Phantasmagoria (nonfiction)

Projection of a minotaur by a magic lantern. Illustration circa 1748.

Phantasmagoria (fantasmagorie, fantasmagoria) was a form of horror theater that (among other techniques) used one or more magic lanterns to project frightening images such as skeletons, demons, and ghosts onto walls, smoke, or semi-transparent screens, typically using rear projection to keep the lantern out of sight.

Mobile or portable projectors were used, allowing the projected image to move and change size on the screen, and multiple projecting devices allowed for quick switching of different images. In many shows the use of spooky decoration, total darkness, sound effects, (auto-)suggestive verbal presentation and sound effects were also key elements.

Some shows added all kinds of sensory stimulation, including smells and electric shocks. Even required fasting, fatigue (late shows) and drugs have been mentioned as methods of making sure spectators would be more convinced of what they saw.

The shows started under the guise of actual séances in Germany in the late 18th century, and gained popularity through most of Europe (especially England) throughout the 19th century.

In the News

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  1659: Huygens makes sketches for a projection of Death taking off his head, an early example of Phantasmagoria.

Fiction cross-reference

• Crimes against light
• Gnomon algorithm
• Gnomon Chronicles

Nonfiction cross-reference

• Electrotachyscope (nonfiction)
• Flip book (nonfiction)
• History of animation (nonfiction)
• History of film (nonfiction)
• Philip James de Loutherbourg (nonfiction) - Inventor of the Eidophusikona, a mechanical theater
• Light (nonfiction)
• Eadweard Muybridge (nonfiction)
• Optical toys (nonfiction)
• Phenakistiscope (nonfiction) - a spinning cardboard disc attached vertically to a handle which creates a fluid illusion of motion.
• Praxinoscope (nonfiction)
• Precursors of film (nonfiction)
• Jacob Philadelphia (nonfiction)
• Strobe light (nonfiction)
• Thaumatrope (nonfiction) - an optical toy that was popular in the 19th century. A disk with a picture on each side is attached to two pieces of string. When the strings are twirled quickly between the fingers the two pictures appear to blend into one due to the persistence of vision.
• Théâtre Optique (nonfiction) - an animated moving picture system invented by Émile Reynaud and patented in 1888.
• Zoetrope (nonfiction)
• Zoopraxiscope (nonfiction)

External links:

• Phantasmagoria @ Wikipedia