Favorite Films of 1890-1899
by bertramsharp | created - 09 Aug 2022 | updated - 16 Aug 2022 | PublicLast Updated: 08/16/2022
These are all of the films I have watched with a release date between 1890 & 1899. I have listed them here ranked from best to worst (in my opinion). The one dated 2016 on here is a 1896, but some dumbass changed the date.
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots (1895)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, History
This short film, one of the first to use camera tricks, depicts the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Director: Alfred Clark | Stars: Robert Thomae, Mrs. Robert L. Thomas
Votes: 2,554
2. Leaving the Factory (1895)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
Workers leaving the Lumière factory for lunch in Lyon, France in 1895; a place of great photographic innovation and one of the birth places of cinema.
Director: Louis Lumière
Votes: 7,549
3. The Arrival of a Train (1896)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
A train arrives at La Ciotat station.
Directors: Auguste Lumière, Louis Lumière | Stars: Madeleine Koehler, Marcel Koehler, Mrs. Auguste Lumiere, Jeanne-Joséphine Lumière
Votes: 12,866
4. The House of the Devil (1896)
Not Rated | 3 min | Short, Horror
With the help of a magic cauldron, Mephistopheles conjures up a variety of supernatural characters.
Director: Georges Méliès | Stars: Jehanne d'Alcy, Jules-Eugène Legris, Georges Méliès
Votes: 3,978
5. New York: Broadway at Union Square (1896)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Documentary
Short film depicting New York's Broadway and Union Square that gives an insight of everyday life and traffic at that time.
Director: Alexandre Promio
Votes: 721
6. Monkeyshines, No. 1 (1890)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
One of W.K.L. Dickson's laboratory workers horses around for the camera.
Directors: William K.L. Dickson, William Heise | Star: Giuseppe Sacco Albanese
Votes: 1,646
7. The Kiss (1896)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Romance
In a medium close-up shot of the first kiss ever recorded on screen, two fervent lovers cuddle and talk passionately at hair's breadth, just before the love-smitten gentleman decides to give his chosen one an innocent peck.
Director: William Heise | Stars: May Irwin, John C. Rice
Votes: 3,672
8. Blacksmith Scene (1893)
Unrated | 1 min | Short, Comedy
Three men hammer on an anvil and pass a bottle of beer around.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Stars: Charles Kayser, John Ott
Votes: 2,769
9. Annabelle Serpentine Dance (1895)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
Annabelle (Whitford) Moore performs one of her popular dance routines. She uses her dance steps and her long, flowing skirts to create a variety of visual patterns.
Directors: William K.L. Dickson, William Heise | Star: Annabelle Moore
Votes: 2,403
10. Childish Quarrel (1896)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
"Two babies are shown seated in high chairs and apparently enjoying themselves. Suddenly one snatches a toy from the other, and they indulge in hair-pulling."
Director: Louis Lumière | Stars: Andrée Lumière, Suzanne Lumière
Votes: 961
11. Monkeyshines, No. 2 (1890)
1 min | Short
In an experiment that follows up on the results of 'Monkeyshines, No. 1', an Edison company worker again moves around in front of the motion picture camera.
Directors: William K.L. Dickson, William Heise | Star: Giuseppe Sacco Albanese
Votes: 1,197
12. Men Boxing (1891)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short, Action
Two men wearing boxing gloves prepare to spar in the Edison Company studio.
Directors: William K.L. Dickson, William Heise
Votes: 1,113
13. Dickson Greeting (1891)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short
The very first American film shown to public audiences and the press. It depicts William K.L. Dickson taking off his hat and greeting the audience.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: William K.L. Dickson
Votes: 1,567
14. Baby's Meal (1895)
1 min | Documentary, Short
As part of a maiden public film screening at the Salon Indien, on December 28, in Paris, Auguste Lumière pivots the centre of attention around his baby daughter, as he tries to feed her from a spoon.
Director: Louis Lumière | Stars: Auguste Lumière, Mrs. Auguste Lumiere, Andrée Lumière
Votes: 3,512
15. Newark Athlete (1891)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short, Sport
An athlete swings Indian clubs.
Director: William K.L. Dickson
Votes: 1,815
16. Dewars Scotch Whiskey (1897)
1 min | Short
A line of giddy, possibly drunk men, dressed in Scottish highland outfits, perform a disorderly dance routine in front of a sign advertising the product of the title. This film is often described as the first filmed advertisement.
Votes: 367
17. The Sign of the Cross (1899)
Not Rated | 3 min | Short, Fantasy, Horror
Satan appears in a convent and takes the guise of a priest. Before long he is causing all manner of perturbation and despair.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 1,349
18. A Nightmare (1896)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Horror
In this fantastic scene, a man who is eager to retire has a difficult time finding peace, as his nocturnal illusions come to life out of thin air.
Director: Georges Méliès | Stars: Jehanne d'Alcy, Georges Méliès
Votes: 1,986
19. The Hallucinated Alchemist (1897)
2 min | Short, Fantasy, Horror
Misidentified as The Mysterious Retort (1906), sadly, this film is currently presumed lost; however, according to Wikipedia, an anthropomorphous star with five female heads and a giant face has people coming out of its mouth.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 288
20. The Astronomer's Dream; or, the Man in the Moon (1898)
Not Rated | 3 min | Short, Comedy, Fantasy
An astronomer falls asleep and has a strange dream involving a fairy queen and the Moon.
