Saved From the Flames: 54 Rare and Restored Films (1896-1944)

Saved From The Flames is a unique and wonderful collection of 54 rare and restored short films from the inflammable years of cinema. Movies were once made on nitrate film stock, which has a chemical composition similar to gunpowder and is highly vulnerable to fire and decay. This remarkable seven-hour anthology, organized in eight thematic groups over three DVDs, presents amazing treasures from the vaults of Lobster Films in Paris and from the Blackhawk Films® Collection, rescued during half a century of gathering movies from the nitrate era.

This program is based in part upon Retour de Flamme, a screening series from Lobster Films, Paris, produced by Serge Bromberg, Eric Lange, Sylvie Geordiadès, Anne Simon, and upon films from The Blackhawk Films® Collection, selected and organized by David Shepard.

FILMS:

"New Beginnings": Seven films, including the early cinematic experiments of Lumière, Georges Mendel and others, featuring Cyrano de Bergerac from 1900.

"Magical Movies": Five early fantasy and trick films, including astonishing stop-motion animation from 1911.

"Seeing The World": Ten films, including a transatlantic crossing in a Zeppelin dirigible and a film promoting Josephine Baker's wild revue at the Foliès-Bergere.

"Laughing Like We Used To": Seven comedies, including four restored from turn of the century Italy and France and a frenetic Mack Sennett gag fest with tin lizzies galore.

"Drawings and Models": Six Works of Animation, including Fantasmagorie from 1908 and three cartoons from the Fleischer Studios.

"Grace Notes": Rare musical performances by Reinhardt, Ellington, and Armstrong.

"Persuade Me": Eleven films designed to influence, including three WW-II era musical shorts and a paean to the 1936 Chevrolet, selected for the National Film Registry.

"Tell Me A Story": Narratives from 1912-1913 by D.W. Griffith, Lois Weber, and Thomas Ince, all mastered from beautiful 35mm film elements.

BONUS MATERIALS INCLUDE:

• A 16-Page Booklet - An illustrated history with comments on each film in the collection, written by David Shepard and Serge Bromberg.