I have no idea who this Captain Nissen was and searching the internet didn't come up with any results. All I know is that he must have been the equivalent in 1901 of a guy appearing on the show "Jackass". That's because like these other losers, Nissen is doing an insane stunt on camera. Why? I have no idea! The film begins with a guy in a rowboat towing a weird boat towards Niagara Falls (you can see the famous boat "Maid of the Mist" in the background). Then, the towed boat is released and it bounds down the rapids. While it's not the most interesting film, for 1901 it's pretty amazing--especially since they rigged up a system for the camera to follow him from shore--producing amazing images for its time.
2 Reviews
Unseen Cinema D1
Michael_Elliott13 March 2008
Captain Nissen Going Through Whirlpool Rapids, Niagara Falls (1901)
*** (out of 4)
Made up story of a captain going down Niagara Falls just as the title says. An unknown director from Edison Studios made this and this too is a big leap over the normal for its ear. The camera races down the side of the falls getting some great shots.
Down the Hudson (1903)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Technically terrific little film where the directors take a trip down the Hudson but use a higher frame rate to make the film seem almost like 3-D. If you get sea sick I'd guess this film will also make you sick because it does that great of a job of making you feel you're on a boat.
Ghost Train, The (1903)
*** (out of 4)
Special effects film with a train double exposed on the negative to give a ghosting image. I'm sure this was something special back in the day but it's pretty weak today.
Westinghouse Works, Panoramic View St. Car Motor Room (1904)
*** (out of four)
G.W. Bitzer film takes place in a motor room where the camera glides through the air from the front to the back showing us everything that goes on. This is a very neat looking film from Bitzer who would go onto become the cinematographer for D.W. Griffith.
*** (out of 4)
Made up story of a captain going down Niagara Falls just as the title says. An unknown director from Edison Studios made this and this too is a big leap over the normal for its ear. The camera races down the side of the falls getting some great shots.
Down the Hudson (1903)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Technically terrific little film where the directors take a trip down the Hudson but use a higher frame rate to make the film seem almost like 3-D. If you get sea sick I'd guess this film will also make you sick because it does that great of a job of making you feel you're on a boat.
Ghost Train, The (1903)
*** (out of 4)
Special effects film with a train double exposed on the negative to give a ghosting image. I'm sure this was something special back in the day but it's pretty weak today.
Westinghouse Works, Panoramic View St. Car Motor Room (1904)
*** (out of four)
G.W. Bitzer film takes place in a motor room where the camera glides through the air from the front to the back showing us everything that goes on. This is a very neat looking film from Bitzer who would go onto become the cinematographer for D.W. Griffith.
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