Where does this come from, and can I check it?

Acetate stock burned slowly, though it decayed into vinegar over time. The figure is taken from George Eastman Museum, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a movies & tv fact?

Yes. It sits on the Movies & TV shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Safety film replaced nitrate in the 1950s

Acetate stock burned slowly, though it decayed into vinegar over time Cellulose acetate film, known as safety stock, was introduced for amateur formats in the 1920s and became standard for professional work by the early 1950s. It burned far less readily than nitrate. Its weakness is chemical decay that gives off a vinegar smell and shrinks the film, a problem archives still fight. It sits in Mondo's movies & tv collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

George Eastman Museum

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Movies & Television trivia Science trivia

More facts like this

The Academy keeps its own film archiveIts collection holds thousands of titles for preservation and study The registry protects home movies and newsreelsNewsreels, adverts and family films sit alongside studio features Federal money pays for film preservationThe national preservation programme gives grants to archives and libraries Nitrate film is stored in isolated vaultsArchives separate it because a fire could spread through a collection Old film can decay into vinegarAcetate stock releases acetic acid as it breaks down over time The Prelinger Archives collects everyday filmIts stock footage shows streets, work and travel rather than stars

Tags: preservation, film-formats, archives

Safety film replaced nitrate in the 1950s: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Acetate stock burned slowly, though it decayed into vinegar over time. The figure is taken from George Eastman Museum, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a movies & tv fact?: Yes. It sits on the Movies & TV shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.