Early Abstractions
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Early Abstractions
| image =
| caption =
| director = Harry Smith
| producer =
| writer =
| narrator =
| starring =
| music =
| cinematography =
| editing =
| studio =
| distributor =
| released = 1939–56
| runtime = 23 minutes
| country = United States
| language =
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Early Abstractions is a collection of seven short animated films created by Harry Everett Smith between 1939 and 1956. Each film is between two and six minutes long, and is named according to the chronological order in which it was made. The collection includes Numbers 1–5, 7, and 10,[https://www.skwigly.co.uk/100-greatest-animated-shorts-film-3-interwoven-harry-smith/ 100 Greatest Animated Shorts/Film #3: Interwoven / Harry Smith - Skwigly Animation Magazine] while the missing Numbers 8 and 9 are presumed to have been lost.Sitney, p.233
Inspiration
The idea of the numbering was to suggest a coherent link between each individual film, and that they were to be treated not just on their own but as part of a larger body of work.{{cite web | last = de Bruyn | first = Dirk | title = Image-Smithing | publisher = Senses of Cinema | date = March 2005 | url = http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/05/35/early_abstractions.html | access-date = 2009-01-15 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090810010212/http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/05/35/early_abstractions.html | archive-date = 2009-08-10 | url-status = dead }}
Techniques
Of the missing chapters, Number 6 was made up of three-dimensional optically printed abstractions; Number 8 was a black and white collage of clippings taken from nineteenth century ladies wear catalogues and elocution books, and Number 9 was a color collage of biology books and nineteenth century temperance movement posters.Sitney, p.232 The remaining films show a gradual evolution in Smith's technical complexity, with blunt abstraction rudimentary motion more prominent in the early shorts, in contrast to an allegoric dance of Tarot cards, and Buddhist and Cabalistic symbols.
Soundtrack
Initially recorded with no sound, a medley of music by The Beatles was added retrospectively. Because the songs do not exactly sync up with each individual film, some critics have opined that this does not enhance the film, and recommend watching it in silence.
Legacy
In 2006, Early Abstractions was selected to the National Film Registry by the Librarian of Congress for its "cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance".{{cite news | title = 'Fargo,' 'Blazing Saddles' Added to National Film Registry | work = ABC News | date = December 27, 2006 | url = https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=2754999 }}{{Cite web|title=Librarian of Congress Adds Home Movie, Silent Films and Hollywood Classics to Film Preservation List|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-06-234/films-added-to-national-film-registry-for-2006/2006-12-27/|access-date=2020-09-30|website=Library of Congress}}{{Cite web|title=Complete National Film Registry Listing |url=https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/|access-date=2020-09-30|website=Library of Congress}} The Academy Film Archive preserved films 1, 2, and 3 of Abstractions.{{cite web|title=Preserved Projects|url=http://www.oscars.org/academy-film-archive/preserved-projects?title=&filmmaker=harry+smith&category=All&collection=All|website=Academy Film Archive}}
Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
- {{cite book | last = Sitney | first = P. Adams | title = Visionary Film: The American Avant-Garde 1943-1978 | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 1974 | location = New York }}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0093147}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wYJ51nSXRQ Early Abstractions, parts 1, 2, 3]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRJAoJVp8cU Early Abstractions, parts 3, 4]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrZxw1Jb9vA Early Abstractions, parts 5, 7]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNh12zaFtxo Early Abstractions, part 10]
- [https://www.academia.edu/3069693/Image-Smithing_Early_Abstractions Review of Early Abstractions]
- Early Abstractions essay by Daniel Eagan in America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry, A&C Black, 2010 {{ISBN|0826429777}}, pages 521-522 [https://books.google.com/books?id=deq3xI8OmCkC]
Category:American animated short films
Category:American collage films
Category:United States National Film Registry films