Plus de chauves
No More Bald Men(1912)
Production: Pathé Frérès – Lenght: 34m – Intertitles: English –



The film:

The film opens with a mirror revealing to the disconsolate protagonist the inexorable march of his all-too-evident baldness. To his aid comes the housemaid, proffering a hair restorer that promises miracles. The promises are not empty: a couple of energetic rubs with the lotion and our man finds himself sporting a questionable but luxuriant page-boy hairdo and a beard and moustache fit for a musketeer. Ecstatic at the result, the hirsute hero showers the maid with hugs and kisses, only to see her sprout impressive sideburns. The ending is a trichological triumph in which the formerly bald protagonist finds himself with a look decidedly more untamed than he bargained for. As the saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for…”.

The technical success of the excellent close-up shots demonstrates an effective use of stop-motion photography, here placed at the service of an amusing story evidently of considerable impact.

 

The digital process: 

On 1 November 1912 Pathé, one of the world’s biggest film companies, launched its first home cinema system – a parlour projector for a family audience, curiously resembling a Singer sewing machine. Its advertising slogan ran: “KOK: Cinema in your own home! Joy for grown-ups! Happiness for children!”. The 28mm Cinématographe de Salon KOK projector was the first successor to the magic lantern, which had long been popular among the rich bourgeoisie and aristocratic families.

 

No More Bald Men was digitized in 2017 through a partnership involving the film archives of Turin, Toulouse, and Limoges, starting with the films from the 28mm collection in Turin. Repair work and scanning in 2K were carried out by the Cinémathèque de Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and image-enhancement and finalizing by the Cinémathèque de Toulouse. Our thanks go to the Gaumont Pathé Archives for their help in identifying the films.

 

Link Vimeo Cineteca MNC:

https://vimeo.com/408373508

 



back
Search




In detail
Extra Info