Saving the Art of the SILVER SCREEN

When George Eastman died in 1932, he left his 50-room home in Rochester, New York, to the University of Rochester. But the school found the estate too large to use effectively.

- Kathiann M. Kowalski

So a decade later, when the state of New York decided to create a museum of photography in Eastman's memory, the university donated the mansion and grounds to house it. Today, it seems fitting that the estate of one of the earliest pioneers in photography has become famous as the George Eastman Museum. It holds several million objects related to photography and film. It leads the way in film preservation and conservation. It offers viewings of original historic films in its specially equipped Dryden Theater. COBBLESTONE spoke to the folks at the museum to understand what goes into their preservation work.

What makes classic films so fragile?

Basically, the materials that they were made on: Nitrocellulose-based material decomposed from the time it was made because it interacted with moisture in the air. Nitrocellulose also has a habit of catching fire when exposed to flames, or it can spontaneously combust.

Sounds dangerous! Is that why filmmakers switched to a different type of film by 1949?

They came out with what they called safety material on an acetate base.

Did that decompose, too?

It didn't turn into powder like nitrate film can, but it shrank and got what is commonly called vinegar syndrome.

What about today's films?