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The Voice That Thrilled the World Poster

The Voice That Thrilled the World

This short traces the history of sound in the movies, beginning with French scientist Leon Scott's experiments in 1857. Featured are snippets from early sound pictures.

Top Cast

  • Art Gilmore

    Art Gilmore

    Narrator (voice)

  • Sheldon Jett

    Sheldon Jett

    Audience Member (uncredited)

  • Harold Miller

    Harold Miller

    Audience Member (uncredited)

  • Edwin Tuttle

    Edwin Tuttle

    Audience Member (uncredited)

  • Giovanni Martinelli

    Giovanni Martinelli

    Canio in 'Pagliacci' (segment 'Vesti la giubba') (archive footage)

  • George Arliss

    George Arliss

    Self (segment 'Disraeli') (archive footage)

  • John Barrymore

    John Barrymore

    Self (segments 'Don Juan' & 'Richard III') (archive footage)

  • Eugenie Besserer

    Eugenie Besserer

    Self (segment 'The Jazz Singer') (archive footage)

  • James Cagney

    James Cagney

    Self (segment 'Yankee Doodle Dandy') (archive footage)

Overview

This short traces the history of sound in the movies, beginning with French scientist Leon Scott's experiments in 1857. Featured are snippets from early sound pictures.

Related Movies

Visions of Light

Cameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography and of the "DP" (the director of photography), illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from Birth of a Nation to Do the Right Thing. Themes: the DP tells people where to look; changes in movies (the arrival of sound, color, and wide screens) required creative responses from DPs; and, these artisans constantly invent new equipment and try new things, with wonderful results. The narration takes us through the identifiable studio styles of the 30s, the emergence of noir, the New York look, and the impact of Europeans. Citizen Kane, The Conformist, and Gordon Willis get special attention.

Visions of Light

7.0 1992