All Films

Battleship 'Odin' with All Her Guns in Action

1900 • 1 min • United Kingdom

This British Bioscope short from 1900 is a crackerjack piece, on an order with 1903's FIREBOAT 'NEW YORKER' ANSWERING AN ALARM. It's little more than a perfectly framed picture of the Odin slowly leaving harbor, with all her guns ablaze in the roiling clouds and flashes of cordite.

Iphigénie en Tauride.

1900 • 3 min • France

A short film

Little Tich de Folies Bergère

1900 • 3 min

A short film

Les Précieuses ridicules

1900 • 3 min • France

Javanese Dance

1900 • 3 min • France

Cléopâtre-Diane de Mérode (27 September 1875 - 17 October 1966) was a French dancer of the Belle Époque. She is seen here performing a traditonal Javanese dance.

Torpedo Explosion

1900 • 1 min

An explosive bit of early war film. These two exciting snippets were potentially part of a much larger action extravaganza. Originating from Alfred West's early blockbuster (two million people had seen it screened at Regent Street - by West's own count), they may have come from a series called 'Our Navy At War'. As the catalogue boasts, "It was shown... before an audience consisting of Naval officers and men from the various ships, who spoke in the highest praise of the truthfulness and realism of the various scenes." These excerpts are perhaps from the film described thus: "There is a terrific explosion. The battle rages in detail."

Dam Square in Amsterdam

1900 • 2 min • Netherlands

Dam Square in Amsterdam, bustling with pedestrians and horse trams.

Horseshoe Curve, Pennsylvania

1900 • 2 min • United States of America

Pennsylvania's historic Horseshoe Curve, photographed by an Edison cameraman in 1900.

Danse slave

1900 • 2 min • France

Jeanne Chasles and Achille Viscusi dances.

La Korrigane

1900 • 3 min • France

3 women dance

Fleur de l'ame

1900 • 2 min • France

Woman sings.

Clifton Suspension Bridge

1900 • 1 min

This 270-degree panorama in England starts on Bristol's iconic suspension bridge - an engineering triumph designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The camera pans round, taking in views of the cliffs and the Avon gorge before returning to its point of origin.

Dewar's Scotch Whisky

1900 • 1 min

From behind a curtain three men appear on screen. The first wears a combination of tuxedo and kilt. The second wears a Scottish kilt and holds a spear and a shield. The third wears a military tunic and sword. All three attempt to dance a version of the Highland Fling. In the background a banner with the words Scotch Whisky emblazoned on it is clearly visible.

Mill Workers Leaving Oldroyd & Sons Mill, Dewsbury

1900 • 1 min

Workers of all ages depart Oldroyd's wool mill – and the filmmakers' camera is a subject of curiosity.

Playing Soldier

1900 • 1 min

Prince Edward of York, executing the manual of arms with the British flag.

Sanger Circus Passing Through Inverness

1900 • 2 min • United Kingdom

The parade of carriages, costumed riders, and exotic animals passing over the bridge at Inverness, Scotland, has attracted a crowd, despite the rain.

Cleveland Fire Department

1900 • 1 min

Cleveland Fire Department rushes to extinguish a fire as a crowd watches.

An Artist's Dream

1900 • 1 min • United States of America

The scene opens in the interior of an artist's studio. Mephisto appears mysteriously and signals the pictures to come to life. They step down from the frames and walk forward, admiring their costumes. Mephisto then touches the artist on the shoulder, awakening him, and disappears. The artist, after rubbing his eyes, sees the picture on his right hand side and jumps up to embrace her. After embracing her once, he makes a second attempt and she disappears. The artist now wakes up, jumps to his feet, and runs to see if the picture are still in the frames. He examines them and finding that they are still fast on the wall, realizes that the has been dreaming and seeks consolation in the bottle.

A Gesture Fight in Hester Street

1900 • 1 min • United States of America

A comical fight between two Hebrews; one a pushcart man, and the other a suspender peddler.

Sailors on H.M.S. Black Prince Firing Cannon and Rifles

1900 • 1 min

Royal Navy recruits firing cannons and rifles on board a ship.

Paris Exposition

1900 • 2 min

A panoramic bird's-eye view of Paris and the Exposition. Taken from a captive balloon, the camera being pointed downward so that the exact effect is obtained that one would have in looking over the side car of a balloon. The figures of the people below are mere dots, and the buildings are seen in complete groups.

Execution of a Spy

1900 • 1 min

A spy is executed by firing squad.

Revue à Longchamp: Défilé de la Garde Républicaine et des pompiers

1900 • 1 min • France

A review of the Republican Guard and firemen at Longchamp filmed by the Lumière brothers.

Aguinaldo's Navy

1900 • 1 min

A splendid scene, showing a large number of curious Filipino boats being worked on the Pasig River near Manila by natives. The picture is unusually fine photographically.