| AdminHistory | Bill Douglas had developed an interest regarding the history of pre-cinema that developed out of he and Peter Jewell's film ephemera collection. Pre-cinema entertainments and effects were incorporated into 'Comrades' through the sub-plot of the Lanternist. Alex Norton played this character, along with 13 other roles (though one was cut in the final release), and through him the audience is introduced to all manner of optical devices and illusions. The pre-cinema devices include: the magic lantern, the peep show, the diorama and the panorama. There are also optical effects that allude to 'Roget's Wheel' and the camera obscura. Some of the pre-cinema items used were real artefacts from Bill and Peter's collection, while others were created by the production team as props. List of captions for lantern slides of the martyrs at the end of the film. |