An Awful Symphony
Many of the scenes of this split-reel short about a bizarre group of tramp musicians who disappear into and out of drums, beach umbrellas and whatnots were shot in the street and the others were on stages decorated to look realistic.
From the archive
NOTE: Only a fragment of this film survives. Here is what remains. By the time this short subject came out, Segundo de Chomón had bested Georges Melies at his own game. His camera magic was as fully developed as Melies. His sense of humor was sharper and his scenes had invaded the real world. Many of the shots of this split-reel short about a bizarre group of tramp musicians who disappear into and out of drums, beach umbrellas and whatnots are shot in the street and the others are on stages decorated to look realistic. But this unadorned magic show was nearing its end. Audiences were coming to expect the magic to support something, not to be the beginning and end of the show. Stop motion was becoming part of the grammar of films, not the purpose. No more split-reel magic shows, but on to the fantasies supported by magic. - 3 February 2011 | by boblipton (New York City) Director: Segundo de Chomón Country: France Language: French Production Co: Pathé Frères Also Known As (AKA) Bizzare Symphony Sound Mix: Silent Color: Stencil coloured
Why this is free to watch
An Awful Symphony (1909) is hosted by the Internet Archive as a public-domain or openly licensed work, which means its copyright has expired, lapsed, or was released by the rights holder. The uploader declared an explicit licence, linked in the source panel. Nitrate streams the file directly from the Internet Archive and hosts no video itself.
- Director
- Segundo de Chomón
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