Revolution in Russia

Revolution in Russia 1905

5.41

A dramatization of the uprising in Odessa, Russia in 1905: A ship's crew, tired of being mistreated, mutinies and takes over their ship. When they reach land, a sailor who died during the mutiny is made a martyr, inspiring an uprising in the city. Then the authorities decide to repress the revolt with a brutal show of force.

1905

The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ

The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ 1903

6.30

The story of Jesus Christ, from the proclamation of His Nativity to His Ascension into heaven. Impressive staging and beautiful hand-coloring distinguish the film from its Passion-play counterparts; Its scale and dynamic crowds prelude the Italian epics to come.

1903

J'accuse

J'accuse 1919

7.40

The story of two men, one married, the other the lover of the other's wife, who meet in the trenches of the First World War, and how their tale becomes a microcosm for the horrors of war.

1919

The Bewitched House

The Bewitched House 1907

6.50

A group of travellers go into a house for protection. Little do they know, it is filled with ghosts who make unusual things happen to them.

1907

Drama in the Air

Drama in the Air 1904

5.80

This Gaston Velle movie from 1904 was a fairly venturesome piece of film-making for the era. First, its credits include Jules Verne: his second after the Méliès TRIP TO THE MOON a couple of years earlier. Second, it uses a dozen cuts, irised lenses -- the balloonists' views through their telescope -- panning shots, combined images and tints. The tints were standard for the era, but everything else had to be achieved with great difficulty. In an era when most movies still lasted a minute with a stationary camera and a single set-up, this was pretty much state of the art.

1904

The Electric Hotel

The Electric Hotel 1908

6.07

An enthusiastic young couple is astounded with modern technology's giant leaps in the fascinating field of electricity.

1908

The Dancing Pig

The Dancing Pig 1907

6.10

A pig dressed in fancy clothes flirts with a pretty girl, but she humiliates him and tears off his suit; she then makes him dance for her affections.

1907

The Red Spectre

The Red Spectre 1907

6.00

A demonic magician attempts to perform his act in a strange grotto, but is confronted by a Good Spirit who opposes him.

1907

History of a Crime

History of a Crime 1901

5.80

A convicted criminal dreams about his past the night before his execution.

1901

Madame's Cravings

Madame's Cravings 1906

5.90

A pregnant woman steals things from others on account of her cravings.

1906

Les Misérables - Part 1: Jean Valjean

Les Misérables - Part 1: Jean Valjean 1913

1.00

The story begins with Jean Valjean as a humble worker endeavoring to provide for his invalid mother. They live in a squalid home, made more wretched by his inability to provide sufficient food. He goes out in search of work, but is unsuccessful. Finally, in desperation, he steals a loaf of bread regardless of consequences. He hastens home with it, pursued by a crowd, and gives it to his mother. Valjean is arrested for the theft and sentenced to five years at hard labor.

1913

Kiri-Kis

Kiri-Kis 1907

6.70

A family troupe of acrobats, made up to appear Japanese, perform various unbelievable stunts in front of the camera, achieved through a trick of the camera.

1907

Magic Bricks

Magic Bricks 1908

5.40

Experimental color film that shows a magician and his assistant making objects and people appear and disappear. Then they stack up some blocks and a moving picture of a little girl appears on them.

1908

Le Voleur invisible

Le Voleur invisible 1909

6.40

A man in a suit and cap stops in front of the display of a bookseller, finds and flips… "Invisible Man" by H. G. Wells! Fascinated by the subject, he buys the book and goes home with the intention to test the invisibility formula described by the author…

1909

Germinal

Germinal 1913

5.20

Based on Emile Zola's novel, an uncompromisingly harsh and realistic story of a coalminers' strike in northern France in the 1860s.

1913

What Is Seen Through a Keyhole

What Is Seen Through a Keyhole 1901

5.30

Pathé film number 380, also known as "What Happened to the Inquisitive Janitor" (US) and "Peeping Tom" (UK). It should not be confused with its remake from 1905 also titled What is Seen Through a Keyhole, a film now considered lost. As a janitor is cleaning a hotel, he decides to peek through the keyholes to observe some of the guests in their rooms. In room 8, a woman is busy making herself look more attractive, and the janitor enjoys watching her. There are also some interesting things going on in the other rooms on the floor.

1901

A Voyage Around a Star

A Voyage Around a Star 1906

5.90

An old astronomer has been transfixed by a star for a long time. He had but one thought: to travel to it, to declare his love for it! But how? A simple but ingenious solution-- A giant bubble. Velle remade the film for Italian studio Cines in the same year.

1906

La Terre

La Terre 1921

6.30

As Jean is walking across the countryside in search of work, he helps and befriends a young woman, Françoise, who is having trouble controlling the cow that she is leading. Jean finds work at a local farm, but he soon finds himself caught in the middle of the conflicts in Françoise's family.

1921