Cinderella

Cinderella 1899

6.20

A fairy godmother magically turns Cinderella's rags to a beautiful dress, and a pumpkin into a coach. Cinderella goes to the ball, where she meets the Prince - but will she remember to leave before the magic runs out? Méliès based the art direction on engravings by Gustave Doré. First known example of a fairy-tale adapted to film, and the first film to use dissolves to go from one scene to another.

1899

The Devil in a Convent

The Devil in a Convent 1899

6.20

A priest is officiating at a convent, when suddenly he is transformed into the devil, who frightens away the nuns and turns the place into pandemonium.

1899

The Dreyfus Affair

The Dreyfus Affair 1899

5.70

The first movie ever censored for political reasons. The title refers to the then contemporaneous Dreyfus affair in which a Jewish military officer was falsely convicted of treason, and it was alleged that he was framed due to anti-semitism.

1899

The Kiss in the Tunnel

The Kiss in the Tunnel 1899

5.79

Produced and directed by George Albert Smith, the film shows a couple sharing a brief kiss as their train passes through a tunnel. The Kiss in the Tunnel is said to mark the beginnings of narrative editing. It is in fact, two films in one, hence the 2 min length. Firstly, the G.A. Smith film here for the central cheeky scene in the carriage. The train view footage however is Cecil Hepworth's work, entitled 'View From An Engine Front - Shilla Mill Tunnel', edited into two halves in order to provide a visual narrative of the train entering the tunnel before the kiss and then leaving afterwards. More information about the filming of the phantom train ride can be found searching for the Hepworth film separately.

1899

The Little Girl and Her Cat

The Little Girl and Her Cat 1899

5.70

A little girl sits at a table, holding a container of what appears to be some sort of food. Suddenly there's a flash of movement: a tortoiseshell cat, with long hair and a very furry tail, has leapt onto the table.

1899

An Up-to-Date Conjurer

An Up-to-Date Conjurer 1899

6.30

A film from Méliès has him playing a magician who does a few tricks including making a woman disappear.

1899

The Pillar of Fire

The Pillar of Fire 1899

5.92

A devil wearing bat-like wings and brandishing a trident dances around a giant pot, conjuring forth flame from his trident to lit a fire beneath the pot. After the devil works the fire with bellows, an angelic woman emerges from the pot. The devil and the pot vanish as the woman performs a dance, waving about her diaphanous sleeves until she conjures forth another fire, then she rises amongst the smoke into the air.

1899

Défilé de voitures de bébés à la pouponnière de Paris

Défilé de voitures de bébés à la pouponnière de Paris 1899

5.60

A long line of nurses pushing carts with their babies enter from the far right, cross a garden in front of the large nursery home, and leave by the close left to the camera. A few toddlers also follow in the same orderly line, along their nurses.

1899

King John

King John 1899

4.86

Based on Shakespeare's play, Act V, Scene vii: King John is in torment, and his supporters fear that his end is near. As he writhes in agony, he is attended by Prince Henry, the Earl of Pembroke, and Robert Bigot. Prince Henry tries repeatedly to comfort his delirious father, but to no avail - John's pain is too great.

1899

The Mysterious Knight

The Mysterious Knight 1899

6.30

A knight performs several magic tricks with a disembodied head materialized from a chalkboard drawing.

1899

Opium Den

Opium Den 1899

5.69

A century-old film depicting opium smokers in French Indochina (Vietnam).

1899

The Fight of Reporters

The Fight of Reporters 1899

5.40

During an interval in the proceedings of the court martial, the journalists enter into an animated discussion, resulting in a dispute between Arthur Meyer of the 'Gaulois', and Mme. Severine of the 'Fronde', resulting in a fight between Dreyfusards and Anti-Dreyfusards, in which canes and chairs are brought down upon the heads of many. The room is finally cleared by the gendarmes.

1899

104th Street Curve, New York, Elevated Railway

104th Street Curve, New York, Elevated Railway 1899

4.70

Taken from the front platform of a special train run backward over this celebrated S curve. Not only are the passing trains and crowded platforms of great interest, but the view of uptown New York is an excellent one, showing acre upon acre of roofs, towers, steeples and towering apartment houses. As the 'special' slows up at 92nd street, a Harlem express dashes by, the engineer leaning out of his cab, and waving a good-bye.

1899

Dreyfus Court Martial - Arrest Of Dreyfus

Dreyfus Court Martial - Arrest Of Dreyfus 1899

4.70

Du Paty de Clam requests Captain Dreyfus to write as he dictates for the purpose of ascertaining whether his handwriting conforms to that of the Bordereau. He notices the nervousness of Dreyfus, and accuses him of being the author of the Bordereau. Paty de Clam offers Dreyfus a revolver, with advice to commit suicide. The revolver is scornfully rejected, Dreyfus stating that he had no need for such cowardly methods, proclaiming his innocence. His arrest is immediately ordered by M. Cochefort.

1899