Year 1908 - 18

Images of Gotland

For the benefit of those who are not fortunate enough to travel and enjoy the beauties and customs of different countries, a film of this kind is an innovation, for it takes us on a boat down the beautiful Imperial Canal of China. If we were there in reality it could not be much more enjoyable than this picture, which favors us with a wonderful view of the famous wall of China as it stands to-day in a stage of decay, a monument to a famous fanatical nation.

A French silent film directed by Louis Feuillade.

Policemen singing a song.

When a bully steals their ball, a kind war veteran lends the saddened children a helping hand. And a leg or two…

The director Mario Gallo made the first film with an argument from Argentina, although the opinions of scholars are not coincident as to their temporal order.

Reading that a certain dealer has an ancient Egyptian mummy for sale, an antique professor goes out to inspect the curio. It meets with his satisfaction and he purchases it. He begins to carry the thing home, and meets with quite a little trouble; but his will makes the way and he reaches his room safely. Anxious to begin his investigations, he sheds his coat quickly, rolls up his sleeves, and taking his huge carving knife in hand begins to cut the mummy up. His old landlady passes by and sees her boarder at his peculiar work; he is so engrossed in his task that he does not see her, and she, catching a glimpse of a human form, runs out in alarm. With the cry that a man is being cut up in her house, she summons the butcher, the baker, the grocer and a score of women, who follow in wonder.

Short reportage

Short reportage

On a rainy and windy day there is marching a procession of priests and town dignitaries. A big community of priests is consecrating the foundation stone of the memorial of František Palacký. The Prague Archbishop František Schönborn is blessing the foundation stone. The Priests are lying down blessed stone cube components and form them into one big unit.

Mr. Nearbright is busily engaged writing; consults his watch. His wife, accompanied by her "Ma" enters, attired for a journey, carrying small satchels. The husband rises, apparently delighted, and bids them good-bye. When the ladies have gone, Mr. Nearbright rushes to the telephone, gives a message which is gratifying, to all appearances. The door opens, and a friend, Mr. Flirt, enters, followed by other members of a "stag" club.

"Lejonjakten" is one of five films (three of which are now lost) that were made by students at the University of Lund, Sweden, as a part of their 1908 carnival. The film is a cruel parody on Danish producer Ole Olsen's "Løvejagten" (1907) which was at the time banned in Denmark (due to the fact that a lion and other animals were actually killed in the film) but shown in Sweden. In the student version two actors dressed up as a lion and a kangaroo get shot by hunters, but the hunters themselves soon get arrested by the police, an allusion to a recent conflict between the students and the local police.

After an altercation two men exchange cards, an invitation to adjudicate their differences on the field of honor. The seconds make all arrangements and at the appointed hour, the combatants appear. Both, however, are possessed of mortal fear and their aim is so uncertain that after numerous attempts and trials of various forms of weapons the seconds cheerfully call the match a draw.

A countryman buys a stubborn donkey and has trouble.

Georges Melies' film has a new guy showing up in a store on his first day and he obviously just doesn't fit in as he makes one mistake after another.

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

A thief hides inside a huge fake crocodile and crawls away, creating fear wherever he goes.

A humorous film about a dancer