Film Dictionary: Jan 7, 1970

January 7, 1970

Top 10 Films of 1907

1. "That Fatal Sneeze" (Lewin Fitzhamon, UK)

2. "La Course des sergents de ville" (Ferdinand Zecca, France)

3. "La Course aux potirons" (Louis Feuillade, Romeo Bosetti, France)

4. "Ali Baba et les quarante voleurs" (Segundo de Chomon, France)

5. "Le Spectre rouge" (Segundo de Chomon, France)

6. "L'Eclipse" (Georges Méliès, France)

7. "Les Fromages automobiles" (Georges Méliès, France)

8. "Le Tunnel sous la Manche" (Georges Méliès, France)

9. "La Douche d'eau bouillante" (Georges Méliès, France)

10. "Lightning Sketches" (J. Stuart Blackton, Vitagraph)

Top 5 Guilty Pleasures of 1907:

1. "The Fisherman" (Johann Schwarzer, Austria)

2. "Sculptor's Dream" (Johann Schwarzer, Austria)

3. "The Abduction Of Slave Women" (Johann Schwarzer, Austria)

4. "An Exciting Hunt" (Johann Schwarzer, Austria)

5. "The Slave Market" (Johann Schwarzer, Austria)

Other great shorts:

Games Of Youth (Austria)

El Sartorio (Argentina)

The Veil Dance (Austria)

Weak shorts of 1907:

Ali Barbouyou et Ali Bouf à l'huile (France)
La Colle universelle (France)
Débuts d'un patineur (France)
Eine moderne Ehe (Austria)
In der Garderobe (Austria)
Legende de Polichinelle (France)
Pauvre John (France)
Scarabee d'or (France)

L'Eclipse (1907) ***

An astronomer observes how the sun is courting the moon during a solar eclipse. Later, he looks at other celestial bodies (some of them very cute and very female). Directed by Georges Melies.

La Course des sergents de ville (1907) ****

Policemen are chasing after a dog. They even have to crawl through holes and climb tall buildings. Directed by Ferdinand Zecca and produced by Pathé.

La Course aux potirons (1907) ***

A peasant's cart collapses and giant pumpkins roll downhill. The pumpkins are animated using stop-motion photography. Directed by Louis Feuillade.

Scarabée d'or (1907) **

This orgy of multicolored lights (hand-tinted) must have made quite an impression at the time. Directed by Segundo de Chomon and produced by Pathé.

Débuts d'un patineur (1907) **

Max Linder is learning how to skate in this comedy directed by Louis J.Gasnier.

La Colle universelle (1907) **

A prankster glues two policemen's arms together. They get even by glueing his pants to the door. Directed by Georges Méliès.

Le Spectre rouge (1907) ***

The Devil is performing various magic tricks. A very ingenious film, directed by Segundo de Chomon.

Ali Baba et les quarante voleurs (1907) ***

Beautiful adaptation of the famous Arabian Nights tale. Gorgeous colors, painted directly on film. Directed by Segundo de Chomon and produced by Pathe.