Saturday, February 9, 2013

Kodak: 1922

The following clip is a full-color Kodachrome film made in 1922 by Kodak to test new film stock and color processing. I could watch these actresses flutter and fuss forever, just like most of the starlets of the silent film era. This was done five years before the first "talky" so expressiveness was very important for actresses of that day. This was during the era when theater films were still strictly black and white and this was thirteen years before the first full-length feature color film -  so this had to feel just as much like magic to the folks at Kodak as it does to us now. Like "catching lightning in a bottle" - or even more fitting: on film.


Here is a little info on the actresses you'll see with full credit going to the Kodak site here.

"In these newly preserved tests, made in 1922 at the Paragon Studios in Fort Lee, New Jersey, actress Mae Murray appears almost translucent, her flesh a pale white that is reminiscent of perfectly sculpted marble, enhanced with touches of color to her lips, eyes, and hair. She is joined by actress Hope Hampton modeling costumes from The Light in the Dark (1922), which contained the first commercial use of Two-Color Kodachrome in a feature film. Ziegfeld Follies actress Mary Eaton and an unidentified woman and child also appear."





Until next time,
x's and o's,
Eartha

9 comments:

MmePolaire said...

Lovely! She is so adorable! Thanks for sharing this.

chutti said...

Oooh! That totally made my day!

We're going to see Valentino in "The Sheik" at our great local silent film museum. I want to know what all the fuss was about.
This was a great lead up.

Here's a link to an Edison film "serpentine dance" that is colorized much in the same way as portraits. They're done in those sweet pastels. Not the same as full color, but neat as heck for 1895.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p94yQ8cvTHg

I love seeing those flirty 20's ladies in full color.
Thanks!

Rae - Say It Aint So said...

oh how beautiful!

Sandi said...

Visually stunning....with the perfect music to go along with it!

DearHelenHartman said...

That was awesome! Thanks for sharing.

Greener Pastures--A City Girl Goes Country said...

Wow, they were made in Fort Lee, New Jersey. I used to live there. Had no idea that was there.

Kate H said...

I have Mae Murray on a spoon! It's nice to see her in real life (more or less) and in full color. Kate H

jaymie said...

Love the video. how fun is that?!

Anonymous said...

How neat to see this...didn't know about this very early color processing. I've often wished some of the black and white films & t.v. shows were in color to see the decor & fashion back then.