Cinematic Era: 1904 Vintage

Dagmar arrives by train.

The heir of a rich family puts up a notice, where he says he is looking for a wife. As a result, he will soon find himself fleeing from a dozen women.

A mountaineer loads a shipment of moonshine whiskey onto his horse-cart, then goes to make a delivery. After he leaves, a revenue agent comes to the mountaineer's house to stake it out, and he soon observes some whiskey being traded for corn. The agent at once goes to alert other revenue officers, who arm themselves with rifles and then begin an immediate search for the moonshiner's still.

An over-the-hill American tourist has a terrible time on his European "rest cure" vacation.

A tramp kills a generous woman. In revenge, her husband tracks down and lynches the tramp.

A fire fighting demonstration in Luna Park, Coney Island. on August 15, 1904.

A man who has placed a personal advertisement for a prospective wife goes to wait at the meeting place that he designated. Soon a woman comes in response to the advertisement. Before the two have a chance to converse, several more women arrive on the scene. Now completely flustered, the man flees, initiating a lengthy chase.

A French aristocrat, who has recently arrived in America, has placed a personal advertisement in the newspaper...

A prefect is converted to Christianity and dies in the arena with his lover.

Another delightfully funny film, depicting the discomfort of a railway traveller who is worried by another man in the compartment. Wonderful light effects. A great draw. (The Era, London, December 17, 1904, p. 31.)

A film, very amusing, showing a countryman with a most tempting dinner before him, which he is unable to touch. The table, the dishes and the chairs change about continually. Finally the waiter who has served the dinner draws the cover with a quick jerk, and the whole affair flies into the air and bursts into pieces to the great astonishment of the unfortunate diner.

Several Japanese youths are playing various games and enjoying some refreshments outdoors when a military courier arrives. The messenger asks for one of the young men, and gives him his orders. The young man puts on his uniform, leaves home, and reports to a unit in the field, where preparations are being made for a battle against the Russians. The young soldier is then sent on a dangerous but important mission.

Scene III of the Buster Brown Series. Shows a bargain counter in a department store and a large gathering of women examining goods. It is a special sale, and a great deal of interest is shown by the ladies, who jostle and crowd each other to secure the choicest bargains. Mrs. Brown enters, accompanied by Buster and Tige. Mrs. Brown is unable to get near the counter and is in despair.

As a mother enters a store, she leaves her child outside in a carriage. Another woman standing nearby quickly snatches the child out of the carriage. Soon afterwards, another mother is playing with two children in the park, and when she leaves one of them unattended, her child is also seized by the same woman. These are only two of a number of children that an unscrupulous couple has captured for their own purposes.

From what appears to be a furnace, a large, glowing block is lifted with the help of a crane over to a table by a group of men. A hammer comes from above and pounds down on the block repeatedly as the men turn the block several times so that it will acquire a certain shape.

"Scene opens showing interior of woods in India. In the centre is displayed a native altar of worship. The high priest enters, and at his command enter two native slaves, whom he commands to remove the pedestal in the centre of the alter. In its place he places an urn; with a few mysterious passes he causes flames to issue forth, to the consternation of his servants. He then throws a magic powder into the flames, and there appears, after the explosion, a beautiful vision of Siva the Invisible, who mysteriously ascends to the centre of the altar; and, before they can admire her beauty, she fades away into space. Not to be outdone, the priest makes a few more passes, and gradually there appears in the place of Siva a Hindoo princess. Both the priest and the servants fall on their knees to worship her. She immediately takes her place on the pedestal, and to the alarm of all turns to the stone statue of Buddah, the Hindoo God. They flee in terror."

A husband peaks as his new bride undresses herself.

Japanese pose as coolies, blow up a train, are caught and shot.

The Clever Baker, shows a not so clever baker baking.

What appear to be molds pass some men by on conveyor belts. The men take them off the belt and dump the contents onto the ground. Other men pick up with tongs the parts that have been dumped onto the ground and put them on a pile in the foreground.

This short, otherwise unremarkable feature is of some interest because of the way that it unabashedly caters to the tastes that it perceived in its audiences. Besides combining the elements of the risqué 'blue' movies of the era with the popularity of movies about fires, it also attempted to use the combination to get extra mileage out of it. The movie's title summarises the setup, and most of the footage shows firefighters using ladders to rescue stage girls, clad in portions of their costumes, from an upper level. Although it all seems pretty tame by today's standards, it no doubt provided its male viewers with some brief moments of excitement as the various women hurried down the ladders with their costumes in disarray.

A comedic short about taking unpleasant medicine.

A recently-released convict attempts to do right but struggles to support his wife and ailing daughter.

During a strike, several workers are killed in a confrontation. The wife of one of them kills the factory owner. At her trial, the owner's son asks for mercy, knowing that his father was wrong. Because of that the wife is freed.

A singing "baby" backed by a chorus line of fellow "babies".

A performing magician divides into two people. The doubles then take turns doing tricks before merging back into one man.

In the interior of a small Russian cottage dwells a peasant with the reputation of being able to foretell future events. Alternatively, a Japanese soldier and a Russian General visit him and ask him about the outcome of the war both their countries are engaged at. One after the other, both men are shown visions where their respective countries win, and both give the peasant a big sum of money for his services.

Scenes from Ribe Domkirkes.

We see three pretty actresses in a surprisingly spacious and clean dressing room, backstage at a theatre. Their costumes indicate that the entertainment on offer here is something less than grand opera: one actress is dressed somewhat demurely, but another is in (by 1904 standards) a skimpy chorus-girl costume, whilst the third is dressed like the principal boy in a panto: fully covered, but in a form-fitting outfit that makes clear her feminine charms.

Attending trotting matches - in which horses in harness race at specific gaits - was a popular Edwardian pastime.

