Classic Movies

A woman's home is forcibly invaded by robbers, and a clumsy law enforcement officer tries to detain the thieves -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Release date 1897 Running time 1min 11secs Country France Language Silent

An old man gets progressively livelier - and drunker - as he downs his bottle of beer. Finally, he cocks a snook - and doesn't bother to uncock it as he continues to drink -- IMDB Directed by George Albert Smith Produced by George Albert Smith Starring Tom Green Cinematography George Albert Smith Production company G.A. Smith Release date September 1897 Running time 35 secs Country United Kingdom Language Silent

A train is leaving a railway station at the outskirts of Jerusalem. From the very end of the train a barren, rocky landscape is seen, and some ruins of very old buildings,. Five men walk along the track, tipping their hats when the train departs. When it approaches the station building more people are seen, people of different ethnicity and religion. Some men wear fezzes on their heads and canes in their hands. A Franciscan monk comes walking in the middle of a mixed group of people. The platform outside the station is crowded with people waiting for the next train. Among them is a man with a sword at his side. The big windows of the station are covered with shutters. After the station the train passes a long fence, enclosing a lumberyard -- IMDB Directed by Alexandre Promio Produced by Auguste and Louis Lumière Distributed by Auguste and Louis Lumière Release date 1897 Country France Languages Silent film French intertitles

Directed by Georges Méliès Produced by Star Film Company Distributed by Star Film Company Release date 1897 Running time 1min 11secs Country France Languages Silent French intertitles

A Danish factor ("colony manager") in Greenland drives a sledge with the help of some Greenlandic sledge dogs in Fælledparken in Copenhagen as an illustration of his life in Greenland in this first film ever shot in Denmark (by Peter Elfelt) -- IMDB Directed by Peter Elfelt Starring Johan Carl Joensen Cinematography Peter Elfelt Release date 1897 Running time <1 minutes Country Denmark Language Silent Film

A view from the front of a moving train. A tunnel, a few seconds of darkness. Once outside, on the other side of the tunnel, a man crosses the train tracks -- IMDB Production company American Mutoscope Company Release date 1897 Running time 1538 frames Country United States Language Silent

Documentary film depicting the 1897 boxing match between James J. Corbett and Bob Fitzsimmons in Carson City, Nevada on St. Patrick's Day. Originally running for more than 100 minutes, it is the world's first feature film -- IMDB Directed by Enoch J. Rector Produced by William Aloysius Brady Starring James J. Corbett Bob Fitzsimmons Cinematography Enoch J. Rector Distributed by Veriscope Release date May 22, 1897 Running time c. 90–100 minutes Country United States Box office $100,000–$750,000

At a solitary cheap inn, a distant traveller overcome with fatigue has a close encounter with the supernatural -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Production company Star Film Company Release date 1897 Running time 40 meters Country France Language Silent

Using the same rocking effect previously employed in "Combat naval en Grèce (1897)", the director Georges Méliès recreates the illusion of a small ship in a tempest -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Georgette Méliès Joseph Grapinet Production company Star Film Company Release date 1897 Running time Approx. 1 min.[1] Country France Language Silent film

The first film to ever show a nudity scene on screen is a simple presentation of a servant preparing a bath for another woman -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Produced by Star Film Company Starring Jehanne d'Alcy Jane Brady Release date 1897 Running time Short Country France Language Silent film

Directed by George Albert Smith Brother and sister are sent to bed on Christmas Eve, and while they are asleep, Santa Claus comes down the chimney and fills their waiting stockings with toys -- IMDB Starring Laura Bayley Harold Smith Dorothy Smith Release date September 1898 Running time 1 min 16 secs Country United Kingdom Language Silent

In a traditional "magician" attire, the wizard of illusion and jump cuts, Georges Méliès, says the magic words and conjures up wonders from a plain wooden box -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Produced by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Release date 1898 Running time 1 minute Country France Language Silent

