Fantasmagorie

Fantasmagorie 1908

6.60

An animated film by French auteur Émile Cohl, one of the earliest examples of hand-drawn film animation. Drawing inspiration from J. Stuart Blackton and the Incoherents of club Hydropathes, the film, with all its wild transformations, sees our protagonist materialize a movie theatre, meet an elephant and escape from jail; A morphing, stream-of-consciousness delight.

1908

Drama at the Puppets' House

Drama at the Puppets' House 1908

6.20

For a short comedy of rare merit this subject is unexcelled. A chalk line series of grotesque caricatures enacted in the land of puppets. A fickle maiden gets herself into numerous embarrassing complications with her host of admirers, but the artist with lightning rapidity overcomes all obstacles and brings the maiden out victorious.

1908

The Gentleman Burglar

The Gentleman Burglar 1908

1

The Proposal: The gentleman burglar walking with his lady love. They admire the grandeur and beauty of nature. He proposes and she accepts. She does not suspect his occupation. Turning Over a New Leaf: The thieves' den. The gang drinking and playing cards. The gentleman burglar arrives. Announces his coming wedding. Apprises them of his decision to quit his life of crime. He bids them good-bye and departs. Engaged to Another: Reception hall of the girl's home. A rival lover sues for her hand. She informs him of her engagement to another. He leaves her in sadness. Two Years Later: The gentleman burglar returns with his bride to her father's house.

1908

The Runaway Horse

The Runaway Horse 1908

5.83

A laundry man parks his horse-drawn cart to make a delivery. While he is inside, his horse sees a bag of oats and starts to eat them. By the time the man comes back outside, the horse has eaten a whole bag of oats, and has so much energy that he begins to race out of control.

1908

The Taming of the Shrew

The Taming of the Shrew 1908

5.40

Based on Shakespeare's play. Petruchio courts the bad-tempered Katharina, and tries to change her aggressive behavior.

1908

At the Crossroads of Life

At the Crossroads of Life 1908

4.00

At the Crossroads of Life is a typically Victorian-style melodrama in which a girl's wishes to be an actress are condemned by her stern father, a man of the cloth who has no time for those in the acting profession.

1908

Excursion to the Moon

Excursion to the Moon 1908

5.40

Segundo de Chomón's remake of Georges Méliès' A Trip to the Moon.

1908

The Thieving Hand

The Thieving Hand 1908

6.50

A one-armed street peddler notices that a well-to-do man has dropped his ring. He returns it to him. The wealthy man is very grateful and, to show his appreciation, takes the peddler to a 'Limb Store', where he buys him a new arm. The recipient soon discovers that this new arm has a will of its own - causing him considerable embarrassment.

1908

Whaling Afloat and Ashore

Whaling Afloat and Ashore 1908

6.00

A short documentary about industrial whaling. The surviving footage runs for approximately 12 minutes.

1908

The Electric Hotel

The Electric Hotel 1908

6.10

An enthusiastic young couple is astounded with modern technology's giant leaps in the fascinating field of electricity.

1908

Result of Eating Horse Flesh

Result of Eating Horse Flesh 1908

3.60

The distressing plight of a young man who, dissatisfied with the food his wife serves him, eats horse meat, develops various equine mannerisms, and eventually lands in the hospital.

1908

The Devil

The Devil 1908

1

Mack Sennett appears as a waiter in this film produced by the Biograph Company.

1908

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty 1908

4.40

Based on the story of "Sleeping Beauty" by Charles Perrault. Titles read: The Christening of the Princess; The Good Fairies Fatal Prediction; The Royal Edict; The Princess is Sixteen Years Old; Searching for the Princess; The Prediction Comes True; Thou Shalt Sleep for a Hundred Years; A Hundred Years later the Prince Charming Goes Hunting; Prince Charming Dismisses His Escort; The Castle of Sleep; The Guard's Hall; You Have Been a Long Time Coming, prince; The Wedding of the Sleeping Beauty to Prince Charming.

1908

The Red Girl

The Red Girl 1908

1

Mack Sennett appears as a man in the bar in this film produced by the Biograph Company.

1908

Rescued from an Eagle's Nest

Rescued from an Eagle's Nest 1908

5.60

A woodsman leaves a hut followed by a woman with their baby. Nearby some men chop down a tree. The baby is left outside the hut, but an eagle flies away with it.

1908

The Heart of O Yama

The Heart of O Yama 1908

1

Pretty Miss Chrysanthemum has but little to say as to the disposal of her heart, at least, such is the custom in Japan. Her parents attend to that for her. However, pretty little O Yama Sum had a will of her own, and casting tradition to the winds, insisted upon making her own choice. The Grand Daimio has long loved the pretty O Yama and presents himself before her mother in quest of her hand. His offer is scorned by O Yama, for she loves another, a low-born but worthy warrior.

1908

A Visit to the Seaside

A Visit to the Seaside 1908

6.50

The first successful motion picture in natural color, filmed with Kinemacolor. It is an 8 minute short film directed by George Albert Smith of Brighton, showing people doing everyday activities. It is ranked of high historical importance. Kinemacolor later influenced and replaced by Technicolor, which was used from 1916 to 1952.

1908

Troubles of a Grass Widower

Troubles of a Grass Widower 1908

5.20

A housewife tires of her husband's annoying behavior and returns to her mother. At first, the husband is quite pleased to have the house all to himself. But he quickly discovers that even the most basic domestic chores can be fraught with difficulty.

1908