>>43291712Sadly a lot is suspected due to hoarders. You have rumors of people remembering seeing early 1910s and 1920s movies as recent as the 70s and 80s. Deterioration of the early film reels destroyed so much, and being made with silver nitrate caused them to catch fire easily if deterioration didn't get it first. Look up the MGM vault fire. The only chance of those surviving before backups were made, or not backed up yet, is if they happen to be protected in the perfect cold climate. Look up Dawson City: Frozen In Time.
There is one known hoard of unseen lost silent movies in the Cuban archive, and archivists haven't had much luck getting these guys to reveal information about what they have.
Iirc, approx 85% of silent movies are suspected to be lost films.
Hoarders are cancer in every community, not just video games or film, but anywhere with rarities. All things deteriorate and degrade with age in some way or form, and without being properly perserved they will and always do get lost.
