Rhapsody in 35MM

09/06/2026

New episode alert: Ep. 10 — REMIXED: Murder Mystery Solved: The Final Days of Méliès and G. A. Smith. Dive into the concluding chapter of our 6-part series on Spiritualism and G.A. Smith — exploring how mesmerism, telepathy, and early psychical research shaped horror cinema and the works of Méliès and Smith. 28-minute deep dive for film history lovers and podcast fans. Listen now: https://wix.to/w5FpBRR

23/05/2026

New episode out: "Ep 9: REMIXED: The Brighton School and the Intersection of Méliès, Smith, and Phalke." Dive into G.A. Smith, James Williamson, the trick-film roots in magic, and Charles Urban’s role in early distribution. 21-minute deep dive for film history lovers and cinephiles. Listen now: https://wix.to/PcIJE2L Smith

09/05/2026

New episode live: Ep. 8 — REMIXED: Photographing a Ghost: G. A. Smith at St. Ann’s Well Gardens. Dive into George Albert Smith’s return to theatrical life in 1892 and his transformation of St. Ann’s Well Gardens into a hub of spectacle — from hot-air balloons to paranormal photography. Listen for context, historical details, and the stories behind Smith’s experiments. Read or listen: https://wix.to/xoeJUDq Smith

As we discussed at the end of the previous episode, by 1892 George Albert Smith had transitioned away from his career working as a researcher, investigator, and secretary for the Society of Psychical Research, and had returned to his theatrical roots, leasing the pleasure garden, St. Ann’s Well Ga...

26/04/2026

New episode alert: Ep. 7 — REMIXED: A New World Dawning
Dive into Mesmerism, Spiritualism, and how Pepper’s Ghost and the Society for Psychical Research shaped horror, theater, and early psychology. A fascinating 17-minute deep-dive for film and history lovers. Listen now: https://wix.to/iG1lIHF

In this episode, we will discuss Mesmerism and Spiritualism’s effect on the horror genre, including the creation of the stage illusion, Pepper’s Ghost. We will also examine Spiritualism’s role in scientific and academic research, including its connections to the Society of Psychical Research a...

27/03/2026

New on the Rhapsody in 35mm blog: Ep. 6 - REMIXED: Murder Mystery: G. A. Smith and the Society for Psychical Research. Dive into George Albert Smith’s early life as a mesmerist and telepath in Brighton, his partnership with journalist Douglas Blackburn, and how those experiences intersected with Spiritualism, Mesmerism and the birth of early cinema. A deep, 22-minute read for film and history lovers. Read more: https://wix.to/lrnJn7x

14/03/2026

New episode alert: Ep. 5 — REMIXED: Mesmerizing! Spiritualism and the Beginnings of Director G.A. Smith. Dive into Victorian spiritualism, early séance culture, and how these beliefs shaped horror cinema’s first directors. Perfect for film history lovers and horror fans alike. Read/listen now: https://wix.to/oJajl1N

Smith

27/02/2026

New blog episode: "REMIXED — From Magic Tricks to Trick Films: The Transition of Georges Méliès." Dive into how early cinema defined horror before editing, sound, or modern lighting — and how Méliès’ innovations shaped cinematic storytelling. Read the full episode and explore rare context and film history insights: https://wix.to/zRC1fLE

It seems like it should be easy to identify films that fall into the genre of horror. But at the beginning of cinema, beyond obviously having no sound, there were no editing techniques. Méliès’ Le Manoir du Diable, which we discussed in the previous episode, was produced a few years prior to eve...

25/02/2026

Quick 3-minute deep dive: learn the history behind the genre, spot a signature stylistic trait, and discover one overlooked influence shaping modern filmmaking. Perfect for new listeners and longtime fans. Listen now: https://wix.to/XC4YxUF 🎬📚

24/02/2026

Peek behind the research: rare stills, archival notes, and sources that shaped our next episode — proof that Rhapsody in 35mm is built on serious scholarship and cinephile passion. Ready to dive deeper? Listen now: https://wix.to/GzRxYl3 🎞️📚

23/02/2026

How one film rewrote the rules of an entire genre — and we unpack it in this mini-episode. Hear two signature stylistic moves that changed cinema: its revolutionary use of long takes to build tension and a bold sound design that flipped the music/ambient balance. Surprise fact: the director shot a key scene in a single 48-hour window with no rehearsal. Dive deeper on the podcast — listen now: https://wix.to/lT6L6w3 🎬🔥