Film Dictionary

1. "The Great Train Robbery" (Edwin S. Porter, Edison) 2. "Life Of An American Fireman" (Edwin S. Porter, Edison) ...

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 Cop...

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

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

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

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

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

The first adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic.

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

Made the same year as the more famous “The Great Train Robbery”, this British film, directed by Frank S. Mottershaw, is even more innovati...

A ballet master dreams of ballet dancers.

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

Very boring film with dancing girls and a camera.

Georges Méliès' film set in Egypt.

Women emerge from barrels.

A wizard is performing various tricks.

Magical transformations.

A spoiled brat.

Various tricks.

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

Magic tricks are performed using an umbrella.

A room is haunted.

A photograph comes to life.

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

A wizard overthrows a king.

A statue comes to life.

Various tricks.

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

Various tricks.

A witch curses a well.

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

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

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

This shoe clerk definitely isn't gay. He kisses a beautiful lady client, much to the displeasure of her stern mother. "Gay lifesty...

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

Very amusing British comedy, starring Laura Bayley and directed by George Albert Smith. Quite innovative for its time, with smooth transitio...

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

1. "Le Voyage dans la Lune" (Georges Méliès, France) 2. "Par le trou de serrure" (Ferdinand Zecca, France) 3. ...

A country bumpkin thinks what he sees on the movie screen is real. He even jumps out of his seat to try to stop a kissing scene. Directed by...

Impressive science-fiction epic about a trip to the Moon. Georges Méliès' most famous film. Length: 8 minutes.

Profoundly sad tale of a match vendor dying in the cold. Adapted from a short story by Hans Christian Andersen. Directed by James Williamson...

Segundo de Chomon's film debut.

A sexy dog trainer.

  Comedy set in a bakery.

A cop tries to stop a car.

A voyeur peeps through several key holes. One of the earliest films to use POV shots. Directed by Ferdinand Zecca and produced by Pathé.

The famous fairy-tale has been brought to life by George S. Fleming and Edwin S. Porter. Produced by Thomas Edison.