Museum For Cinema in New York
A Museum for Cinema in New York
The Museum of Moving Images was high on this writer’s priority list on a visit to New York this spring. After savouring the glass and metal super structures across the city, and hoping for a fantastic Hollywood experience, the museum was disappointing. It is located in the down-market area Astoria, Queens, making it a long trip from Manhattan .The building is an old fashioned heritage structure and sports an unimpressive façade. A far cry indeed from the imposing Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) and a spectacular Museum of Modern art (MOMA). Comparatively little known in a city of many museums, not many tourists put this one on their must-see list. A minimum of $5 is demanded as ‘donation’. Most Museums are public institutions and cannot charge for entry but ask for ‘donations’.
They accept even a small amount offered to them.
The MMI is undergoing a massive expansion, and was closed to visitors till spring. Currently only two levels are opened to the public but contains a precious though skeletal introduction to history of cinema, radio and television.
Built on the site of Kaufman Astoria Studios the museum opened in 1977 and was named Astoria Motion Picture and Television Centre Foundation. In 1988 it was renamed American Museum of the Moving Image. In the spring of 2008 massive renovation to the tune of $65 million began to restructure the space and provide better facilities for the public. One’s expectations ran high as the country is considered the Mecca of cinema and has played a significant role in cinematic history. One has to wait for the renovation to be completed to enjoy this museum in all its grandeur. The merchandise store was closed, no publications were on sale, steep iron stairs and a claustrophobic display did not do justice to one of the richest industries in the world. There were, however screenings of films and previews in Manhattan to supplement their lack of activity here.
But let us walk into the holy land of cinematic history with a bowed head and a heart full of gratitude and respect, for here is the temple where precious artifacts like Edison’s first camera are enshrined.
The first level is titled ‘Behind the Scenes’ and showcases the equipment used in the development of sound, light, editing and the camera.
As early as 1646 Athensius Kircher published Ars Magna Lucis et Umbrae, describing an apparatus closely resembling the magic lantern. He also designed a lamp which can be used to project images in a dark room. With his scientific temper he could suggest improvements over existing models. A replica of the magic lantern is on display here.
One silently salutes the genius of these men as one sees Edison’s first camera (1897) a 35mm projecting Kinetoscope and the Mutoscope devised by WKL Dickson. The latter worked under Edison for many cinematic inventions and experiments with synchronizing sound and the images. He left his employer and invented the Mutoscope in 1899, a hand- cranked machine based on the principle of the ‘flip book’. One can peer into a hooded lens and crank the handle of the machine to watch Charlie Chaplin knock his partner down. One can create one’s own personal flip book CD by posing in front of cameras. This is recorded and is handed over at the exit for a small fee. Animation exercises for children explain the complicated process in a simple hands on game. They can arrange card pictures of animals and other figures to engage in a fight or flight on table top screens. Each move one plans is recorded by a camera directly above the table. One can then playback the moves and proudly watch our own creation of animated sequence.
Replicas of the first camera used by Auguste and Louis Lumiere in their first projection in 1896 in Paris brings a sense of awe at the rapid progress man has made in science in the past century. A special mention is made here of Sigmund Lubin (1899) who manufactured lenses, cameras and projectors in Philadelphia.
Other cameras on display were Euming 16mm (1957), Arriflex 35mm (1957) and AJM Wall Machine Company’s 35mm single system camera.
The first movies were made from1830 to 1904. Jules Marley created methods of capturing motion on film. He dedicated his life to research on motion as he felt that movement was the most important aspect of human and animal life. He studied and compared the movements by filming athletes, men, women, goats, dogs and cats. We can see these experiments in a documentary on early cinema.
The Museum is designed to educate the layman about the significant contribution of scientists and artists who have contributed to history of cinema. In an effort to demystify this complex art and make it interesting and easy, many computer based interactive experiences offers simple lessons about the cinematic technique. Stand against a chroma screen and ask a friend to project one from a menu of visual effects. Watch yourself in the mirror engulfed in fire , or underwater with sharks. Instinctively one reacts with appropriate expressions. And an actor is born. This writer watched a little girl shout ‘Fire, fire!’ and writhe in pain just after she made swimming movements ‘underwater’. A simple, but instant lesson in acting!
On display is the huge equipment for editing used in early days of cinema. The Muviola is the machine used by the editor who actually edited by hand ¬-cutting, splicing and joining. The first machine for motion picture editing was invented by Iwan Serrurier in 1924. The equipment is laid out on a table the size of a large dining table.
How does an editing room in modern times monitor a cricket match and telecast live to viewers? We get the entire experience. On the wall are eight live screens, one screen on air, and one showing the editing room. Settle down on the bench and watch the ‘live editor’ “call the shots”. As he makes these instant decisions the technicians monitoring the cameras constantly follow his orders. The result? We see those wonderful live telecasts of football or cricket matches with intercuts of the main player, reactions of the team , the coach and the yelling crowds making it an exciting experience.
Francis Ford Coppola once famously said, ‘Sound is 50% of the whole cinema experience. It is your best friend because it works on the audience secretly.’
