All Films

Japanese Fantasy

1909 • 1 min • France

This subject presents a remarkably clever series of illusions in which a Japanese lantern, several dolls, chickens, mice and grasshoppers play a very prominent part.

Let's Be Sporty

1909 • 5 min • France

This subject portrays in a vivid manner the operations of a puppet in his efforts to see the sights.

Slippery Jim

1909 • 8 min • France

Pickpock is behind bars. But more elusive than Arsène Lupin, no chain resists him and he plays with policemen like a cat with mice. After having masterfully taken them for a ride, having brought them down to an effigy, he rolls them up and throws them out the window. But the policemen come back to life and the chase goes on. Pickpock, caught a second time, locked up behind heavy bars, finds a new way of escaping and imprisoning in turn the policemen.

The Haunted Hotel

1909 • 4 min • France

A Segundo de Chomón film filled with stop-motion animation and ghosts.

Crowns, II: The Crown of Thorns

1909 • 6 min • France

Framed in a wreath of roses we see a lithe Creek dancer, who sways and postures before an epicurean party of ancients, followed by a laurel wreath and encircling a scene showing school children of 1830 receiving their marks of diligence at a distribution of rewards: then the wreath of bay tendered by the Human Senators to Caesar on the culmination of his career; now a beggar receives a loaf called a "crown" from a charitable passerby: Christ is shown crowned with thorns by the rabble; following the divine drama we see the old comedian's wreath presented him at a performance. The next view shows the Emperor Charlemagne crowning his son Lewis. The film closes with the wreath of orange blossoms encircling a bridal party.

A Panicky Picnic

1909 • 8 min • France

A man and his wife try to enjoy a picnic, but strange and surreal happenings prevent them from doing so.

Delicate Porcelains

1909 • 3 min • France

Several unique specimens of highly ornamented porcelain are shown in series. In each case the various pieces of ware are in reality formed of living people. After a short time has been allowed for admiration of each article, it disintegrates into the individual models, who pose in various figures and dances. In the following pictures are seen a powder box, a clock, candle sticks, a loving cup and a vase, all of wonderfully ornate design, beautifully colored. (Moving Picture World)

A Trip to Jupiter

1909 • 8 min • France

The King and his official astronomer are alone in the study viewing the heavenly bodies through the monstrous telescope. They go out on the balcony and the gay old ruler is much absorbed in the phenomenon, and spends some time in studying the stars and planets. The evening has been well spent with the many mysteries which have made such a deep impression upon the King's mind that they are still with him in his dreams. (Moving Picture World synopsis)

Monsieur Clown Among the Lilliputians

1909 • 4 min • France

Stop-motion film from Émile Cohl has a clown walk out in front of a group of people and do various tricks including standing on his head, riding a horse and falling face first off the horse.

The Gold Spider

1909 • 9 min • France

Some gnomes are searching for a wonderful spider that weaves webs of golden coins. Intent on their search, they are unaware that their movements are closely followed by a poor woodcutter, who also penetrates into their caves when they have caught the spider and imprisoned it there. He watches the wonderful spider making gold and other articles with wonder and in this scene the moving picture camera has excelled itself in turning out some good tricks, and finally he steals the golden spider. (Moving Picture World)

The French Duel

1909 • 4 min • United States of America

Alphonse and Gaston get into an argument over cocktails and agree to a duel.

The Bride of Lammermoor

1909 • 7 min • United States of America

Sir Walter Scott adaptation, existing in fragmentary form in the Library of Congress paper print collections.

The Doctor's Secret

1909 • 10 min • France

Doctors blow to pieces a patient in a hydrotherapy machine and re-assemble him.

The Death of Ivan the Terrible

1909 • 10 min • Russia

Based on Aleksey Tolstoy's piece of the same name.

The Music Lesson

1909 • 4 min • France

In front of a portico, a music teacher teaches music theory to a group of young women, including Julienne Mathieu. A piano stands on the right side. A staff is drawn at the top of the portico. The four singers have extendable necks, and their heads, as they elongate, form notes. Beneath the heads, thus detached from their bodies, and against a black background, white cut-out paper figures come to life. Then the heads return to the women's shoulders. From a white ball placed in the middle of the painting, eggs emerge and are placed on the staff. Then stick figures also emerge, forming the stems of the notes. Finally, stick figures come to life. This scene is repeated three times with different animations.

Transfigurations

1909 • 6 min • France

A showman invites patrons to step up to his Kinetoscope-style magic box and glimpse the answers to their most burning questions.

The Diabolic Tenant

1909 • 7 min • France

A man rents an apartment and furnishes it in remarkable fashion.

Madame Sans Gene

1909 • 12 min • Denmark

Napoleon's laundress and her sergeant husband save Napoleon's life. Through their heroism, they become Duke and Duchess of Danzig.

Hunting the Panther

1909 • 7 min • France

A hunter and his native helpers set up a trap, then taunt and shoot a panther. Next we see the locals skin the animal.

Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

1909 • 4 min • United States of America

The only known moving-image footage of the author, filmed at his home, Stormfield, in Redding, Connecticut. The silent short shows Twain walking about his estate, relaxing indoors with his daughters Clara and Jean. No known voice recording survives. Part of this footage has been associated with Edison’s The Prince and the Pauper (1909). Although Thomas Edison has sometimes been mistakenly named as director, he was never credited as director on any films; the actual director of this short is unknown.

A Slave to Drink

1909 • 11 min • United States of America

Illustrates a man's struggle to overcome an inherited love for drink. Although yet a young man, the enemy of his family had already sunk its claws firmly upon James Grant. A man of superior intelligence, his habits hold him down to the lot of a common laborer in a small saw mill on the St. Johns River. About two years before the opening of the picture he had met and fallen in love with Jenny, the daughter of a small farmer, living near the saw mill. Under the influence of her great love he has succeeded in throwing off the burden of his hereditary desires. For three months he has not touched a drop of liquor.

The Life of Moses

1909 • 54 min • United States of America

Released in five parts (The Persecution of the Children of Israel by the Egyptians, Forty Years in the Land of Midian, The Plagues of Egypt and the Deliverance of the Hebrews, The Victory of Israel, The Promised Land), 4 December 1909 to 19 February 1910. A Vitagraph advertisement in the Moving Picture World (31 Dec. 1909) refers to The Life of Moses as a "Biblical Film-de-Luxe". It is preserved in the Library of Congress collection.

Floral Frameworks

1909 • 5 min • France

There have been numerous studies of plants and flowers presented to the public, but none which exhibit the perfection of stereoscopic detail. The various plants have been photographed against black backgrounds and are carefully colored. In addition, the various groups were made to revolve during the time of exposure and thus show a succession of lights and shadows which produces the relief which adds so greatly to a picture. (Moving Picture World)

The Short-Sighted Governess

1909 • 4 min • Denmark

Out for a stroll, the short-sighted governess is more absorbed in her paper than in governing, leading to a series of unfortunate events, not least returning home with a boy instead of the daughter of the house. (stumfilm.dk)