The Emergence of the Cinema: The American Screen to 1907

This is an excellent, comprehensive and well-written analysis of the early cinema. It is written including views of the study of film history as well as numerous concrete examples of films for every point made by the author. Even if you're not a film student, check out this book. It's so well written that one can easily fall into the interesting history of an emerging art form and industry. The origins of cinema reach far back into the 17th century and, considering the enormous impact that film has on everyone's life, the origins of this most important art form of the past century are vitally important to you.

The Emergence of Cinema chronicles the very earliest history of cinema with focus on the development of film in America. It begins with the earliest technology of picture projection, and explores with great thoroughness each development in the technology and business of film. It is wonderfully illustrated, and clearly written, so that even the casual student of film history will not be confused or bored. This is a work whose peer I have never seen. If the rest of the series keeps up with the quality here, it will be basic to any film library. Perhaps the depth here will be to great for the truly casual reader; hardly any films here will find their way onto video.