Classic Movies

The fiend faces the spectacular mind-bending consequences of his free-wheeling rarebit binge -- IMDB Directed by Wallace McCutcheon Edwin S. Porter Written by Winsor McCay (comic strip) Starring Jack Brawn Cinematography Edwin S. Porter Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company Release date February 19, 1906 Running time 6 minutes Country United States Language Silent

A wall full of advertising posters comes to life -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Vilbert Production company Star Film Company Release date 1906 Country France Language Silent

The legend of Aladdin and his magic lamp: Aladdin finds a magic lamp which brings him wealth, luxury, and marriage to a princess. But his rival, an evil magician, steals the lamp for himself. Aladdin must regain the lamp or lose everything -- IMDB French Aladin ou la lampe merveilleuse Directed by Albert Capellani Written by André Heuzé Starring Georges Vinter Paul Capellani Liane de Pougy Production company Pathé Frères Distributed by Pathé Frères Release date 1906 Running time 12 minutes Country France

Undersea adventures in a submarine by a dreaming fisherman who encounters mystical underwater creatures at odds with him. A parody on Jules Verne's novel -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Based on Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne Release date 1907 Running time 286 meters/930 feet[1] 14 minutes Country France Language Silent

King Edward VII of England and the President of the French Republic, Armand Fallières, envision tunnelling the English Channel; nevertheless, only a maiden voyage can determine whether this is a triumphant aspiration or an acrid nightmare -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Production company Star Film Company Release date 1 July 1907[1] Running time 23 minutes Country France Language Silent film

That Fatal Sneeze (1907) As an older man and a youth are eating at the table, the older man decides to amuse himself by using pepper to make the boy sneeze. Later, the boy retaliates by sneaking into the older man's room and putting pepper in his handkerchief, hairbrush, and clothing. But things quickly get out of hand when the sneezing that results begins to disrupt the whole town -- IMDB Directed by Lewin Fitzhamon Starring Thurston Harris Gertie Potter Production company Hepworth Manufacturing Company Release date 1907 Running time 6 min. Country United Kingdom

Two white hunters accompanied by their african servant go hunting in the african jungle. They see various animals and shoot a lion. Very early silent movie -- IMDB Directed by Viggo Larsen Written by Arnold Richard Nielsen Produced by Ole Olsen Starring Viggo Larsen Knud Lumbye Cinematography Axel Graatkjaer Distributed by Nordisk Film Release date 1907 Running time 10 minutes Country Denmark Languages Silent Film Danish intertitles

Two thieves, Robert Macaire and Bertrand, are eating at an outdoor restaurant, when they find themselves left alone. So, spying their chance, they make off with everything on the table. The waitress, discovering the theft, gives the alarm and four policemen begin following the thieves. Robert Macaire and Bertrand meanwhile rob a bank and steal several costumes to disguise themselves as tourists. They leave their clothes in a garden and embark onto a train, the police behind them. They get off at the station, and an attendant tells the police which way they when the police arrive. Entering a town, an earthquake hits and the thieves fly through the air. They land and the police are again on their trail. To hide themselves Macaire and Bertrand must disclose themselves in a barn. The police soon discover their abode and shoot the thieves down, but Robert Macaire and Bertrand get up and escape after the police turn their backs. And, jumping into a hot air balloon, they float away, making rude gestures to the officers of the law -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Production company Star Film Company Running time 364 meters/1060 feet[1] Approx. 18–20 minutes[1] Country French Language Silent

Charlie pretends to be a dentist though he is only his assistant. When a patient can't stop laughing from the anesthesia Charlie knocks him out with a club. He is sent to the drug store, gets in a fight with a man who (after a brick in the face) becomes another patient, and pulls the skirt off the dentist's wife (who is out walking). At one point Charlie pulls a tooth (the wrong one) using enormous pliers -- IMDB Directed by Charlie Chaplin Produced by Mack Sennett Starring Charles Chaplin Cinematography Frank D. Williams Edited by Charles Chaplin Production company Keystone Studios Distributed by Mutual Film Release date July 9, 1914 Running time 16 minutes Country United States Languages Silent film English intertitles

Directed by Edwin S. Porter Starring Bertha Regustus Edward Boulden Release date 1907 Running time 9 minutes Country United States Languages Silent film English intertitles

