Bluebeard (1898)

Film produced by William K. Dickson’s British Mutoscope and Biograph Company.

Staging of the title event.

Film produced by William K. Dickson’s British Mutoscope and Biograph Company.

A folk dance staged in the ruins of Pompeii. With the Arch of Tiberius in the near distance and Arch of Caligula in far distance. A troop of soldiers, or possibly more performers, march past. W K L Dickson who is directing the action can apparently be seen on far right of picture.

Clips from a football match between Blackburn Rovers V. West Bromwich in 1898.

A crowd swarms on Amsterdam’s Dam Square in front of the horse tram. In the background, we see the outline of Central Station.

An excellent picture of this popular excursion boat, taken on the second day of the International Cup Race Oct. 5, 1899. The racing yacht 'Columbia' appears at anchor in the background.

A group of young women and children enjoy a rowdy picnic in the countryside.

"A side splitting subject, showing the mistaken tramp's arrival at the Wm. Waldorf Astor mansion and being discovered comfortably asleep in bed, by the lady of the house."

Two grotesque minstrels are seen playing beneath a fair lady's window. She appears, and encourages one of them. The disappointed minstrel thereupon kicks the favored suitor with such force that it lifts him up to the second story window, and into the arms of the lady. This effect is very cleverly worked out, and makes a very amusing situation.

From a single camera position, two young women are photographed lighting a cigarette. After several puffs, one of the young ladies becomes faint, and the other one tries to revive her fallen friend.

Four men of different ranks play a game of tetherball on a ship's deck.

Reportage about the visit that the delegates to the First Peace Conference at The Hague made to the floral parade in Haarlem. [...] Although the original goal – a treaty on disarmament – was not reached, other treaties were indeed agreed upon, for example a ban on the use of poison gas and the dropping of bombs from balloons. [...]The group, consisting of 175 guests, made a special train trip to Haarlem on June 4, where they visited the floral parade and the Frans Hals Museum.

Filmed on January 1, 1899, this Edison short shows a victory march by General Lee and the Seventh Army Corps. When watching these early films it's best to look at them as a newsreel because you're really not going to get any type of entertainment like we expect from films today. There isn't any story, performances or direction here and instead we pretty much just see a part of history as these men, war vets of course, are being celebrated for their jobs.

This is a ladies cycling display in the summer of 1899 in London, England. It is a display/show by the Catford Cycling Club.

The famous Parisian chanteuse in the rag-time cakewalk 'Hello, Ma Baby,' with which she made such a sensation at the New York Theatre.

Short clip of passing troops at the Dewey Arch.

Recreation of military maneuvers in the Philippines in the Spanish-American War.

The Astor Battery became famous after the Spanish-American war and these young men are on display in this Edison short, which was shot on Saturday, January 21, 1899. We see a parade cross Broadway onto Union Square with the mounted police, the band and then the Astor Battery. The footage of this short is still in very good condition, which adds a lot considering how little footage is available of these men.

A soldier is promoted for bravery, marries a Red Cross girl, and goes home to his parents.