"The titles are in Dutch - which makes it quite simple." Intertitles as an Agent of Appropriation in the Netherlands, 1907-1916

Abstract

This thesis investigates the issue of appropriation in early cinema, and specifically appropriation through translation. It does so through investigating the Dutch context in the years between 1907 and 1916 through the lens of the Desmet collection at the Netherlands Filmmuseum, the vast paper and film archive of Dutch film distributor Jean Desmet.

After first outlining the decentralized discourse on intertitles in general and theoretically examining the concept of appropriation from various viewpoints, the thesis then analyses the Desmet collection's paper archive, resulting in a clearer understanding of the day-to-day practice with regards to intertitles. It closes with a look at the films themselves, showing the concept of appropriation in action.