Year 1908 - 16

A comedic short about a clumsy valet.

A Saturn film directed by Johann Schwarzer.

French silent short film by Georges Méliès, presumed to be lost.

An emaciated youth calls upon a physician who pumps air into his lungs until his chest is abnormal in size. With the power of the compressed air within him, the fellow swaggers about town, blowing signs off buildings, helping out many people from difficulties where strength is required, and finding numerous opportunities for his great lung power.

This thrilling story of the days of '61 and '65 shows a scene in the woods and our hero doing sentry duty. His work has been tiresome, his strength is about given out and he sits down to rest. He falls asleep and is awakened by the general and a squad of soldiers, who come unexpectedly upon him, place him under arrest and march him off to the guardhouse. He is later brought to the general's headquarters, where he is tried for his laxity. The buttons are torn from his uniform and he is otherwise degraded and sentenced to be shot. In the guardhouse the man sits meditating over the fate in store for him. He is visited by the chaplain, who consoles him as best he can. As a last resort the prisoner determines to write home and have his wife intercede in his behalf. She succeeds in getting a reprieve in a thrilling manner.

An impoverished father, with his young son and daughter, begs for food in a marketplace. When a merchant angrily turns them away, their plight attracts the attention of a woman of charity. Calling shame upon the unkind merchant, she buys the poor family some food, talks with the family, and adopts the two children. Marketplace workers, witnessing the scene, give the father work as a sign carrier.

A workers meeting with folks showing the popular attires of the time.

Young woman is taken to the faitytale kingdom where gold coins are made.

1908 French short silent Christmas film by Georges Méliès, which is now presumed lost. The film, combining American ideas about Santa Claus with Méliès's fantasy style and a modern touch, followed the adventures of a young girl, Polly, one Christmas night, as she escapes kidnappers, travels to Santa's palace, and—by changing places with a large doll—goes with Santa on a giftgiving journey by airplane.

A mischievous duke comes across a drunkard in a town square, and decides to pull a practical joke. He has the drunkard carried to the ducal palace and dressed as a nobleman, where he is made to receive courtiers. A banquet is prepared for the fake nobleman, who is too far gone to understand the situation, and unusual things seem to begin occurring. When the drunkard attempts to get more to drink, the bottle magically grows to giant size and disappears, so the duke's servants bring in a large funnel and fill the drunkard up, with his stomach swelling up like a balloon to fit. The duke's doctors work to deflate him back to normal. The drunkard tries to get some sleep, but the paintings on the walls come to life, showing him all sorts of scenes of people drinking merrily.

Two singers do not enter and take up their position in the center of the stage. Instead, the camera discovers them, the woman on her balcony and the man just outside, whereupon they launch into the duet "Liebchen Komi In Mein Stubchen".

De Chomon film from 1908. Existing film is incomplete in length.

1908 French silent comedy film directed by Georges Méliès, which is currently presumed lost.

The fairest maiden is crowned queen of the May Day festival and the dignitaries of the town, surrounded by the cheering populace, music and decoration, are on the huge platform to do her honor. She is entitled to marry the man of her heart with public celebration. The bridegroom makes his way to the fair grounds and jumps into the basket of a balloon. Just as he is ascending his bride comes to the scene and attempts the hazardous task of joining her loved one, but she is a few seconds too late, for the aircraft goes with a jerk, and she finds herself caught by its dangling anchor, and thus she rides, struggling and squirming as the balloon goes high into the clouds.

Peter Elfelt filming fashion.

Short reportage