Film Dictionary

January 5, 1970

Top 10 Films of 1905

1. "Rescued By Rover" (Cecil M. Hepworth, UK)

2. "Our New Errand Boy" (James Williamson, UK)

3. "La Nuit épouvantable" (Segundo de Chomon, France)

4. "Le Diable noir" (Georges Méliès, France)

5. "Le Palais des milles et une nuits" (Georges Méliès, France)

6. "Le Tripot clandestin" (Georges Méliès, France)

7. "La Légende de Rip Van Winckle" (Georges Méliès, France)

8. "The Other Side Of The Hedge" (Lewin Fitzhamon, UK)

9. "Un Feu d'artifice improvisé" (Georges Méliès, France)

10. "The Whole Dam Family And The Dam Dog" (Edwin S. Porter, Edison)

Top 2 Guilty Pleasures of 1905:

1. "La Coiffeuse" (France)

2. "Five Ladies" (France)

Other great shorts:

Le Raid Paris-Monte Carlo en deux heures (France)

Weak shorts of 1905:

Les Cartes vivantes (France)
La Chaise à porteur enchantée (France)
Le Compositeur toqué (France)
Le Menuet lilliputien (France)
Le Phénix ou le coffret de cristal (France)
La Presa di Roma (Italy)

Le Palais des mille et une nuits (1905) ***

An Arabian Nights tale about thieves and dancing skeletons. Beautiful decors. Directed by Georges Méliès.

The Whole Dam Family And The Dam Dog (1905) ***

A amusing series of shots showing various members of the Dam family. Directed by Edwin S.Porter.

Les Cartes vivantes (1905) **

A Queen of Hearts and a King of Spades magically come to life in this short film by Georges Méliès.

Le Tripot clandestin (1905) ***

People are gambling in an illegal casino, quickly changing the decor when informed of a police raid. A very clever film directed by Georges Méliès.

Le Diable noir (1905) ***

A little devil plays various pranks on a hotel guest, moving the furniture around, making it disappear (or appear out of nowhere). A typical example of Melies' magic.

La Nuit épouvantable (1905) ***

A man is unable to sleep in his bed.

Our New Errand Boy (1905) ***

Slapstick farce about a young prankster.

Un Feu d'artifice improvisé (1905) ***

Pranksters use fireworks to wake a hobo.

La Légende de Rip Van Winckle (1905) ***

The story of Rip Van Winckle.

Le Raid Paris-Monte Carlo en deux heures (1905) ***

King Leopold drives from Paris to Monte Carlo by car in two hours.

The Other Side Of The Hedge (1905) ***

A man and a woman manage to deceive their chaperone.

Le Compositeur toqué (1905) **

A crazy composer and dancing ladies.

La Chaise à porteur enchantée (1905) *

A magician brings to life people and objects from the 18th century. Directed by Georges Méliès.

Le Menuet lilliputien (1905) *

Dancing cards. A short fragment of a film by Georges Méliès.

Le Phénix ou le coffret de cristal (1905) *

A short fragment of a Méliès' film about a woman emerging from a huge dice.

Classic British film about a kidnapped baby rescued by the family dog. Directed by Cecil M. Hepworth. A clever parody of this film (which includes most of the original footage) can be seen here on YouTube.