Film Parade: J. Stuart Blackton’s March Of The Movies, The

2263. THE FILM PARADE: J. STUART BLACKTON’S MARCH OF THE MOVIES. (1934-USA). Narrated by J. STUART BLACKTON. Blackton was a legendary and innoÂvative motion picture director, producer and writer. In the twilight of his years, he produced this fasÂcinating film, which quite simply is an all too brief visual history of the moving image. While it is crammed with priceless film footage, its story begins centuries before the invention of motion picÂtures. The idea of the movies goes back to ancient Egypt, Blackton tells us before going on to explain how. He shows how in the 15th century LEONARDO DA VINCI discovered the Camera Obscura, the basic principle of photography. You will see wonderful footage of THOMAS A. EDISON and his Black Maria, the first motion picture studio. There are the earliest kinetoscopes, including footage of Coney Island, the Bowery and the Easter Parade on New York’s Fifth Avenue. Rare newsreel footage includes the inauguration of PRESIDENT WILLIAM McKinley and the American troops leaving for Cuba to fight in the Spanish American War. There also are early examÂples of miniatures, trick photography and stop-motion animation (many of which Blackton himself pioneered). Blackton also includes clips from classic silent films and chronicles the coming of sound in the late 1920s. Then there are privileged glances at dozens of beloved movie stars from Lon CHANEY, CHARLIE CHAPLIN and MAURICE COSTELLO to MAE WEST, MARIE DRESSLER and BEBE DANIELS. All are “names that will live forever.” 65 minutes. Documentary