film producer. The author of 3-D
Filmmakers, he has produced or published more than 130 3-D comic
books.
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| Reviews:
"This book is one that
should
appeal to anyone with an interest in stereoscopic photography and the
history of
the projected image." -- Magic Lantern Gazette, Kentwood
Wells
"Author Ray Zone comprehensively includes the myths, intrigue,
disagreements,
numerous attempts that didn't work, and intermittent successes that
transpired
in the origins of stereoscopic imaging, the dawn of photography itself, and
the
exciting introductions of three-dimensional cinematography throughout
the world.
Unlike any book I know of, this work covers the area of stereoscopic
cinema
origins. Easy to read, and exciting to follow, whether you're a film
enthusiast
or a history buff of any subject, this book is a worthy read."--Susan
Pinsky,
Reel 3D Enterprises, Inc "Other historians have attempted listing every
snippet of 3-D film ever shot, or traced down the most obscure titles ever
rumored to exist, but Ray Zone has provided a far more useful and
interesting
service. By following the progress of stereoscopic imaging from the
writings of
Euclid through the inventions of Wheatstone, Brewster, and Holmes and
into the
earliest devices for imparting movement to images, he provides a rich
context
for the history of efforts to combine stereoscopy with movement."--John
Dennis,
editor, Stereo World magazine
"Zone methodically examines the step-by-step development of
stereoscopic film technologies, their marketing efforts, and the public
exhibition of their oftentimes single-digit number of productions."--Silent
Era
"As a technical manual, it bristles with good advice...."-The New Yorker
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