The Evil Eye

This chapter talks about the introduction of the zoom lens in Italian cinema in the early 1960s, which had become widespread in the previous decade. It mentions the Zoomar company that enjoyed a virtual monopoly of the US market as the “zoom” became a common sight on American television by the early to mid-1950s. It discusses how the zoom was soon adopted by many productions in Europe for the saving of time and money it involved. The chapter describes the zoom that allowed directors to get rid of tracking shots and shift to close ups within the space of one shot, simplifying and speeding up the filming process. It emphasizes how the zoom had turned into a must-have accessory for any filmmaker by the mid-1960s.