On a dark and stormy night, a traveler takes a room at a spooky hotel in the forest. As soon as the proprietor leaves, the room comes alive with ghosts and poltergeists who torment the man as he tries to unpack, eat, and go to sleep -- IMDB Directed by J. Stuart Blackton Starring Paul Panzer William V. Ranous Cinematography Albert E. Smith Production company American Vitagraph Company Release date 1907 Running time 5 minutes Country United States of America Language Silent

A hawker demonstrates his glue's exceptional qualities; however, a pair of policemen shut him down. Bent on revenge, he goes to extreme lengths for justice, but it's a risky action, and one could easily get a taste of his own medicine -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Production company Star Film Company Release date 1907 Country France Language Silent

A man walks in an alley and start to play his cello with the dismay of the neighbors -- IMDB Distributed by Pathé Release date 1907 Running time 3 minutes Country France Languages Silent film French (Original intertitles)

As the clock strikes twelve, a weary astronomer attempts to answer the impertinent enquiries of his young students by scrutinising an impending lunar eclipse, as an effeminate and delicate moon caresses the mighty sun's hungry cosmic rays -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Produced by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Release date 1907 Running time 9 min. Country France Language silent film

A humongous and obese anthropomorphic swine dressed like a fine gentleman in a fancy dinner attire tries to make a pass at a solitary lady having a picnic -- IMDB

The scene opens with an assembly of citizens who are harangued by one of their number, whose words have great weight with the crowd, and their attitude of approval shows that Roman misrule in Jerusalem has reached its climax. Heralds now approach and Roman soldiers beat back the crowd to make way for the approach of the Roman Procurator. The scene changes to the home of Ben Hur, who is seen with his sister and mother on the house top. The cavalcade of Roman troops approaches, and to get a near view Ben Hur leans from the coping and knocks down one of the stones thereof onto the shoulder of the Procurator. This is seen and misconstrued by the Governor, who orders soldiers to arrest the inmates; they, after ineffectual pleas and struggles, are carried off. Ben Hur is consigned to the galleys, where he is loaded with chains. Here he signalizes himself by saving the life of Arrias, who publicly adopts him as his son and proclaims him a Roman citizen amidst the acclamations of the assembled crowd in the forum. Now comes the scene in the games where Ben Hur is challenged by Messala, and accepts it, to the great delight of the citizens. The chariots and athletes parade before the dais and in due time are arranged, and the chariot race commences. Three times 'round the ring dash the chariots, and at the fourth turn Ben Hur comes out the victor and is crowned with the wreath, to the great, chagrin of Messala, who is borne on a stretcher, wounded to death.—Moving Picture World synopsis Directed by Sidney Olcott Frank Oakes Rose[1] Written by Scenario by Gene Gauntier[2] Based on Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ 1880 novel by Lew Wallace Produced by Frank J. Marion George Kleine Samuel Long Cinematography Max Schneider[3] Music by Edgar Stillman Kelley (accompanying sheet music for film) Production companies Kalem Company New York, N.Y. Distributed by Kalem Company Release date December 7, 1907 Running time 15 minutes ("Approximate Length" 1000 feet)[4] Country United States Languages Silent (English intertitles)

A visit to the seaside of Brighton, England. First color film. Directed by George Albert Smith Produced by George Albert Smith Production company Natural Colour Kinematograph Co. Distributed by Kinemacolor Company of America Release date December 1908 (U.K.) Running time 8 minutes Country United Kingdom Language silent

A one-armed man obtains an artificial limb which he cannot control -- IMDB Starring Paul Panzer Distributed by Vitagraph Studios Release date February 1, 1908 Running time 6 minutes (16 frames per second) Country United States Language Silent film

Based on Shakespeare's play: Petruchio courts the bad-tempered Katharina, and tries to change her aggressive behavior -- IMDB Directed by D. W. Griffith Written by D. W. Griffith Harry Solter Based on Play by William Shakespeare Produced by American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, New York City Cinematography G. W. Bitzer Arthur Marvin Release date November 10, 1908 Running time 17 minutes (@16 frame/s); original release length 1048 feet[1] Country United States Languages Silent film English intertitles

The first Russian narrative film -- IMDB Directed by Vladimir Romashkov Written by Vasily Goncharov (play "Ponizovaya Volnitsa") Produced by Alexander Drankov Starring Yevgeni Petrov-Krayevsky Cinematography Alexander Drankov Nikolai Kozlovsky Music by Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov Production company A. Drankov's Atelier Release date 28 October 1908 Running time 10 minutes Country Russian Empire Language Silent film

