Battlefilm: U.S. Army Signal Corps Motion Pictures of the Great War - Hardcover
BATTLEFILM: U.S. Army Signal Corps Motion Pictures of the Great War, was selected as the Best History Book by Reader Views Annual Reviewers Choice Awards and was an Award Finalist in the Military History category of the National Best Books Awards!
BATTLEFILM is the only reference guide in print today that catalogs the WWI era documentary films contained in the U.S. Army Signal Corps records held at the National Archives. For the first time, in book form, there is concise information about the surviving motion picture films that were taken over ninety years ago. This Second Edition of BATTLEFILM details 488 film titles that cover America's part in this conflict. Each of the 993 reels of action is described using data gathered from actual Army records.
These historic films of World War I action exist today on silent, black and white motion picture film. Whether you're a historian, media researcher, documentary producer, or a student of film, this book provides an accurate and timeless reference to the moving images of America's effort in the "War to End All Wars."
BATTLEFILM is the only reference guide in print today that catalogs the WWI era documentary films contained in the U.S. Army Signal Corps records held at the National Archives. For the first time, in book form, there is concise information about the surviving motion picture films that were taken over ninety years ago. This Second Edition of BATTLEFILM details 488 film titles that cover America's part in this conflict. Each of the 993 reels of action is described using data gathered from actual Army records.
These historic films of World War I action exist today on silent, black and white motion picture film. Whether you're a historian, media researcher, documentary producer, or a student of film, this book provides an accurate and timeless reference to the moving images of America's effort in the "War to End All Wars."
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
From the Author:
As sometimes happens, after the initial edition of this book was released, a few more World War I motion pictures that were within the scope of this volume were "re-discovered." In light of this, 21 new films and their summary descriptions have been added to this Second Edition of BATTLEFILM, which now puts the total number of entries at 488.
While making these additions, I took the opportunity to add the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Archival Research Catalog (ARC) identification number to each title. ARC is NARA's computer based research tool that provides access to the content and descriptions of all their holdings. Therefore, in this edition, below each film title you'll find information about the number of reels associated with that particular motion picture, followed by its unique National Archives' Catalog Card reference number [in brackets] and its ARC identification number (in parentheses).
Why, you may ask, is this important to you? The answer to that question is that while this book consists of short summary descriptions of these historically significant Army Signal Corps films, ARC usually contains a more detailed account and occasionally has lengthy shot sheets for some of the titles. With this edition, you now have all the tools you need to proceed with any follow-on research you might want to undertake -- on location at NARA's Archives II facility at College Park, Maryland, or on-line.
In addition, I tweaked the subject headings, polished the layout, added a few photos, created an alphabetical title index, and beefed up the subject index.
Somewhat related to this new edition, I added a couple dozen photographs to my website, pwstewart.com, which are representative of the subjects and topics covered by the films contained in this volume.
Occasionally, you may find an asterisk (*) next to titles with extensive aviation sequences. These films are covered in-depth, in a unique scene-by-scene style, in the second book of The Historic Footage Project -- War Wings: Films of the First Air War.
This book, as well as all of the volumes in The Historic Footage Project, is written out of a great appreciation of our country's rich collection of motion picture recorded history and my desire to ensure that it's preserved and accessible for future generations. It's worth cherishing.
From the Inside Flap:
While making these additions, I took the opportunity to add the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Archival Research Catalog (ARC) identification number to each title. ARC is NARA's computer based research tool that provides access to the content and descriptions of all their holdings. Therefore, in this edition, below each film title you'll find information about the number of reels associated with that particular motion picture, followed by its unique National Archives' Catalog Card reference number [in brackets] and its ARC identification number (in parentheses).
Why, you may ask, is this important to you? The answer to that question is that while this book consists of short summary descriptions of these historically significant Army Signal Corps films, ARC usually contains a more detailed account and occasionally has lengthy shot sheets for some of the titles. With this edition, you now have all the tools you need to proceed with any follow-on research you might want to undertake -- on location at NARA's Archives II facility at College Park, Maryland, or on-line.
In addition, I tweaked the subject headings, polished the layout, added a few photos, created an alphabetical title index, and beefed up the subject index.
Somewhat related to this new edition, I added a couple dozen photographs to my website, pwstewart.com, which are representative of the subjects and topics covered by the films contained in this volume.
Occasionally, you may find an asterisk (*) next to titles with extensive aviation sequences. These films are covered in-depth, in a unique scene-by-scene style, in the second book of The Historic Footage Project -- War Wings: Films of the First Air War.
This book, as well as all of the volumes in The Historic Footage Project, is written out of a great appreciation of our country's rich collection of motion picture recorded history and my desire to ensure that it's preserved and accessible for future generations. It's worth cherishing.
Below is relevant historical background quoted from the Introduction to Special Lists Number 14: List of World War I Signal Corps Films as written by Mr. Bauer in 1957. Although I tried, I could do no better than what he wrote over 50 years ago.
"Before the Great War, the U.S. Army Signal Corps had given relatively little attention to photography, and few officers or enlisted men had much training in that specialized field. On July 21, 1917, the Signal Corps was designated the bureau responsible for obtaining photographic coverage of American participation in the World War. The photographic coverage was ordered for propaganda, scientific, identification, and military reconnaissance purposes but primarily for the production of a pictorial history of the war.
During July 1917, the Photographic Section was established within the Signal Corps to control all photographic activities of the Army. Although initially short of trained men and cameras, the Photographic Section succeeded in building up a large and efficient organization before the Armistice.
