stuthehistoryguy wrote:
In terms of raw numbers of seekers, absolutely.  We have demonstrated that in many different ways. 

HOWEVER, to muddy the waters* a bit, is this true in terms of total RESOURCES expended?  To wit, are there major initiatives from film studies departments or national film institutes whose resources (in terms of staff and what not) expended in tracking down the lost reels of Greed or Eisenstein's lost porno footage or Leni Riefenstahl or whatever may exceed that of the LAM seekers?

I'm coming at this from ignorance--I've only done one conference paper on film, and that was pretty specialized.  Beyond that, I'm a fanboy in the presence of his elders.


*I have only myself to blame for humming "I Can't Be Satisfied" for the rest of the day.
    

The answer to this one is "No", too.  Although there are many "fan groups" which raise money to preserve certain films made by their favorite actors, all of those films are extant and already held in archives.  Nobody has ever put out money to search for a lost film.  I mean, what would you spend it on... airfare to check out the sub-basement in the Croatian Film Institute?

Nowadays, lost films are found by making phone calls and checking internet databases.  When something does turn up buried behind the wall in a demolished theatre, archives are usually notified, and then they respond "Send it to us and we'll check it out.  You pay the postage."