Earliest Surviving Movies

In the garden, a man asks his friends to do something silly for him to record on film.

A shot of people walking on The Leeds Bridge.

A very brief film of a man playing the accordion.

A horse with rider jumping over an obstacle

Alleged silent black-and-white short film shot at Apsley Gate, Hyde Park, London.

One of W.K.L. Dickson's laboratory workers horses around for the camera.

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.

Shot of the flight of a fly.

A shot of Trafalgar Square.

Lost film from 1890, directed by William Friese-Greene.

An Edison company worker makes large gestures in front of a Kinetoscope to test the new camera system.

Two men wearing boxing gloves prepare to spar in the Edison Company studio.

An athlete swings Indian clubs.

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.

Short, experimental film depicting James C. Duncan smoking a pipe.

Medium close-up of a man saying "Je vous aime".

Experimental short film depicting James C. Duncan and another, unidentified person, most likely Fred C. Devonald.

Shot of two people fencing.

Experimental short film depicting James C. Duncan and Fred C. Devonald, presumably smoking.

In this early film experiment a wave crashes against a jagged rock.

Lost short film featuring two monkeys fighting.

One night, Arlequin come to see his lover Colombine. But then Pierrot knocks at the door and Colombine and Arlequin hide. Pierrot starts singing but Arlequin scares him and the poor man goes away.

Lost short film consisting of 300 painted images. It shows a clown entering a circus ring and greeting the audience before he starts to perform tricks with three dogs. The dogs jump through hoops, walk on a ball and jump over a wand.

Experimental film to test the new kinetoscope which depicts two men practicing fencing.

Lost 1892 French short animated film directed by Émile Reynaud about a wanderer who orders a good beer ("Un bon bock") and meets a traveler who also orders a beer. They enter an argument because a kitchen boy steals their beers.