The display under this heading houses a variety of microphones used in various functions. Large speakers, ancient television sets all fall under this section. An Ancient Westrax Sound made in 1950, 35mm Magnetic Recorder and phonograph records are seen here.
‘An optical recording which translates sound to electric impulses which are converted to light signals could be recorded on film’ says the neat little note card by the side of recording equipment.
Sit at one of a row of computers and watch among a selection of scenes from famous films with all or missing sound effects. For example, for the kitchen scene in Jurassic Park, the screen comes with markers to tell you that the sound of a spoon rattling, a scratch of a giant claw or a rumbling sound is missing. Then see the scene again to realise how important it was to hear them. One can insert any sound from a menu to create a plethora of effects. The groups of young school children were enthusiastically pounding away at all these junctions. No doubt, next time they go to a movie they will keep one ear clued to sound effects.
Building a sound track or Foley Effects was an amusing to watch.
On the screen, Gene Hackman is being pursued by assailants in the film ‘Target’. A special effects artist is shown creating every sound with various implements. Foot scraping, soft footfalls, car braking, glass shattering and so on. Then ambient sound like bird twitters, traffic, or the hum of running machines are added to the track. The dialogue dubbing is next and finally the background music is added. For students, children and lay men such demos are definitely illuminating.
In another cubicle one can rehearse a line of dialogue and record one’s voice on a scene. Dubbing is a difficult art to match the voice to sync with the lip movements of the actor on screen.
The next level is rather unimaginatively named ‘Selling the Product’.
You walk into the dark cluttered Hall lined with a display of fan magazines on one side and a delectable black and white photo gallery of Hollywood stars on the other.
Under the section ‘Special Effects’ many secrets of how magic is wrought on the screen is revealed. A four foot replica of the Tyrell skyscraper used in the movie Blade Runner (1982) is on display. A life-size latex doll of Linda Blair of ‘The Exorcist’ explains how she turns her head half way around when possessed. A mechanical device in the doll’s head is manipulated for this scene. Her real mouth and eyes are superimposed on the doll’s face to create the blood- curdling effect.
On display here were realistic mechanical wolves used in the movie ‘Wolfen’ (1981). Again , real wolves were filmed along with the puppets for a realistic effect.
In the film ‘Nightmare on Elm Street (1988) a serial killer Freddy Kruger uses gloves fitted with blades. These and his chequered red and black cape is displayed in a large glass window. Most of these exhibits have a monitor playing the scene so the viewer can relate to it.
The art of prosthesis seems to have begun in cinema in 1970 with the hundred year old character in the movie ‘Little Big Man’. In 2001 A Space Odyssey the character of Dave Bowman is transformed into an octogenarian. The award –winning make up artist Michael Westmore took more than six hours to achieve this. This mask is preserved here. A big leap today to the Kamal Hassan’s various faces in his magnum opus Dasavatharam by the same artist.
Marlon Brando’s famous cheek inserts in ‘Godfather ‘seems like child’s play next to this.
The costumes section was a disappointment with only those from ‘Chicago’ (Richard Gere), Buffalo Bill (Paul Newman), Mrs. Doubtfire (Robin Williams), and Honeymoon in Vegas(Sarah Jessica Parker) on show.
Star Trek trivia gets a prominent place with miniatures of all the characters in with detailing in costumes bringing a happy smile on the face of hard core trekkies.
An endearing documentary on the special effects of King Kong in 1933 was most riveting. The tremendous efforts of the first team with the limited equipment and technology available at the time is admirable. In 2004 a remake of this film required a recreation of New York City in 1933. Several years of research and study into the city’s landscape and skyline in 1933 was required for an authentic look. Extensive use of computer generated figures of men women and children, cars and other vehicles were intercut with the real for the final effect.
The museum’s complete collection contains more than 80.000 exhibits including the chariot used in the movie ‘Ben Hur’ (1959) by Charlton Heston. However, serious cinema buffs will have to await the public announcement by the Museum regarding its re-opening. Then all the facilities like the Rilkis theatre, other smaller theatres, educational workshops, the cafeteria and stores selling cinema related merchandise will be open.
A museum related to cinematic history is a must in a country like India which makes over 200 films a year in as many as fifteen languages. We need not one but atleast five to do full justice to all the stars and technicians. The lack of a sense of history and respect for our past is deeply rooted in our culture. With vandals burning sacred manuscripts and looting libraries one wonders whether the State Government will ever put forward such a suggestion. Even a private museum funded by our dollar rich mega stars may not find a single sponsor in our city. A pity.
Tags: Edison, History, Hollywood, Westmore
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Lovely post. And second to what you wrote.
Next time Im goin to NY…Im visiting this museum…
Really nice article, I hope you think of sending it to the people at the Museum, I would think they would love it.
I’ve been there a couple of times and was, like you, under-impressed. I am glad to hear it looks as if they are expanding, and I agree it is a shame and kind of a surprise that we don’t have a more dynamic and exciting movie museum here in NY.