A Feature From Fleischer

[JDWeil]

In 1923 The Inkwell Studios (read Fleischer here) produced the feature Einstein's Theory Of Relativity for a group of the physicist's friends who wanted to spread his gospel. This amounted to one of the earliest silent era documentaries with animation in it. Fleischer did make a theatrical version by removing some of more arcane parts of the film (which reduced by about half) but the film is now available (with its attendant book) on DVD. Read about it here. (http://www.cgpublishing.com/books/dvd/einstein.html)

[Ray Pointer]

The other images posted are from EVOLUTION, the other scientific film produced by Inkwell Studios in 1923. It was banned in parts fo the south during the period of the famous Scope Monkey Trial and the debates between Clarance Darrow and William Jennings Bryan. RELATIVITY, running 23 minutes is the more interesting of the two films.

[wundermild]

The other images posted are from EVOLUTION, the other scientific film produced by Inkwell Studios in 1923. It was banned in parts fo the south during the period of the famous Scope Monkey Trial and the debates between Clarance Darrow and William Jennings Bryan. RELATIVITY, running 23 minutes is the more interesting of the two films.
Evolution - I have never heard of this one. I assume that the film is fully or in part animated. Is the entire short (or excerpts or other stills) available anywhere?

wundermild
(who is asking this both as animation enthusiast and evolutionary biologist)

[Ray Pointer]

EVOLUTION (1923) is mostly live action shots with some Technical and Stop Motion animation. What is interesting is that the opening of EVOLUTION appears to have inspired the opening sequence of THE RITE OF SPRING in FANTASIA since it displays a concept of the creation of Earth in nearly identical images, using Technical Animation and photographic tricks. (Note last two images.)

The Stop Motion dinasaurs have been thought to have been done by Willis O'Brien. Other than these examples, EVOLUTION is not really an animation achiement of the degree that RELATIVITY (1923) is. While both films are essentially serious documentary films, RELATIVITY contains the most animation, and utilizes the greater variety of techniques. (Note first three images.)