John Barnes,
The Beginnings of the Cinema in England, 1894-1901 volume 5: 1900.
University of Exeter Press, 1998.
ISBN 0 85989 522 X
432pp
£40.00 (cloth)

(Review copy supplied by the University of Exeter Press)

Uploaded 1 March 2000

The eagerly awaited publication of John Barnes’ fifth volume of The Beginnings of Cinema in England marks the final instalment of this groundbreaking series. John tantalisingly showed me a manuscript of this volume several years ago, and it seemed for a while that it might never see the light of day. That it has done so, and that the other books in the series have been re-issued, is testimony not only to John’s tenacity, but to the foresight of Exeter University Press. The five volumes, published over the past twenty five years, represent the culmination of a lifetime’s dedication to collecting and researching the history of the early cinema in England. Together with his brother William, John Barnes amassed one of the finest private collections of early optical and cinematographic material, beginning the Barnes Collection in the 1930s. The associated archive forms the basis of this series and represents a vital resource for any scholar of cinema history. The series has become the standard reference text for English cinema of this period, with its combination of technical, biographical and contextual information. It is rare not to be able to find reference to a manufacturer or exhibitor one encounters in the course of research , or to comprehend the clear descriptions of the internal mechanisms of a camera or projector. The books themselves are the culmination of a great deal of detailed and dedicated research and are written with obvious enthusiasm. They rightfully sit alongside the pioneering work of Rachel Low and Denis Gifford.

Volume five is similar in approach to the previous volumes in that it provides a commentary on a single year’s events. The emphasis is firmly placed on the role of manufacturers and exhibitors, technological advances and the key films and events of the particular year in question. This volume, dealing with 1900, takes as its central elements the work of Cecil Hepworth, Robert Paul, Birt Acres and details the careers of the south coast filmmakers George Albert Smith, James.A.Williamson and G.West and Sons. Its key historical foci are the events in South Africa , and the increasing penetration of international film makers in the domestic market. The book also forcefully illustrates the development of the domestic market and the growth of a strong production base within sectors of the English film industry. These central chapters are well illustrated with mostly unknown material drawn from the Barnes Collection, and if the reproductions do sometimes leave something to desire, they are still important elements within the book. The commentary provided is engaging and full of factual information, which is supplemented by extensive appendices. The introduction provided by Richard Maltby illuminates the nature of the project and introduces new readers to the work of John and his brother William.

As well as providing commentary on the year’s events and personalities the book serves as a comprehensive, if, admittedly, not complete, guide to the films produced in 1900, offering advertising material and catalogue descriptions of key titles. There is an appendix which lists the films produced in 1900, a revised list of Biograph films drawn from 1899 and additions to the previous volume. These additions highlight the ongoing nature of the work involved, and no single volume or series can ever prove the definitive text. The revised Volume one from this series proves the point. Perhaps Exeter might consider issuing yearly supplements as new material emerges to compliment these volumes?

In essence the books attempt the impossible, as the breadth of our historical interrogation of this period widens, and new discoveries are constantly unearthed, but they do form the bedrock on which this history rests. Whilst stylistic and interpretative approaches develop, such as the increasing interest in the notion of intermediality, I for one am certain that this series will retain its status, and remain current for many years to come. I suspect that for scholars the books will inspire the desire to fill in the gaps, and to develop studies in the fields of regional cinema within the United Kingdom , broadening the English focus of the books.

As well as providing reliable and comprehensive reference material for film scholars these books are eminently accessible and entertaining. They are a significant contribution to the canon of film scholarship and a fitting testimony to a lifetime’s dedication to the cinema.

Simon Popple