Tales of Militant Chemistry: The Film Factory in a Century of War

The untold story of film as a chemical cousin to poison gas and nuclear weapons, shaped by centuries of violent extraction.

The history of film calls to mind unforgettable photographs, famous directors, and the glitz and hustle of the media business. But there is another tale to tell that connects film as a material to the twentieth century’s history of war, destruction, and cruelty.

This story comes into focus during World War II at the factories of Tennessee Eastman, where photographic ...