The Burning Stable (1896) User Reviews

One of the most exciting movies of the year!

[FrozenShark · 6/10 · 17 January 2004]

"The Burning Stable" is probably the most action-packed film of 1896, and seeing all the short boxing movies it had to contend with, that's saying something!

SPOILERS AHEAD: A group of brave firemen approach a burning barn. One of them shows a great act of courage by entering and saving four white horses.

The realism of this film is great. Real firemen instead of actors, real horses, and real fire. This also meant that it was one of the first movies with above-average stunts, laying the way for movies like XXX and Rambo. It's really too bad the Academy Awards weren't around back then.

It never ceases to amaze me . . .

[cricket30 · 5/10 · 30 January 2013]

. . . as to how internet blowhards will spend at least 10 minutes pontificating in a review to get their name before the world, but cannot be bothered to spend an extra 13.62 seconds to watch what they are prattling about TWICE, so that they can get at least half the facts right for those who have not had the opportunity to see the flix yet. Anyone who did expend at least 30 seconds of their life viewing THE BURNING STABLE would know that the first two horses "saved" are white show horses unencumbered by bridles or saddles, and taking up the attention of 3 "firemen" (no doubt because they belong to someone rich and\or powerful. On the other hand, a lone "fireman" is left to rescue the two working folks--horses--black critters all bridled-up for a day laboring on the streets. Before the rest of the work horses are brought out, a tricked-out wagon--NOT on fire, by the way, is "rescued," showing where the priorities are for these "firemen." And no, the Edison crew were not clairvoyant in positioning their cumbersome camera in front of a stable just before a "fire" happened to break out. What you are watching here is "brave" stunt people dressed up as old-timey firemen defying the billowing smoke generated by a 19th Century special effects crew (as there is no evidence of flames, and no presence of hoses, throughout this "burning" stable hoax!).

Fire in the hole

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 12 October 2013]

There is a large number of short films out there that show us an uncountable quantity of carriages heading to the scene of the fire. Most of these are rather uninteresting as the action is really only the way there, but this one here called "The Burning Stable" is finally a bit of a sequel to all these. As the stable is burning and smoke increasing quickly, everybody nearby tries to get out all the horses in there into safety. It's an okay short film, surely nice drama value and even if it ends before we see the firefighters extinguishing the fire, it's visually fine as well. The quality is not really great, but it has some nice contrasts with the very first snow-white horse for example. 20 seconds worth a watch for silent film enthusiasts.

Still Works Rather Well In Creating a Sense of Danger & Urgency

[Snow Leopard · 30 November 2005]

Although well over a century old, this short feature still works rather well in creating a sense of urgency and danger. It was probably live footage of an actual event, and in any case the photography is still clear, and it provides a prime vantage point on the drama taking place.

The scene is a stable that has caught fire while some horses were inside it. Both firefighters and stable hands appear in the role of rescuers, and it is easy to feel their sense of desperation as the flames and smoke gradually spread. There's also an interesting detail, in that one man seems as concerned about some material implements as the others are about the horses.

The Edison camera crew got pretty close to the action, and this makes quite a difference in establishing the situation. Although these events and all of the participants have long ago passed on, this movie still works in creating a sense of concern both for the men and for the horses.

Fire + Horses

[Michael_Elliott · 30 December 2008]

Burning Stable, The (1896)

*** (out of 4)

Edison short running just over twenty-seconds has firemen showing up to a barn that is on fire. They open up the doors, save four horses and then pull out the wagon, which is on fire. This is an early example of a dramatic film and believe it or not the thing still holds up pretty well after all these years. You have to question yourself why they were risking the lives of these horses who were clearly inside a burning barn but this adds to the drama. The film does a pretty good (and smart for the time) job at building the suspense as the firemen have to keep entering the barn.