Abstract
Although special effects are typically thought of as tools that facilitate astonishing spectacles, for over a century their principal purpose has been to economize and enhance while blending in unnoticeably with a given filmic universe. Special effects established themselves as a routine facet of filmmaking between 1910 and 1930. Standardized compositing methods such as matte paintings, travelling mattes, or rear projection held out the prospect of an effective and cost-effective way to inconspicuously manipulate the filmic image. Taking a transnational and comparative approach, this essay examines developments in the French, German, British, and American film industries. A modified version of Christian Metz’s taxonomy of special effects renders it possible to discriminate between different types of effects. By focusing on what Metz calls “imperceptible” tricks, this essay traces historical changes in applications of and discourses on special effects, as well as their impact on film style.
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