Top 10 Films of 1903

1. "The Great Train Robbery" (Edwin S. Porter, Edison)

2. "Life Of An American Fireman" (Edwin S. Porter, Edison)

3. "Daring Daylight Burglary" (Frank S. Mottershaw, UK)

4. "Akt-Skulpturen Studienfilm fur bildende Kunstler" (Oskar Messter, Germany)

5. "Desperate Poaching Affray" (William Haggar, UK)

6. "Mary Jane's Mishap" (George Albert Smith, UK)

7. "The Gay Shoe Clerk" (Edwin S. Porter, Edison)

8. "A Chess Dispute" (Robert W. Paul, UK)

9. "Le Mélomane" (Georges Méliès, France) 

10. "Sick Kitten" (George A. Smith, UK)

Other great shorts:

Alice In Wonderland (UK)
Cake-walk infernal (France)
Diving Lucy (UK)

Un Malheur n'arrive jamais seul (France)

Weak shorts of 1903:

L'Auberge du bon repos (France)
Bob Kick l'enfant terrible (France)
La Boîte à malice (France)
Le Chaudron infernal (France)
L'Enchanteur Alcofribas (France)
Extraordinary Cab Accident (UK)
Faust aux enfers (France)
La Guirlande merveilleuse (France)
Illusions funambulesques (France)
Jack et Jim (France)
La Lanterne magique (France)
Le Monstre (France)
L'Oracle de Delphes (France)
Le Parapluie fantastique (France)
Le Portrait Spirite (France)
Le Puits fantastique (France)
Le Rêve du maître de ballet (France)
Le Revenant (France)
Le Royaume des fées (France)
Le Sorcier (France)
La Statue animée (France)
Tom Tight et Dum Dum (France)
Le Tonnerre de Jupiter (France)

Life Of An American Fireman (1903) ****

A fireman rescues a mother and a child from a fire. Directed by Edwin S.Porter. There are two versions of this film: a more conventional Copyright Version and a more innovative Cross-Cut Version. Film historians still debate which version was shown to the public back in 1903. If it was the Cross-Cut Version (while the Copyright Version was simply an assembly of raw footage filed for copyright at the Library Of Congress before the editing process was completed), then "Life Of An Amerian Fireman" represents a watershed moment in the history of cinema - the invention of cross-cutting between scenes. But if the public in 1903 actually saw the Copyright Version (and the Cross-Cut Version was re-edited much later for a subsequent reissue of the film), it means that the art of cross-cutting was only invented in 1905 with "Rescue By Rover".

Le Mélomane (1903) ***

A man uses his heads as musical notes. Directed by Georges Melies.

Sick Kitten (1903) ***

 

 

Innovative British short, one of the first examples of cutting from establishing shot to a close-up within a scene. Directed by George A. Smith.

Desperate Poaching Affray (1903) ***

Probably the first use of a camera pan in the history of cinema. British short directed by William Haggar.

"The first shot throws us right into the action. The poachers attempt to hide in some brush. The authorities approach from off-screen and into the frame. A pan allows the camera to follow the action as the chase begins. The second and third shots, as well as the third and fourth, are reverse-angle takes, where the pursued and pursuers run by the camera and into off-screen space, followed by a cut, with a framing of the action from the opposite, 180-degree angle to follow the action. The last three cuts and camera placements follow the action in a fluid continuous manner, with the direction of the chase following the rules of the axis of action. The exceptional, modern continuity of this film--the harmony of the action, camera placement and editing--was unrivaled for years to come."

Cineanalyst, imdb.com

A Chess Dispute (1903) ***

A silent short interesting for its use of off-screen space. Directed by Robert W. Paul.

Diving Lucy (1903) ***

Slapstick farce about British cops trying to rescue a drowned woman.

Alice In Wonderland (1903) ***

The first adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic.

Un Malheur n'arrive jamais seul (1903) ***

Funny comedy about a prankster who plays a trick on a sleeping guard by replacing his rifle with a waterhose.

Daring Daylight Burglary (1903) ****

Made the same year as the more famous “The Great Train Robbery”, this British film, directed by Frank S. Mottershaw, is even more innovative from the cinematic point of view.

Le Rêve du maître de ballet (1903) **

A ballet master dreams of ballet dancers.

L'Auberge du bon repos (1903) **

A guest in an inn cannot sleep because his room is enchanted.

La Lanterne magique (1903) *

Very boring film with dancing girls and a camera.

Le Monstre (1903) *

Georges Méliès' film set in Egypt.

Jack et Jim (1903) *

Women emerge from barrels.

L'Enchanteur Alcofribas (1903) *

A wizard is performing various tricks.

Illusions funambulesques (1903) *

Magical transformations.

Bob Kick l'enfant terrible (1903) *

A spoiled brat.

Tom Tight et Dum Dum (1903) *

Various tricks.

Extraordinary Cab Accident (1903) *

Strange British short about an accident, with a ridiculous ending. Co-directed by Walter R. Booth and Robert W. Paul.

Le Parapluie fantastique (1903) **

Magic tricks are performed using an umbrella.

Le Revenant (1903) **

A room is haunted.

Le Portrait Spirite (1903) *

A photograph comes to life.

L'Oracle de Delphes (1903) *

It looks more like an Egyptian oracle than a Greek one.

Le Sorcier (1903) *

A wizard overthrows a king.

La Statue animée (1903) *

A statue comes to life.

La Boîte à malice (1903) *

Various tricks.

Le Tonnerre de Jupiter (1903) *

Greek gods romp with dancing girls on Olympian clouds. Méliès was experimenting with sound in this film, but without much success.

La Guirlande merveilleuse (1903) *

Various tricks.

Le Puits fantastique (1903) *

A witch curses a well.

Faust aux enfers (1903) *

The famous legend about a man making a pact with the Devil. Directed by Georges Méliès.

Le Chaudron infernal (1903) *

The devil and his cauldrons. Short film directed by Georges Méliès.

Le Royaume des fées (1903) *

There are beautiful backgrounds in this enchanting fairy tale directed by Georges Méliès.

Akt-Skulpturen Studienfilm fur bildende Kunstler (1903) ****

The Gay Shoe Clerk (1903) ***

This shoe clerk definitely isn't gay. He kisses a beautiful lady client, much to the displeasure of her stern mother. "Gay lifestyle" was obviously different in the old days. Still, the film marks an important milestone in the history of cinematic art by introducing the concept of close up for dramatic effect. Directed by Edwin S. Porter.

Cake-walk infernal (1903) ***

The devil is having a very good time, jumping up and down, and dancing.

Mary Jane's Mishap (1903) ***

Very amusing British comedy, starring Laura Bayley and directed by George Albert Smith. Quite innovative for its time, with smooth transitions between establishing shots and medium close ups. Trick photograpy à la Méliès is also used.

The Great Train Robbery (1903) ****

Excellent and exciting film directed by Edwin S. Porter. Length: 11 minutes.