Work in Progress: "Sir Roger Casement on Film, 1915-1916"

Almost one hundred years from now, Sir Roger Casement was executed by the British because of his involvement in trying to establish a free, Irish nation. As a follow up on our latest research on the American cinematographers of the Great War, the authors have come across some fascinating information on how the only known extant footage of this historical Irish freedom fighter was filmed when he was in Germany during World War I.

Although not published yet, we are set to go public with this remarkable story next year on the centennial of the Easter Rising in Ireland back in 1916.

We will be back on this latest project!

Durborough Film in WW1 Series "Apocalypse"

Last year, the same team that collaborated on the renowned World War II series Apocalypse produced a similar documentary series on the Great War. As with the previous production, the new series has some remarkable colored footage including scenes from Wilbur Durborough's film On the Firing Line with the Germans (1915).

Interview with the Producers

All together, about three minutes from the original Durborough film were used for Apocalypse, and these were edited in episode 2 "Fear". According to an interview with the producers, the footage was taken from the film collection at the Library of Congress.  It is a peculiar experience to see the original shots in full color and we leave it up to the viewer whether to prefer the black and white footage or the colored scenes. As an example, here's a scene showing Durborough with a German officer, wrongly introduced by the narrator as General Erich von Falkenhayn.

Close Up: Irving Ries and his Brothers

Irving Ries

Irving Ries, cinematographer for Wilbur Durborough's On the Firing Line with the Germans (1915),  features in a recent article by Robert Peters for the New England Journal of Photographic History on the Ries brothers and their place in Hollywood history. The story on how the Ries brothers contributed to the American film industry is in a word fascinating. The brothers had a number of "firsts" in the film industry.

Awarded with the Iron Cross

Before he went to Germany to cover the First World War Irving Ries filmed in Mexico. He was the only American cinematographer awarded the Iron Cross by the German army.  As described in this contemporary trade paper article, Wilbur Durborough had no experience with a movie camera before he went to Germany. So, most of the cinematography for the film On the Firing Line with the Germans was done by Ries.

The article also has more on the infamous "counterfeit" Ries who forged his passport and was sent to Britain as a German spy.  Around 1956, Irving was nominated for an Academy Award for the special effects in Forbidden Planet. He also did the photographic effects for MGM's The Mysterious Island, a Technicolor movie from 1929 that was released ten years before the Wizard of Oz.

The next eldest brother, Ray, did the special effects in two 1939 blockbuster movies: The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind.  One of the brothers, Paul, invented the Ries tripod which was marketed from 1936 and used by many professional cinematographers. The camera tripod is still being made today. For more information go to www.riestripod.com

The article on the Ries brothers can be read and downloaded here.

Book Trailer Online at YouTube!

Now that our latest book on the American cinematographers of the First World War is available it is time to reveal more of the contents.

So, here is the book trailer that has just been uploaded on YouTube.