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In celebration of the 100th-anniversary of Technicolor, we present this rare City Beneath the Sea trailer from 1953, courtesy of the Packard Humanities Institute Collection at the Academy Film Archive. This historically notable acquisition is the largest known collection of motion picture trailers on film and contains over 60,000 items.
This Wednesday on July 29th, join us for a unique opportunity to experience vintage 35mm gems at the Museum of Modern Art as archivist Cassie Blake presents a one-of-a-kind trailer show curated from the Academy Film Archive’s vast Technicolor holdings. Focusing on American films from the 1930s through 1950s –and featuring musicals, westerns, sci-fi, and every genre in between– the Technicolor Trailer Show will showcase a mix of well-loved classics and little known rarities, many of which have not been seen on the big screen in decades.
Theatrical trailers have not always been regarded as an essential part of the cinematic experience, though their history extends nearly the length of cinema itself. Still, it is difficult to imagine a time when previews did not act as a vital liaison between audiences and features. Blurring the line between marketing tool and work of art, coming attractions are multifaceted in their function: at worst, blatant misrepresentations or ruinous messengers of key plot twists; at best, harbingers of excitement leaving wide-eyed anticipation in their wake. Some are so well-crafted that they are themselves films-in-miniature, to be appreciated in their own right.