Synopsis: A fascinating delve into a forgotten period of filmmaking, this collection is comprised of a staggering range of works made between 1894 and 1931, during which time the cinema grew from obscure curiosity into the nation's fourth largest industry. The result of the work of film archivists... A fascinating delve into a forgotten period of filmmaking, this collection is comprised of a staggering range of works made between 1894 and 1931, during which time the cinema grew from obscure curiosity into the nation's fourth largest industry. The result of the work of film archivists endeavoring to save the endangered remains of this era, these films are rarely-seen gems that display the variety of film and genre types that were being explored from film's inception: rare features, serials, documentaries, advertisements, sing-alongs, newsreels, folklife footage, and avant-garde works, are all in evidence here, as well as six previews of lost feature films that have never been seen before! This collection is truly a treasure, providing the opportunity for a look at a lost era of technical and artistic innovation in color, sound, special effects, and exhibition formats that have since been abandoned, such as the kinetoscope, kinetophone, and mutoscope; the proceeds will support further work in film preservation and restoration. [More]