Eadweard Muybridge, Zoopraxographer (1975)

Directors:

Thom Andersen, Fay Andersen,

Writers:

Thom Andersen, Fay Andersen,

Stars:

Dean Stockwell, Eadweard Muybridge

Cast

Credited cast:
Dean Stockwell	...	Narrator (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eadweard Muybridge	...	Himself (archive footage)

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

science | photography | film history | narrator | montage | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 September 1975 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

59 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Eadweard Muybridge, the first cinematographer?

Eadweard Muybridge is probably best known for lining up a series of 24 cameras, in the year 1878, in order to photograph a galloping horse.

The documentary "Eadweard Muybridge, Zoopraxographer" briefly covers his life, but concentrates its gaze upon Muybridge's photography work before and after the much publicized galloping-horse-at-Palo-Alto event.

In his early career, Muybridge photographed landscapes of the American West. Equipped with early 3D stereoscope cameras, he covered a war with the Native Americans.

The bulk of the documentary concentrates on Muybridge's photographic technique of cataloging animal and human motion. Intriguingly, he had cameras set up at a variety of angles, simultaneously capturing the same fleeting moment from various viewpoints.

The narration can be a bit tedious and academic at times. The endless amount of nudity in Muybridge's work also grows a bit exasperating. However, his rigorous documentation of details, and endless experimenting makes his "zoopraxography" work fascinating to early photography lovers.

I prefer not to rate this film, as it's a far cry from being "great entertainment" and yet I found it to be very educational.