Selsior was a British
silent film
A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...
production company, which from 1913 to 1917 made films of dance performances for
synchronisation
Synchronization is the coordination of events to operate a system in unison. For example, the conductor of an orchestra keeps the orchestra synchronized or ''in time''. Systems that operate with all parts in synchrony are said to be synchronou ...
with a live orchestra.
The technique was developed by OszkĂ¡r Rausch (b. 1884 in
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
), an
émigré
An ''émigré'' () is a person who has emigrated, often with a connotation of political or social exile or self-exile. The word is the past participle of the French verb ''émigrer'' meaning "to emigrate".
French Huguenots
Many French Hugueno ...
who arrived in London in 1910. It involved filming a dance performance, with an
orchestral conductor
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or choral concert. It has been defined as "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." The primary duties o ...
in shot in the corner of frame, so that the live orchestra at the screening before an audience would then see and follow the conductor's timing. The company made at least twelve films using this system, and they became very popular with audiences.
[ Stephen Bottomore, "Selsior Dancing Films, 1912–1917", ''Oxford Scholarship Online'']
Retrieved 7 September 2020 The films covered dances such as the
tango
Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the RĂo de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries from a combination of Arge ...
,
foxtrot
The foxtrot is a smooth, progressive dance characterized by long, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor. It is danced to big band (usually vocal) music. The dance is similar in its look to waltz, although the rhythm is in a time ...
,
quickstep
The quickstep is a light-hearted dance of the standard ballroom dances. The movement of the dance is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled with syncopations. The upbeat melodies that quickstep is danced to make it suitable for both formal ...
and
ragtime
Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...
, involving amateur
ballroom dance
Ballroom dance is a set of European partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world, mostly because of its performance and entertainment aspects. Ballroom dancing is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and te ...
champions, as well as footage of American-born
music hall
Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...
performer
Fanny Fields.
[
However, the company was not financially successful, and Rausch was declared ]bankrupt
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the de ...
. He was then interned
Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without Criminal charge, charges or Indictment, intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects ...
as an enemy alien
In customary international law, an enemy alien is any alien native, citizen, denizen or subject of any foreign nation or government with which a domestic nation or government is in conflict and who is liable to be apprehended, restrained, secur ...
at Knockaloe Internment Camp
Knockaloe Internment Camp was a WWI list of concentration and internment camps#Isle of Man, internment camp on the Isle of Man, at Knockaloe Farm in the parish of Patrick, Isle of Man, Patrick, near Peel, Isle of Man, Peel, which housed 23,000 pri ...
on the Isle of Man
The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...
.[ Oszkar Janos Rausch, ''Manx National Heritage'']
Retrieved 7 September 2020 None of the Selsior films have survived.[ Stephen Bottomore, "Selsior Dancing Films, 1912–1917", in Julie Brown, Annette Davison (eds.), ''The Sounds of the Silents in Britain'', OUP USA, 2013, pp.163-181]
/ref>
References
Defunct film and television production companies of the United Kingdom
{{UK-film-company-stub