The version of this movie that was released in 1903 and which now appears on the Library of Congress' National Screen Room site was originally issued as three separate movies in 1900. This clearly indicates something about the perception of the production companies and the presentation of movies: that the audience was interested in longer films. Or maybe in order to sell the reissued picture, the fact that you got what had originally been three movies was now available as one. Think of the extra value!
Or perhaps both. Looking at the 1903 version, we can see that Arthur Marvin has shot it as a series of tableaux vivantes. That had been a stage technique in which a group of people recreated a picture. In part, it was considered an artistic achievement. In part though, it was to show naked people on stage. In Great Britain the law held that nudity was outlawed on the stage, unless no one moved. This reflected the censor's attitude that the theater was a commercial transaction, while paintings were Art, and a lot of great paintings were of naked women.
It's a nice bit of editing as two young women dressed as pageboys open and shut curtains, revealing a series of pictures. At this time, such editing was achieved in the camera by masking off the lens, shooting one part of the scene, rerolling the film and then masking off the remainder of the lens. It was a minor achievement for the era by Arthur Marvin, one of the two cameramen who would serve D.W. Griffith early in his directorial career at Biograph. Eventually Griffith would achieve greater rapport with Billy Bitzer and Marvin would move to other Biograph directors, such as Frank Powell.
Or perhaps both. Looking at the 1903 version, we can see that Arthur Marvin has shot it as a series of tableaux vivantes. That had been a stage technique in which a group of people recreated a picture. In part, it was considered an artistic achievement. In part though, it was to show naked people on stage. In Great Britain the law held that nudity was outlawed on the stage, unless no one moved. This reflected the censor's attitude that the theater was a commercial transaction, while paintings were Art, and a lot of great paintings were of naked women.
It's a nice bit of editing as two young women dressed as pageboys open and shut curtains, revealing a series of pictures. At this time, such editing was achieved in the camera by masking off the lens, shooting one part of the scene, rerolling the film and then masking off the remainder of the lens. It was a minor achievement for the era by Arthur Marvin, one of the two cameramen who would serve D.W. Griffith early in his directorial career at Biograph. Eventually Griffith would achieve greater rapport with Billy Bitzer and Marvin would move to other Biograph directors, such as Frank Powell.