A photographic officer accompanied General Pershing to Europe in order to study the methods and equipment of the photographic departments of the Allied armies. On July 21, 1917, a laboratory was secured at St. Ouen, in Paris, for developing and printing motion and still pictures. This laboratory served until February 1918, when photographic operations were transferred to larger quarters in Vincennes.
Beginning with 25 men in August 1917, the Photographic Section attached to the AEF reached a strength of 92 officers and 498 men in November 1918. A photographic unit consisting of one motion-picture cameraman and one still-picture photographer, with assistants, was assigned to each division in addition to other units attached to higher organizations, the Services of Supply, the sea transport service, and the various public welfare organizations like the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Cameramen in the AEF shot 589,197 feet of film, while film units in the United States filmed 277,173 feet of domestic scenes. In addition, the Signal Corps produced a 62,000 foot training film series called Training of the Soldier and a 16,000 foot aviation training film entitled Flightwings.
In order to insure accurate identification of the films taken by the various camera-men, a fairly complicated numbering system was worked out. Each cameraman was assigned a group of consecutive scene numbers. These numbers were perforated in the leader film of each scene when it was developed at the laboratory in Paris. At the same time, an index file was set up containing the scene identification number and description furnished by the cameraman. The laboratory at Paris arranged the scenes supplied by the cameramen into 1,099 subjects (AEF series) in chronological order, fully edited and captioned them, and shipped them to the War Plans Division, Army War College. At the Army War College the captions were verified and a detailed subject index was prepared. A similar procedure was followed with the footage taken in the United States, except that these films were combined into two separate series of subjects (Miscellaneous and Domestic).
During 1936 and 1937 these AEF Miscellaneous and Domestic films were re-edited to combine them on a subject basis into an integrated series. The result is the 'Historical' series of films numbered between H-1100 and H-1558.
At the same time, a new series of 'Miscellaneous' films was established, containing the photographic histories of the various divisions of the AEF, special films like Flashes of Action, and other subjects that did not properly fit into the 'Historical' series.
It is these two series of 'Historical' and 'Miscellaneous' films relating to World War I that are described herein. They are a part of the records in Record Group 111, Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer."
As stated earlier, BATTLEFILM is based on the scripts and the resulting catalog cards prepared in connection with the creation of the RG 111-H and -M series films.
"Before the Great War, the U.S. Army Signal Corps had given relatively little attention to photography, and few officers or enlisted men had much training in that specialized field. On July 21, 1917, the Signal Corps was designated the bureau responsible for obtaining photographic coverage of American participation in the World War. The photographic coverage was ordered for propaganda, scientific, identification, and military reconnaissance purposes but primarily for the production of a pictorial history of the war.
During July 1917, the Photographic Section was established within the Signal Corps to control all photographic activities of the Army. Although initially short of trained men and cameras, the Photographic Section succeeded in building up a large and efficient organization before the Armistice.
A photographic officer accompanied General Pershing to Europe in order to study the methods and equipment of the photographic departments of the Allied armies. On July 21, 1917, a laboratory was secured at St. Ouen, in Paris, for developing and printing motion and still pictures. This laboratory served until February 1918, when photographic operations were transferred to larger quarters in Vincennes.
Beginning with 25 men in August 1917, the Photographic Section attached to the AEF reached a strength of 92 officers and 498 men in November 1918. A photographic unit consisting of one motion-picture cameraman and one still-picture photographer, with assistants, was assigned to each division in addition to other units attached to higher organizations, the Services of Supply, the sea transport service, and the various public welfare organizations like the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Cameramen in the AEF shot 589,197 feet of film, while film units in the United States filmed 277,173 feet of domestic scenes. In addition, the Signal Corps produced a 62,000 foot training film series called Training of the Soldier and a 16,000 foot aviation training film entitled Flightwings.
In order to insure accurate identification of the films taken by the various camera-men, a fairly complicated numbering system was worked out. Each cameraman was assigned a group of consecutive scene numbers. These numbers were perforated in the leader film of each scene when it was developed at the laboratory in Paris. At the same time, an index file was set up containing the scene identification number and description furnished by the cameraman. The laboratory at Paris arranged the scenes supplied by the cameramen into 1,099 subjects (AEF series) in chronological order, fully edited and captioned them, and shipped them to the War Plans Division, Army War College. At the Army War College the captions were verified and a detailed subject index was prepared. A similar procedure was followed with the footage taken in the United States, except that these films were combined into two separate series of subjects (Miscellaneous and Domestic).
During 1936 and 1937 these AEF Miscellaneous and Domestic films were re-edited to combine them on a subject basis into an integrated series. The result is the 'Historical' series of films numbered between H-1100 and H-1558.
At the same time, a new series of 'Miscellaneous' films was established, containing the photographic histories of the various divisions of the AEF, special films like Flashes of Action, and other subjects that did not properly fit into the 'Historical' series.
It is these two series of 'Historical' and 'Miscellaneous' films relating to World War I that are described herein. They are a part of the records in Record Group 111, Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer."
As stated earlier, BATTLEFILM is based on the scripts and the resulting catalog cards prepared in connection with the creation of the RG 111-H and -M series films.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherPMS Press
- Publication date2010
- ISBN 10 0981744451
- ISBN 13 9780981744452
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages232
Buy New
Learn more about this copy
US$ 46.59
Shipping:
US$ 3.99
Within U.S.A.
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Stock Image
Battlefilm: U.S. Army Signal Corps Motion Pictures of the Great War
Published by
PMS Press
(2010)
ISBN 10: 0981744451
ISBN 13: 9780981744452
New
Hardcover
Quantity: > 20
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # ABLING22Oct1916240270371
Buy New
US$ 46.59
Convert currency
Seller Image
Buy New
US$ 51.87
Convert currency