Lyrical Nitrate is a 1991 film by Peter Delpeut

Peter Delpeut

Peter Delpeut is a Dutch filmmaker. Several of his films have heavily used found footage.-Partial filmography:*Lyrical Nitrate *The Forbidden Quest *Cinéma Perdu *Felice...Felice......

. The film consists of clips from various silent films printed on decaying nitrocellulose

Nitrocellulose

Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton...

 (or nitrate) film stock, including shorts, documentaries, and travelogues. There is no formal narrative. Delpeut followed the film with 1993's The Forbidden Quest

The Forbidden Quest

The Forbidden Quest is a 1993 mockumentary written and directed by Peter Delpeut.The film won the 1994 International Fantasy Film Special Jury Award at the Fantasporto in Portugal...

, which also uses found footage

Found footage

Found footage is a filmmaking term which describes a method of compiling films partly or entirely of footage which has not been created by the filmmaker, and changing its meaning by placing it in a new context. It should not be mistaken for documentary or compilation films. It is also not to be...

; the two were released together on video and DVD.

The films were drawn from the Desmets Collection of the Nederlands Filmmuseum, where Delpeut worked as deputy director for a decade. Jean Desmets (1875–1956) was an early Dutch film distributor. After Desmets' death a cache of film prints was discovered in the attic of a theater he owned in Amsterdam, and subsequently added to the museum's collection.