← TimeGlimp

1900

Turn of the Century · 1900s · Ornament, brass and a new century

Movies · 1900

Dawn of Cinema at the Paris Exposition

As the 20th century begins, motion pictures evolve from novel carnival amusements into a revolutionary artistic medium driven by trick photography and pioneering camera techniques. At the 1900 Paris World's Fair, audiences witness early synchronized sound and hand-colored spectacles that redefine human storytelling.

  • 1900 | France | Fantasy/Historical

    Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc)

    Georges Méliès directs a spectacular hand-colored silent epic recounting the life and martyrdom of the French heroine, featuring landmark theatrical visual effects.

  • 1900 | France | Drama

    Cyrano de Bergerac

    Starring Benoît-Constant Coquelin, this groundbreaking short premiered at the Paris Exposition featuring synchronized phonograph sound and hand-painted color.

  • 1900 | USA | Mystery

    Sherlock Holmes Baffled

    Directed by Arthur Marvin for the Mutoscope, this 30-second trick film marks the very first screen appearance of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary detective.

  • 1900 | UK | Short/Pioneering

    Grandma's Reading Glass

    George Albert Smith revolutionizes cinematic editing by incorporating point-of-view close-ups through a magnifying glass, forever altering film grammar.

  • 1900 | France | Comedy/Trick

    The One-Man Band

    Illusionist filmmaker Georges Méliès multiplies himself seven times on screen using multiple exposure techniques to form a complete orchestra.

  • 1900 | USA | Animation

    The Enchanted Drawing

    Directed by J. Stuart Blackton, this hybrid trick film blends live-action with stop-motion, standing as a pivotal stepping stone in the history of animation.

  • 1900 | UK | Comedy/Pioneering

    As Seen Through a Telescope

    British cinema pioneer George Albert Smith uses quick cross-cutting and a circular vignette to show a passerby spying on a woman's ankle.

  • 1900 | UK | Dark Comedy

    Explosion of a Motor Car

    Director Cecil Hepworth delivers an early masterpiece of gallows humor by stopping the camera to substitute actors with dummies before blowing up an automobile.

Enjoyed your trip back in time?