Napoleon
“Napoleon” by Nelly Kaplan, published by Macmillan in November 1994, is a concise exploration of Abel Gance’s ambitious film that premiered at the Opera de Paris in April 1927. This edition, comprising 70 pages, delves into the remarkable achievements of silent cinema, highlighting Gance’s innovative techniques, particularly the Polyvision system, which was a groundbreaking advancement in film presentation.
Readers will find a detailed account of the film’s production challenges and its initial reception, as well as the subsequent struggles Gance faced with various edits, including the American version reworked by MGM. The book addresses themes related to performing arts, film history, and cinematography, providing insights into the creative processes behind one of cinema’s most notable works. This edition serves as a reference for those interested in film guides and critiques, offering a focused look at Gance’s enduring legacy in the world of filmmaking.
Official synopsis Publisher
Abel Gance’s great film Napoleon, as heroic in ambition as its subject, opened at the Opera de Paris in April 1927. It was the summation of the silent cinema, a remarkable feat of imagination, ingenuity and stamina. Years in the planning and months in production, the film astonished its audience with the boldness of its conception – not least at the moment when the screen expanded to reveal Gance’s visionary invention of Polyvision, a wide-screen system thirty years ahead of its time. Yet Gance’s triumph was to be short-lived. The American version, re-edited by MGM, was a disaster. The sheer length of the film, and its spectacular effects, produced problems for exhibitors. Gance never gave up trying to ‘improve’ it. In 1934 he added sound; in 1970 he was still editing.
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