The Edison Effect

Thomas Alva Edison would produce many wonders in his life; this engaging series traces the history of three: The Phonograph, The Electric Light, and The Motion Picture. We watched the last entry which examined Edison's trials and tribulations--along with his now forgotten, but very important, collaborator W. K. L. Dickson--in trying to create the motion picture. By 1894, Edison and Dickson had established a foothold in the nascent motion picture industry, and "The Sneeze" became the first motion picture to be copyrighted by the Library of Congress (they've been falling behind in cataloging audiovisual works ever since). Edison's kinetoscopes or peep show machines featured boxing and dancing girl movies, which were the forerunners of the current staples of modern cinema: sex and violence. But by 1912, Edison had abandoned the movies (he was "very doubtful if there was any commercial value in it"), though his name will be forever linked with their beginning. An informative portrait. Recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (R. Pitman)