The first successful motion picture in natural color, filmed with Kinemacolor. It is an 8 minute short film directed by George Albert Smith of Brighton, showing people doing everyday activities. It is ranked of high historical importance. Kinemacolor later influenced and replaced by Technicolor, which was used from 1916 to 1952.
In 1908, Director/Producer Shozo Makino (father of Japanese cinema) directed and produced the first dramatic film in Kyoto. “Honnô-ji Gassen” was shot at Shinnyo-Do Temple. Considered a lost film.
Into a photography studio full of large fantastic machines steps an elderly couple. The bearded proprietor explains the equipment and gives them a demonstration: he starts machines whirring, and projects a painting of three women onto a large screen; suddenly the women begin to move. The customers are impressed. First the women sits in the special seat: she's projected onto the screen, and her good nature comes out in the laughing image. Then it's the man's turn, but the machine discloses a vastly different nature in him. Will his reaction threaten our proprietor's inventions?
1908 French short silent film directed by Georges Méliès, which is currently presumed lost.
After receiving a scolding for falling asleep on the job, Cupid is sent out in search of potential lovers to unite. While flying over a city, he finds a ballroom dance and identifies a likely couple. He is successful in getting them to meet, but many obstacles still stand in the way of Cupid achieving his goal for them.
Mack Sennett appears as a policeman and waiter in this film produced by the Biograph Company.
An elderly actor, once an audience favorite, goes to a talent agency for work, but is told he is too old to be hired. Going home, he tells the bad news to his wife. They pawn most of their possessions, and end up begging on the streets. There they happen to come across a familiar face: a star performer, who rose to fame after getting valuable advice from the older actor. The star, finding his mentor impoverished, offers his home as a place to live.
A woodsman leaves a hut followed by a woman with their baby. Nearby some men chop down a tree. The baby is left outside the hut, but an eagle flies away with it.
During an orgy, Emperor Justinian orders three people to be torched alive.
Nell, the boss's daughter, uses Sherlock Holmes' detective work, to choose between the two suitors at her dad's broker's office.
1908 French short silent film directed by Georges Méliès, which is currently presumed lost
A moon-woman shakes a Pierot costume and manifests a Pierot clown. She does this four more until there are five Pierots crowded on the ledge of the moon. They fall to the earth and dance like tops turning one by one into Columbine maidens.
A young couple are enjoying a romantic interlude in the young woman's home, when her father discovers them and angrily chases the young man out of the house. They thus decide to elope, and they make plans accordingly. But as they are leaving, a thief discovers their plans, and he decides to turn the situation to his own advantage.
Short film about a magic ride
The first scene shows part of Flint's old pirate crew, with one-legged John Silver in the lead. They have discovered the hiding place of Billy Bones, the mate of Flint's ship, the "Walrus," and they send Black Dog, one of the crew, to tip Billy Bones to the "black spot" at the Admiral Ben Bow Inn; but Billy Bones drives Black Dog away, and will have nothing to do with him.
An old merchant gets lost in the forest and arrives at a magnificent garden where he sits and picks some magnificent roses. Suddenly, the hideous Beast emerges from the ground in a burst of flames and condemns him to death unless one of his three daughters agrees to marry him.
A Saxon prisoner rescues his Viking's captor's daughter, resulting in his freedom and their marriage.
Mack Sennett appears as a waiter in this film produced by the Biograph Company.
Scenes of islanders and seabirds on the remote island of St. Kilda.
