And interestingly enough, the Vitagraph Napoleon film you mention is
probably also the first full-fledged biographical (not historical)
film, which indicates that the biopic requires a certain
sophistication of storytelling to begin to emerge and to define itself
not through referential privilege, but through narrative patterns (as
I argue in my own book on biopics, Rolle des Lebens: die
Filmbiographie als narratives System, Schueren Verlag, Marburg, 2002).
And Warren, are you still looking for reviewers of your newly edited
book? I'd be more than interested (as it relates to my recent research
topics) (perhaps you would like to reply off-list).
Best,
Henry
> To add some specific detail to the flashback question:
>
> you may wish to consult Barry Salt's book *Film Style and Technology:
> History and Analysis* second edition (London: Starword, 1992). He
> discusses flashback on pp. 101-2:
>
> "The earliest known example of a narrated flashback occurs in the
> Cines
> film *La fiable della nonne*, made in the middle of 1908" (101).
>
> In contrast to the narrated flashback, Salt also mentions the
> 'remembering' flashback. I'm not sure how well the distinction
> holds, but
> here's what Salt says:
>
> "The first film that I know of in which this happens is Vitagraph's
> *Napoleon - Man of Destiny* made in 1909" (101).
>
> Salt's observations are based on his viewing of several thousand films
> from the early period of filmmaking.
>
> Revisionist film historians may question the search for 'the first
> time' a
> technique is used, in favour of identifying the period when a
> technique
> becomes standard practice.
>
> Warren
>
> Just published: Warren Buckland (ed.), *Puzzle Films: Complex
> Storytelling
> in Contemporary Cinema.*
>
> *
> *
*
*
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