Director: Georges Méliès | Stars: Jehanne d'Alcy, Georges Méliès
Votes: 4,725
21. Lion, London Zoological Garden (1896)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Documentary
A male lion, right next to bars that are about 6 or 8 inches apart, keenly watches a uniformed zoo attendant toss small morsels of food into the cage. The lion alternates between finding ... See full summary »
Director: Alexandre Promio
Votes: 709
22. William McKinley at Canton, Ohio (1896)
1 min | Documentary, Short
"This view was taken upon Mr. McKinley's lawn at his home in Canton, Ohio. Mr. McKinley appears walking across the lawn in company with his Secretary, who hands him a telegram, which he ... See full summary »
Stars: William McKinley, George B. Cortelyou, Ida McKinley
Votes: 579
23. The Waterer Watered (1895)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Comedy
An impudent child plays a prank on a gardener innocently watering his plants.
Director: Louis Lumière | Stars: François Clerc, Benoît Duval
Votes: 5,841
24. Seminary Girls (1897)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Comedy
"A number of young ladies, in their night robes, are having a frolic, and are interrupted by a teacher. One girl makes herself *very* conspicuous by crawling under a bed."
Director: James H. White
Votes: 925
25. Sandow: The Strong Man (1894)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
Eugen Sandow, who claims to be the strongest man in the world, appears in the Edison Company's film studio.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: Eugen Sandow
Votes: 1,231
26. Four Heads Are Better Than One (1898)
TV-PG | 1 min | Short, Comedy
Much to our amazement, an elegant and masterful illusionist detaches his own head effortlessly from his shoulders for a once-in-a-lifetime performance.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 4,013
27. Burro Pack Train on the Chilcoot Pass (1898)
1 min | Documentary, Short
During the Alaska gold rush, one way to reach the Klondike was over the Chilkoot Pass. A stationary camera is placed to see a ways down the curving trail. A pack train comes into view and ... See full summary »
Director: Thomas Crahan
Votes: 517
28. Glenroy Brothers (Comic Boxing) (1894)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short, Sport
The Glenroy Brothers perform a portion of their vaudeville act, "The Comic View of Boxing: The Tramp & the Athlete", which depicts a boxer with a classic style trying to contend with an opponent who uses a very unorthodox approach.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: The Glenroy Brothers
Votes: 850
29. Dragoons Crossing the Sâone (2016)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
A stationary camera looks across Burgundy's River Sâone toward a small military encampment. Four horsemen enter the water in the foreground, each riding his horse as it swims across toward ... See full summary »
Votes: 623
30. Mr. Edison at Work in His Chemical Laboratory (1897)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
"This film is remarkable in several respects. In the first place, it is full life-size. Secondly, it is the only accurate recent portrait of the great inventor. The scene is an actual one, ... See full summary »
Director: James H. White | Star: Thomas A. Edison
Votes: 719
31. Caicedo (with Pole) (1894)
Unrated | 1 min | Short
"King of the slack wire. His daring feats of balancing as he performs his thrilling feats in midair show that he is perfectly at home." (from Edison Films)
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: Juan A. Caicedo
Votes: 916
32. The Barbershop (1893)
1 min | Documentary, Short
Customer gets a lightning-fast shave.
Directors: William K.L. Dickson, William Heise
Votes: 1,207
33. Luis Martinetti, Contortionist (1894)
Unrated | 1 min | Short
Luis Martinetti, a contortionist suspended from acrobatic flying rings, contorts himself for about thirty seconds. This is one of the first films made for Edison's kinetoscopes.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: Luis Martinetti
Votes: 710
34. Transformation by Hats, Comic View (1895)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Comedy
The transformation of the same character in six different characters. A vision of the act of transformation.
Director: Louis Lumière | Star: Félicien Trewey
Votes: 1,237
35. The Messers. Lumière at Cards (1896)
1 min | Documentary, Short
Two men play cards, as a third watches and a waiter brings drinks. The third man pours drinks as the waiter laughs.
Director: Louis Lumière | Stars: Antoine Féraud, Antoine Lumière, Félicien Trewey, Alphonse Winckler
Votes: 1,607
36. Feeding the Doves (1896)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Documentary
A woman and a young girl each carry containers of bird feed, and they toss occasional handfuls to the chickens and doves in the farmyard. Most of the chickens stay nearby, but the doves occasionally fly off and then return to eat more.
Director: James H. White
Votes: 908
37. Cock Fight (1896)
1 min | Documentary, Short
Two roosters fight while two men make bets in the background. No (onscreen) deaths of the animals involved.
Votes: 325
38. Promenade of Ostriches, Paris Botanical Gardens (1896)
1 min | Short, Documentary
Fin de siécle elegance. A parade of sorts passes in front of a stationary camera. An ostrich pulls a cart in which two well-dressed girls sit, two mules pull a large cart full of children, ... See full summary »
Director: Louis Lumière
Votes: 629
39. Poultry-Yard (1896)
1 min | Short, Documentary
Two young girls feed a flock of domesticated ducks while an adult woman walks by and watches them.
Director: Louis Lumière
Votes: 577
40. The Dancing Skeleton (1897)
1 min | Short, Comedy, Horror
Dancer in a skeleton costume.
Votes: 198
41. Carmaux, défournage du coke (1896)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Documentary
Carmaux is in south-central France, near the Tarn River. As a brick of coke, about four feet high and three feet wide, is gradually pushed out of a smelter into a yard, one worker sprays it... See full summary »
Director: Louis Lumière
Votes: 810
42. Rip Leaving Sleepy Hollow (1896)
Not Rated | 1 min | Drama, Short
The fourth of eight short black and white films from director William K.L. Dickson in which he chronicles the story of Rip Van Winkle. In this film, Rip encounters several other dwarf-like mountain-dwellers.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: Joseph Jefferson
Votes: 562
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