For cinephiles, there is an undeniable mystique surrounding âlostâ films. How does a film vanish? How could those involved in making it â the producers, the director, the cast and the crew â allow the culmination of their blood, sweat and tears to fade into obscurity? Yet, it has happened again and again over the years: All copies of certain feature films and short films cease to exist in any studio archives, private collections, or public archives, such as the U.S. Library of Congress.
Copies of many early films no longer exist. According to the Martin Scorsese s Film Foundation, more than 90% of American films made before 1929 are lost. Most of these films were intentionally destroyed: It was common practice to throw out or recycle films after their initial run because vault space was limited and the filmmakers thought the products had no future value.