Much to our amazement, an elegant and masterful illusionist detaches his own head effortlessly from his shoulders for a once-in-a-lifetime performance -- IMDB French Un homme de têtes Directed by Georges Méliès Written by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Release date 1898 Running time About 50 seconds[1] 65 feet (20 metres)[2] Country France Language Silent

A couple look at a statue while eating in an art gallery -- IMDB Directed by Robert W. Paul Produced by Robert W. Paul Production company Paul's Animatograph Works Release date 1898 Running time 1 minute, 38 secs surviving Country United Kingdom Language Silent

The Cavalier's Dream (1898) He sits asleep at a bare table; old witch enters, raps three times, then disappears; cavalier sees table spread for a sumptuous repast. Mephistopheles appears; then the old witch, who suddenly changes to a beautiful young girl. The changes and magical appearances are startling and instantaneous -- IMDB Produced by Vitagraph Studios Distributed by Edison Studios Release date December 1898 Running time 1 minute Country United States Language English

The Reading's [Pennsylvania] pitcher has just let a Newark [New Jersey] batsman walk to first. Our camera is stationed about twenty feet from the bag, and the satisfied grin of the runner is great as he touches first and gets up on his toes for second. Next man cracks first ball pitched for a two-bagger, and races for the base with a wonderful burst of speed. First baseman just misses a put out. Very exciting. Man on the coaching line yells, and umpire runs up and makes decision. Small boy runs past back of the catcher close to the grand stand, where there is great commotion. A most excellent subject, treated brilliantly -- IMDB Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company Release date May 20, 1898 Country United States Language Silent

An astronomer falls asleep and has a strange dream involving a fairy queen and the Moon -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Based on "Les Farces de la Lune ou les Mésaventures de Nostradamus" by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Release date 1898 Running time Approx. 3 minutes[1] Country France Language Silent

A magician has a picture frame set up. He then proceeds to make a second version of himself appear inside it -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Release date 1899 Running time Short Country France Language Silent film

A humorous subject intended to be run as a part of a railroad scene during the period in which the train is passing through a tunnel -- IMDB Directed by George Albert Smith Produced by George Albert Smith Starring Laura Bayley George Albert Smith Cinematography George Albert Smith Release date March 1899 Running time 1 min 3 secs Country United Kingdom Language Silent

King John does whatever it takes to keep himself on the throne of England, making enemies of the pope, France, and his nephew along the way -- IMDB

Townspeople in strange attire are being attacked by Indians who appear from the woods.. Both sides start shooting. While some Indians dance, the town begins to burn. Cowboys appear and shoot most people involved in the conflict down -- IMDB Directed by Mitchell and Kenyon Produced by Mitchell and Kenyon Cinematography James Kenyon Release date 1899 Running time 1 minute Country United Kingdom Languages Silent English intertitles

Dramatized re-enactments of the events of the Dreyfus-affair from 1894 to 1899 -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Production company Star Film Company Distributed by Star Film Company Warwick Trading Company Release date September 1899[1] Running time 240 meters/780 feet total[1] Approx. 13 minutes total[2] Country France Language Silent

Satan appears in a convent and takes the guise of a priest. Before long he is causing all manner of perturbation and despair -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Production company Star Film Company Release date 1899 Running time 60 meters[1] Country France Language Silent

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 -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Based on Cinderella by Charles Perrault Produced by Georges Méliès Starring Mlle Barral Bleuette Bernon Jeanne d'Alcy Georges Méliès Release dates October 1899 (France) 25 December 1899 (United States) Running time 6 minutes Country France

Two men work in a large garden, one of them watering with a hose and wearing a boater. A young man in apron and cap sneaks into the scene, hides behind a bush, and kinks the hose. The man in the boater can't figure out what's going on, and before too long, he's soaked. He gives chase. Will he catch the prankster, and if he does, what punishment will he meet out -- IMDB Produced by James Bamforth Production company Bamforth Company Release date December 1899 Running time 1 min 9 secs Country United Kingdom Language Silent