In almost every feature film of Hollywood's golden age, from The Wizard of Oz toNorth by Northwest to Cleopatra to The Sound of Music, painted backings have convinced moviegoers that what they are seeing-whether the fantastic roads of Oz, the presidents of Mount Rushmore, or ancient Egyptian kingdoms-is absolutely real.
These backings are at once intended to transport the audience and yet remain unseen for what they really are.The Art of Hollywood Scenic Painting reveals the hidden world and creators of these masterpieces, long-guarded as a special effects secret by the major studios such as MGM, Warner Brothers, Universal, Columbia, 20th Century Fox, and Paramount.
Despite the continued use of hand-painted backings in today's films, including the big-budgetInterstellar and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events among many others, digital technology is beginning to supplant the art form.
In an effort to preserve the irreplaceable knowledge of scenic masters, Karen Maness and Richard Isackes have compiled a definitive history of the craft, complete with interviews of the surviving artists. This is a rich undiscovered history-a history replete with competing art departments, dynastic scenic families, and origins stretching back to the films of Melies, Edison, Sennett, Chaplin, and Fairbanks.