A family is terrified when an eagle carries off its young child -- IMDB Directed by J. Searle Dawley Produced by Edison Studios The Bronx, New York Starring D. W. Griffith Henry B. Walthall Cinematography Edwin S. Porter Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company Release date January 16, 1908 Running time 7 minutes Country United States Language Silent with English intertitles

The first all-animated film in history, a series of scenes without much narrative structure, but morphing into each other -- IMDB Directed by Émile Cohl Produced by Émile Cohl Distributed by Société des Etablissements L. Gaumont Release date 17 August 1908 Running time 1 minute, 45 seconds Country France Language None / Silent film

A father and a mother bring their daughter Dolly for a walk. A gypsy violently reacts to the refused to buy something from him. The father defends the family and the gypsy, in revenge, kidnaps Dollye, who is put into a barrel, which falls into the river that flows towards the waterfall. The parents find the barrel and the child on the river side -- IMDB Directed by D. W. Griffith G. W. Bitzer Written by Stanner E.V. Taylor Starring Arthur V. Johnson Cinematography Arthur Marvin Distributed by American Mutoscope and Biograph Company Release date July 14, 1908 Running time 12 min. Country United States Language Silent (English intertitles)

Bud Noble, a handsome specimen of manhood, is foreman on the Circle "D" ranch outside of Circle City, Idaho, and our opening scene pictures Bud as the cowboy roping and tying a steer. With its bucking bronchos, pitching mustangs, bucking steers, and the biggest novelty ever, the acme of all thrillers, "see Bud bulldog a steer." Only three men have successfully accomplished this feat and lived to tell about it. Then Bud receives a shock. The local operator appears with a telegram. "Your Uncle John dead. You are sole heir to his estate valued at several millions. Come to Chicago at once." The astounded cowboys tumble over with sheer amazement. Bud buys and the scene closes with a characteristic rush for the bar. "One year later" Bud tires of society. We see Bud and his new wife entertaining and our cowboy shows plainly that he is desperately weary of the effete East, then Bud goes to the club and the men he meets there and their conversation is getting on his nerves. "After the theater" a return home and Bud longs for the fresh air of the vast West. As he sinks wearily into a chair a Remington painting catches his eye. It is one he had recently purchased, a broncho buster and his locoed horse. The artist had caught the wild spirit of his subject, and as Bud's mind returns to scenes of a similar nature, a happy inspiration comes. "By Jove, I'll do it." He seizes a telegraph blank, rings for his butler, and sends the following message: "Col. Dalton, Foreman Circle 'D' Ranch, "This high-brow life is killing me. Am sending you special train. Bring the whole outfit, band, horses and all. This town needs excitement. Come and help wake it up. BUD." A few days later we see the boys at a swell suburban depot: Bud and his wife in their auto, and the punchers in chaps and sombreros soon create a world of excitement on the city streets. Then Bud takes the boys yachting; next to see a melodrama, where the Colonel takes exceptions to the villain's heartless treatment of "Bertha, the Sewing Machine Girl." "Bud, either send those horrid creatures back where they came from or I get a divorce," declares Mrs. Bud. So the boys are next seen in a palatial café car homeward bound. The Colonel gets into an argument with the colored cook and that worthy dives through an open car window to escape the cowboy's wrath. Our closing scene is in the cozy home of the millionaire. He and his wife are enjoying a quiet tete-a-tete when the butler bands in a telegram. It reads; "On root. Everybody enjoyin' theirselves. The Colonel sure some happy, he just shot a coon. Will send the bill to you. THE BOYS." Bud laughs heartily. The wife joins and as she nestles up to her big manly husband, says: "You won't ever want to be a cowboy again, will you, Bud?" Bud turns slowly; looks at the Remington painting which has been the innocent cause of their recent quarrel, and walking over, he turns the picture to the wall, holds out his arms to his wife, and as her head nestles against his shoulder, we plainly catch his words, "Never Again."—Moving Picture World synopsis Directed by Francis Boggs Otis Turner Produced by William Nicholas Selig Starring Tom Mix Mac Barnes William Garwood Release date October 21, 1909 (U.S.) Country United States Languages Silent English intertitles

Mr. Flip flirts with every woman he sees, and ends up with a pie, shaving cream, and seltzer in his face -- IMDB Directed by Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson Starring Ben Turpin Production company Essanay Studios Release date May 12, 1909 Running time 4 minutes Country United States Language Silent with English intertitles