Cinematic Era: 1908 Vintage

Song from an Operetta.

Silent pull the mourners behind the coffins of their unfortunate colleagues past the camera.

A young Spaniard treats his wife with utter indifference, and, leaving her heartbroken, goes to the woman whom he has placed before her in his affections. The wife, whose pride is injured by being cast off for a courtesan, follows her husband and sees him join his sweetheart at their rendezvous. The pair stroll down the river, where they enter a small boat, and, unconscious that they are being watched by the cast-off wife from the shore, they float along while the gallant lover strums on his guitar and sings songs of love to the queen of his heart. The jealous wife keeps a close watch on them until they land on a square, where they join in the revelry with other happy young lovers.

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.

The Magistrate's Conscience - A drama from Pathé Frères.

Inventor Jacob Ellehammer's first attempts at flying.

Filmed visit in Peru, at the Tent of San Juan de Dios.

Filmed visit in Peru, at the Tent of San Juan de Dios.

This film was shot and developed by Mr. Cazes, sent expressly by Pathé of Paris for the national company that holds film screenings in the tent at San Juan de Dios. It shows all the officials who accompanied the President of the Republic that day, the Military Household of the Head of State, and the Escort. It was also possible to film the army parade that same day, after the religious festivities had concluded... Given that these are local events, where a large number of well-known people will be seen, it is to be expected that the house will be full.

The Pathé cinema company screened new films shot in the capital.

The Pathé cinema company screened new films shot in the capital.

Filmed on October 4, 1908, it includes images of the departure from the eleven o'clock mass at the church of San Pedro and of the races at the Santa Beatriz racetrack.

Ready, steady, relay! This newsreel captures the pepped-up mood of the camera-conscious youngsters assembled for the South London Schools Sports event at Crystal Palace in 1908. Judicious editing succinctly conveys the excitement of the relay race as the competitors traverse the "finest and safest running track" - as a contemporary newspaper article described the Edwardian sports facility.

Actuality film showing King Gustaf V of Sweden and Queen Victoria (of Baden) on a visit to Berlin. Scenes likely include public ceremonies, military or civic honors, crowds, and royal arrival. Intended for newsreel-style exhibition in Sweden.

A woman and her mother bring a little dog home from a dog shelter in Gennevilliers. The woman's husband comes home, is displeased, and pays a man to steal the dog. The woman is distraught and offers a reward for the return of the dog. The man who stole the dog returns it and receives the reward, just as the husband comes home. The outraged husband beats the thief as he leaves. The husband returns home with four big dogs to get back at his wife.

After a fight in the forest against customs officers, one of the smugglers is denied of his share of the profits and thrown away. Making his way into the village, he will ask for help to the wife of the customs officer he assaulted.

“A musician is given an invitation to a party, but finds that he has no dress suit to wear. He visits a friend, an artist, to see if he can borrow one, but he too does not have one. However, the artist is about to paint a portrait of a man in the dress of a Roman soldier; when the man arrives he is wearing a dress suit and has to change into his costume. The musician dons the suit and goes to the party. The other man, when his portrait is finished, discovers that his suit is missing and follows the musician to the party; he find the musician playing the piano, recognises his suit, and throws the wearer to the floor.” - BFI.

An old man attempts to hang a picture on the wall and asks for a step-ladder. His assistant takes a little too long to get it to him.

A young Roman soldier and his sweetheart are embracing each other fondly and making their vows. The next scene shows the public square, where it is announced that war has been proclaimed. The old priest addresses the populace, telling them that he has chosen for them a great leader who is none other than this young man.

A humorous film about a dancer

This is a beautifully colored picture, opening with a scene in the laboratory of an old wizard, who is bending over a vessel compounding some sort of magic fluid, out of which much to our astonishment and delight spring a group of beautiful girls followed by a lot of funny, grotesque-looking people. Next the old fellow opens an album that is lying on the table and the outlines of faces are drawn as if by a spirit hand. When each drawing is finished it comes to life and presents some beautiful portraits of pretty girls, who amuse us with their fascinating manners.

In this picture we see how the artists engaged to pose for the pictures make the scene so realistic that they get themselves into all kinds of trouble in the city where people are not familiar with their mode of doing things. The first picture shows the camera set to take a picture of a tragic hold-up. The manager gets the people in position, and when they are ready, a woman and girl are seen walking along the street, when three men spring out from behind a wall, and, after stabbing them, go through their pockets, relieving them of all their valuables.

A young beggar girl and her aged mother are tramping along the road when a motor car passing swiftly by knocks down the older woman just in front of the gates of a fine castle. The poor beggar girl, at the sight of her dead mother, calls for help, and her cries of despair are heard by the residents of the castle, who, being kind-hearted people, take the young girl away from the body of her dead mother, although the poor orphan fights desperately to remain besides what was once all the world to her.

A raffle booth at a country fair is shown, at which live stock is being drawn for, in full operation. The good, folk gathered about hold numbers and as the wheel turns a clown distributes among the winners, chickens, rabbits and geese. One portly gentleman wins a pig and becomes so elated on receiving his prize that with some friends he goes to a café to drink. He indulges by far too freely and spills many bottles of liquor into the pig's anatomy, via its mouth, until the animal seems to be intoxicated too.

Originally it was called White City because when it opened, all the buildings were painted white. It was a fairgrounds, intended to celebrate the 1904 Entente Cordiale between France and Great Britain, that would, a decade later, leading to the unbreakable web of alliances that would cause the First World War.

Silent film footage from late Qing dynasty China, depicting everyday scenes.

A early German Piccolo-Duett.

Four women are drinking champagne at a couple of tables. A man comes into their midst and sings the title song in this sound-film from Deutsch Bioskop.

Only the visual elements are known to survive from this 1908 recording of a duet from Franz von Suppe's early one-act operetta. As is usual with these recordings, the principal performers take center stage, face the camera directly, and let fly. There are other cast members in the background, providing a drunken chorus.

The beauty of the rose unfolds in all its aspects. A wonderful example of the virtuoso techniques of coloring, such as stencil coloring, in early cinema.

A man picks up a man in drag. Short Italian comedy from 1908.

Traveling by boat to film Copenhagen from a different angle.

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

King Frederik VIII visiting Jylland, arriving by train before traveling into town.

A performer lipsync sings “La Donna e Mobile” from the opera Rigoletto.