Novidade, imaginário e sedentarização : o espetáculo cinematográfico no Recife (1896-1909)

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate how the first cinematographic devices arrived to Recife, and how their insertion into the cultural life of the city occurred from 1896 to 1909, a period considered itinerant until fixed rooms were established. In carrying this out, it was necessary to understand the advent of modernity in the 19th century and the emergence of optical devices, especially cinematography, and their propagation and diffusion to other places until their arrival to Brazil, first to Rio de Janeiro in 1896, and later to other cities like Recife. This dissertation uses as its theoretical and methodological foundation the concept of modernity based on the studies of Renato Ortiz (1991), Marshal Berman (2007), David Harvey (1992), Sandra Pesavento (1997) and Nocolau Sevchenco (2012), and the meaning of First Cinema from Flavia Costa (2005). It is characterized as an exploratory research, constructed from dissertations and memorialists, as well as documentary analysis from newspapers from that period. With the survey of sources and readings, the research results show that it was possible to fill some of the gaps in the history of Recife‟s cinema, such as the arrival of the first devices in 1896, the presence of companies like Hervet, Kahdara, A. Joulie, among others, information about which films were shown, ticket prices, the audiences that frequented the sessions, newspaper criticisms, and the observation of some filming that took place in the city at the beginning of the 20th century. Thus, this study permitted the uncovering of important details about the social history of cinema in Recife, as well as the impact caused by its insertion into the city‟s cultural life.