Thaumatropes

A gentle, curious little lesson that makes an old optical toy feel like a small wonder.

Directed by

Pierre Levie

Genres

Documentary

Overview

The 16th short film as part of the Magica series dealing with pre-cinema. Mr Seymour, the hero of the book by London doctor Mr Paris, shows his invention – the thaumatrope – to a little girl and explains how it works. The superimposition of the images is not perfect, so he invents the use of elastic instead of the usual string. Only by recording the two successive images of the thaumatrope on a title bench can they be viewed perfectly. Numerous examples are shown.

How it feels

Warm, whimsical and earnest. Measured and easy to follow.

About

Art, science, education

Content

No violence, gore, sexual content or swearing.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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