Stroboscopic Toys COM 320, History of Film

Peter Mark Roget’s essay on persistence of vision (1824, England) Also: P of V + Phi phenomenon (Max Wertheimer, 1912) = Film perception (Hugo Munsterberg, 1916)

Thaumatrope (from the Greek “wonder turning”) Dr Thaumatrope (from the Greek “wonder turning”) Dr. John Paris (1825) -Spinning disk with complementary drawings on the two sides (e.g., horse + rider = horse with rider; bird + cage = bird in cage)

Thaumatrope in action found at: (https://www. youtube. com/watch

Phenakistoscope (from the Greek “deceptive viewer”) Joseph Plateau (1832, Belgium) -Also determined 16fr./sec. to be optimal -Coincidentally, same as Simon Ritter von Stampfer’s Stroboscope (1832, Austria)

Phenakistoscope (from the Greek “deceptive viewer”) Joseph Plateau (1832, Belgium) -Also determined 16fr./sec. to be optimal -Coincidentally, same as Simon Ritter von Stampfer’s Stroboscope (1832, Austria)

Zoetrope (from the Greek “wheel of life”) William George Horner (1834, England) -A revolving drum with hand-drawn stills viewed through slits

Magic Lantern -Appeared in early forms as early as late 1600’s -Popular in mid-1800’s, with moving pictures via “dissolving views”

Magic Lantern -Appeared in early forms as early as late 1600’s -Popular in mid-1800’s, with moving pictures via “dissolving views” -Was an original type of “4D” experience, with live action, sound effects and music, and even pyrotechnics! View example from Jude (1996; D: Michael Winterbottom, with Kate Winslet)

Magic Lantern Animations

Praxinoscope Emile Reynaud (1877, France) -Like a zoetrope, but with mirrors -Reynaud later developed a projecting version, and operated his own Theatre Optique from 1892 to 1900

Praxinoscope Emile Reynaud (1877, France) -Like a zoetrope, but with mirrors -Reynaud later developed a projecting version, and operated his own Theatre Optique from 1892 to 1900

Praxinoscope Animations

Zoopraxiscope Eadweard Muybridge (1879, U. S Zoopraxiscope Eadweard Muybridge (1879, U.S.) -An apparent combo of the phenakistoscope and the projected Magic Lantern -Was not the first such combo, but became prominent with Muybridge’s speaking tours

-Zoopraxiscope disc -Zoopraxiscope Animation

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