In book Fugitive Images; from photography to video, edited by Patrice Petro, University of Wisconsin, 1995. (from UofR Library).
"Phantom Images and Modern Manifestations: Spirit Photography, Magic Theater, Trick Films, and Photography's Uncanny" by Tom Gunning (page 42-71).
Notes:
Page 43, Freud, "unheimlich" = uncanny in translation.
Balzac theory that objects are constantly shedding their image like a skin.
Page 45, "the uncanny effect of repetition"
Page 48, William Mumler, commercial spirit photographer, tried for fraud.
Page 52, rationale for mediums being women.
Page 53, "...Claimed all they did was to hold the sensitive, receptive mediums, one spirited, the other photographic, was sufficient to form a latent image".
Page 56, Katie King (medium) ... "retires into a dark chamber (camera obscura) and produces a double of herself which emerges into the light"
Page 58, ectoplasm: term coined by Dr. Richet.
Page 60, Maskelyn, "Spiritualists ... put on a good show, one that was enthralling visually that it could be presented without serving as evidence for supernatural events".
Page 61, Robert-Houdin, exposed spiritualist, Houdini took name from him, he built a studio but when things got tough, he sold it to MELIES.
Page 64: "For Melies, spirit photography results less in communication with the dead than in an exchange of identities between image and model".
Page 65, Paul Coates, author of the early classic work on spirit photography, Photographing the Invisible, indicated that these spirit forces may actually need to consult existing photographs in order to create thee images. .... to refresh their memory".
"Phantom Images and Modern Manifestations: Spirit Photography, Magic Theater, Trick Films, and Photography's Uncanny" by Tom Gunning (page 42-71).
Notes:
Page 43, Freud, "unheimlich" = uncanny in translation.
Balzac theory that objects are constantly shedding their image like a skin.
Page 45, "the uncanny effect of repetition"
Page 48, William Mumler, commercial spirit photographer, tried for fraud.
Page 52, rationale for mediums being women.
Page 53, "...Claimed all they did was to hold the sensitive, receptive mediums, one spirited, the other photographic, was sufficient to form a latent image".
Page 56, Katie King (medium) ... "retires into a dark chamber (camera obscura) and produces a double of herself which emerges into the light"
Page 58, ectoplasm: term coined by Dr. Richet.
Page 60, Maskelyn, "Spiritualists ... put on a good show, one that was enthralling visually that it could be presented without serving as evidence for supernatural events".
Page 61, Robert-Houdin, exposed spiritualist, Houdini took name from him, he built a studio but when things got tough, he sold it to MELIES.
Page 64: "For Melies, spirit photography results less in communication with the dead than in an exchange of identities between image and model".
Page 65, Paul Coates, author of the early classic work on spirit photography, Photographing the Invisible, indicated that these spirit forces may actually need to consult existing photographs in order to create thee images. .... to refresh their memory".
