Go Do Good!
The Marvel of Film Capturing Lives That Have Moved On
I am always amazed at how photography and film changed the world by capturing definitively life from another era with details that will impress generations to come when they study history.
I found it fascinating to watch a 50-second film shot back in 1895, by Auguste and Louis Lumieres that has been restored to a 4K digital quality that made the definition of the action incredibly focused, so much so, that I felt like I was amongst those about to board the train. The film is entitled, “Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat.” It has the distinction of being the very first movie shot and reportedly the train movements frightened the screening audience convinced that the locomotive would come off the screen and hit someone.
We might find humor in that reaction but in retrospect, I’m sure those that come long after us will find the public’s reaction to the clock turning from one millennium to another known as Y-2K somewhat comical, as we worried about a widespread computer programming shortcut that was expected to cause extensive havoc as the year changed from 1999 to 2000 at the turn of the Millenium.
For me, I love to look at the faces in that film or frankly any photography from years past, especially the still photography of Matthew Brady who captured the ravages of war and the mood of those engaged in America’s Civil War struggle. As I watch the “Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat,” I am mesmerized by the eyes and facial visages of those in that revolutionary film that proved beyond a doubt that capturing the motion of life was possible and a significant upgrade from a photo that was stagnant even if interesting. And I hate to admit this but while I’m watching both young and old in that film, I realize that all those souls have crossed the rainbow divide. Life being anything but immortal I know that every face I see whether it’s in a Matthew Brady moment in time or the motion picture film production of the Lumieres are no longer among the living even if they appear that way in 4K digital. That makes me in some ways appreciate more what it is that I’m looking at….life captured in full detail that only photography can produce as much as I love the artwork of Leonardo da Vinci and Monet who provided likenesses such as the Mona Lisa or the “Woman with a Parasol” that are definitive but in my mind ethereal. You never get that impression with a photo or a film that is a bonafide presentation of actual human beings living their lives in their time.
The “Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat,” could easily be dismissed by today’s public considering the strides that film production has amassed during the last 125 years, making it literally possible for a filmmaker to dream any scenario they might fantasize while telling a story. But when you do that you fail to recognize what pioneers needed to do to break barriers and innovate.
I will provide a link at the bottom of this blog should you want to check out the mastery of taking old celluloid and transforming it via AI – (artificial intelligence) into a 4K digital format that in itself is quite an accomplishment. The AI not only recreated the splendor of the film as if it were shot yesterday but also added sound to a film that was silent at the time of its release.
Kudos to the Lumieres and the tech geniuses who GO DO GOOD and make cinema a premier art form that now makes it possible for us to feel as if we’re right there in that moment of time that for the living is history.
Filed under:
Uncategorized
-
Advertisement:
-
Advertisement:
-
Welcome to ChicagoNow.
-
Meet The Blogger
citizen john q public
William Natale is an Emmy-award-winning TV producer/director and author of “1968 – A Story As Relevant Today As It Was Then,” (a tale that takes place in Chicago based in part on a true story). Natale served as the director and associate producer for “Water Pressures,” featuring HBO ENTOURAGE star Adrian Grenier, shot on location in India and various cities in the U.S. “Water Pressures,” was broadcast on over 224 PBS stations. Natale was the Chairman of the Broadcast Promotional Marketing Executives (BPME now known as Promax). Natale served as the Marketing & Promotion Director for NBC5 Chicago and the VP/Director of Corporate Communications for WTTW. He also has experience in the education field as the Executive Director for both the downtown and Lombard campuses of the IL Media Schools (vocational colleges that teach broadcast media arts). He also served as the Executive Producer for the Internet Streaming Corporation and WATCH312.com – working with talented individuals such as Candace Jordan (aka Candid Candace). Natale is a native Chicagoan and proud father of three adult children, two daughters and a son.
-
Subscribe by Email
Completely spam free, opt out any time.
Latest on ChicagoNow
-
The Marvel of Film Capturing Lives That Have Moved On
from Go Do Good! by citizen john q public
posted today at 2:13 am -
Dry January Preview: Paulaner Weizen-Radler Non-Alcoholic
from The Beeronaut by Mark McDermott
posted Tuesday at 8:14 pm -
“With no lockdown or mask mandate, Florida has roughly same hospitalization level as 2018 flu season”
from The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor by Dennis Byrne
posted Tuesday at 2:42 pm -
Racism wrapped in specious, disingenuous arguments is still racism
from The Chicago Board of Tirade by Bob Abrams
posted Tuesday at 1:29 pm -
When Democrats successfully overturned an election
from The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor by Dennis Byrne
posted Tuesday at 1:13 pm
Posts from related blogs
-
Looking for the Good
Most recent post: Did you jump or tiptoe into 2021?
-
Chicago Paranormal and Spiritual
Most recent post: A 2020 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays video from Edward Shanahan Chicago Psychic Medium.
-
Stop Look Listen
Most recent post: Quarantine Creativity – The “King Maker” – Reese LaFrances
More from Lifestyle: Advice
Read these ChicagoNow blogs
-
Cubs Den
Chicago Cubs news and comprehensive blog, featuring old school baseball writing combined with the latest statistical trends -
Pets in need of homes
Pets available for adoption in the Chicago area -
The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor
Chicago writer, editor and author blogs about today’s political and public policy issues.
Read these ChicagoNow Bloggers
-
Candace Jordan
from Candid Candace: -
Chris O’Brien
from Medium Rare: -
LeaGrover
from Becoming SuperMommy:
- About ChicagoNow
- •
- FAQs
- •
- Advertise
- •
- Recent posts RSS
- •
- Privacy policy (Updated)
- •
- Comment policy
- •
- Terms of service
- •
- Chicago Tribune Archives
- •
- Chicago Internet Marketing Services
- •
- Do not sell my personal info
©2021 CTMG – A Chicago Tribune website –
Crafted by the News Apps team