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The clockwork gear that saved early cinema

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Early cinema was an unwatchable stutter-fest until Oskar Messter borrowed the 'Maltese cross' gear from clockmaking to stop film strips from ripping to shreds. Instead of admiring the art, early theatergoers were just thrilled the projector didn't burst into flames while showing a five-second clip of a moving train.

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The clockwork gear that saved early cinema
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