Before the Nickelodeon: The Early Cinema of Edwin S. Porter

As far as documentaries go, this is a keeper. The movie gives a good history of Edwin Porter and includes both his rise to fame and his demise into obscurity (as he refused to change with the times he helped create). For a good film history watch this.

This hour-long documentary on the early career of Edwin S. Porter, one of early cinema's most innovative and prolific pioneers and the director of "The Great Train Robbery" (1903), uses much of the research and history also found in Charles Musser's book "Before the Nickelodeon: Edwin S. Porter and the Edison Manufacturing Company." Musser is an authority on the early films of the Edison Company and, consequently, the films of Porter, who became the Edison Company's foremost filmmaker for a time. His book is over 500 pages and a valuable source on the subject, but this one-hour teaching tool, also made by Musser, doesn't do it justice.

Perhaps, this documentary could be useful in perking an interest in early cinema; otherwise, it's quick and somewhat dull. Those already interested can learn more elsewhere, such as in Musser's books. The film only covers Porter's films from 1898 to 1902, too, which means that many of his more interesting pictures, such as "The Great Train Robbery" or "Dream of a Rarebit Fiend" (1906), are barely mentioned or not mentioned at all. It would have been better, I think, if they'd made it longer than an hour and covered Porter's entire film-making career--something similar to the highly recommended documentary on Georges Méliès, "La Magie Méliès" (The Magic of Méliès) (1997).

On the other hand, the late silent film star Blanche Sweet, who appeared in many of the films of America's next great filmmaker after Porter, D.W. Griffith, is the documentary's narrator. And, several short films are shown in their entirety, including Porter's "Execution of Czolgosz with Panorama of Auburn Prison" (1901), "Appointment by Telephone," "Jack and the Beanstalk" (both 1902), "Life of an American Fireman" (1903) and others. There's also some instructive discussion on early film editing developments and styles.

In his heyday Edwin Porter (1869-1941) was widely considered to be one of the leading film directors in the USA.

"Before The Nickelodeon" is a 1-hour bio-documentary that takes a close-up look at the directing career of Edwin Porter.

Through archival footage, stills, and informative narration - This enjoyable presentation offers the viewer a vivid history of early film-making in America.

For anyone with a strong interest in film history, this is very worthwhile; there is much footage here you probably haven't seen and won't see anywhere else. It's interesting to see Porter's contributions to early cinema. It's also a curious puzzle why the inventor of many early film techniques would be content to let his craft to stagnate, allowing the film industry to pass him by.

The presentation is pretty dry, however - like something designed for the classroom.

Very informative documentary sheds light on film pioneer Edwin S. Porter's work, but also brings some insight into the origins of American cinema and its industry including the dubious aspects thereof...