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Battle of Santiago Bay
JAN 1, 1898 · 15 MIN · DIR. J. STUART BLACKTON
Documentary
Vitagraph’s Battle of Santiago Bay (1898) blended real Spanish–American War footage with tabletop trickery. Albert E. Smith’s authentic San Juan material looked underwhelming, so he and partner J. Stuart Blackton staged the naval clash on a miniature set: cardboard ships afloat in shallow water, firecracker “explosions,” and clouds of smoke from cigars and cigarettes. Spliced together, the hybrid film was embraced as genuine by audiences and became one of the most popular war films of its day.
Crew
Producer
J. Stuart Blackton
Producer
Albert E. Smith