An inquisitor and two of his henchmen burn a woman at the stake. An angel intervenes.

An impoverished fisherman, not earning enough to support his wife and daughter, prays for help before an icon of the Virgin Mary. After trying to commit suicide, his prayer get answered.

The Lillywhites take on the Wolves at Deepdale, watched by a large crowd and the club mascot.

A magic show.

Two black men are stealing chickens and get chased by the white farmers.

A short film capturing a fox and rabbits.

Early short showing the titular park in around 2 minutes.

A large size view of a pretty baby playing with half-dozen little puppies on the sand at the seashore. The action is very cunning and the surroundings exceedingly attractive. --Biograph

A group of men weld one area of a large ring in a fire. They lift the ring, which is hanging horizontally on chains, out of the fire. Four men hammer the hot area on the ring into shape while the remaining men hold the ring. They put the ring into the fire again, take it out, and take it over to a machine which continuously hammers down on that area of the ring. The men then take it away from the machine and hammer it themselves into shape. The ring is presumably a piece of a generator.

Automobile Race for the Vanderbilt Cup

A woman stands in front of a building, a chair to her left, dressed in black, full skirt, quarter sleeves, and a scooped bodice. Her hair is piled high. She bows slightly, and, with finger cymbals, begins to dance the cooch.

Documentary clips from Palestine.

This short, otherwise unremarkable feature is of some interest because of the way that it unabashedly caters to the tastes that it perceived in its audiences. Besides combining the elements of the risqué 'blue' movies of the era with the popularity of movies about fires, it also attempted to use the combination to get extra mileage out of it. The movie's title summarises the setup, and most of the footage shows firefighters using ladders to rescue stage girls, clad in portions of their costumes, from an upper level. Although it all seems pretty tame by today's standards, it no doubt provided its male viewers with some brief moments of excitement as the various women hurried down the ladders with their costumes in disarray.

Facing a stationary camera, sitting at a desk, a man works busily. Posters of burlesque queens are on the wall behind him. A single woman, followed later by later two others, comes into the office seeking a job. The manager hands each a box with a costume in it and points to dressing rooms. Each of the women has a different reaction when she discovers the nature of her costume, and the busy manager has a distinct response to each of the women as well.

The Brahmin, Iftikar, who enjoys a great reputation in India, has determined to create something miraculous which will place the seal upon his renown. (giornatedelcinemamuto.it)

The Battle of Liaoyang began on August 29, 1904 and continued until September 1 when the Russians were forced to retreat. On September 6 the Japanese occupied the Yentai Mines to the north of Liaoyang. (The History of the Russo-Japanese War by Sydney Tyler published 1905)

Georges Melies the magician. Melies removes his own head, puts it in a glass box on a stool, then grows another one. Melies lights up a cigarette and blows smoke at his old head. The head gets payback by levitating above Melies and spewing water on him.

A historical re-enactment of a naval battle in Chemulpo Bay off the coast of Korea during the Russo-Japanese war. Shows a Japanese ship damaging one Russian vessel and sinking another.

Scene IV of the Buster Brown Series. Shows a kitchen and Bridget busy making crullers. Buster enters and begs Bridget to give him one. Bridget refuses and places all the crullers in a basket on the top pantry shelf. She warns Buster not to touch them, and leaves the room. Buster secures a stepladder and proceeds to climb to the top. As he is about to secure the coveted prize his mamma enters, chastises him severely, and ties Buster fast to the table, and leaves the room.

The comedy generally known as “The Barber of Sevilla” is strongly recommended because it contains nothing offensive nor objectionable, and also that it appeals to everybody in its delightfully amusing humor. The cinematographic piece has been pantomimed with the greatest care by competent artists, who have been carefully selected and who have studiously striven to conform themselves to the masterpiece of Beaumarchais. We place also on sale a shortened edition of the same piece, in which the second, fifth and seventh tableaux are taken out. We give our customers the privilege of purchasing any of the tableaux taken out of the shortened edition, urging them to be careful to specify in their orders what tableau or tableaux they desire. In such case we advise first of all the Seventh Tableau, which terminates happily and brilliantly the piece and forms a fine finale to the cinematographic view.

Two black men are stealing chickens and get chased by the white farmers.

A short film capturing a fox and rabbits.

A procession of American and European automobiles--including such makes as Daimlers, Mercedes, Stanley Steamers and Pierces-- drive up and down the steep roads on Mt. Washington, New Hampshire. Some of them struggle with the steep grade. A hiker persists in sequential shots. It's unknown whether the film was an attempt to document a race or rally, or merely present picturesque actuality. It's also been surmised that audiences of the day might have bet on the film's numbered cars.

Chronophotograph record of a ball falling through a soap bubble.

Only women are at a resort, until one man arrives. He woos a pretty young widow, and wins her.

A boy pulls a prank on his poor old mother.

Benvenuto Cellini, sculptor to the King, is thrust into a dungeon because he has offended His Majesty by not being able for some time past to produce a statue that will please him. He is told that he will stay there until he does so.

Early short showing the titular park in around 2 minutes.

A band of robbers are playing cards in the foreground of the picture. Suddenly one of the gang who has been on the lookout for the stage coach rides up in great haste. They quickly dodge behind a clump of trees and lay in wait. Soon the coach appears and is stopped by the bandits. The occupants are compelled to come down from their hiding places at the point of the gun and after being relieved of their valuables, are allowed to continue on their way. As soon as the stage drives off the robbers make for their ponies and take to the woods.

In the interior of a small Russian cottage dwells a peasant with the reputation of being able to foretell future events. Alternatively, a Japanese soldier and a Russian General visit him and ask him about the outcome of the war both their countries are engaged at. One after the other, both men are shown visions where their respective countries win, and both give the peasant a big sum of money for his services.