Top 7 Oldest Movies In The World Ever Made

The history of movies is a journey that spans over a century, marked by innovation, artistic achievement, and cultural impact. From the earliest experiments in motion pictures to the modern blockbusters of today, the history of cinema is a story of constant evolution and transformation.
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The oldest movies in the world produced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, laid the foundation for the art form we know today. With movies becoming a phenomenon today, here we would like to share with you the top 7 oldest movies in the world ever made.

7. Lumière Brothers’ 10 short films (1895)

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The Lumière Brothers, Auguste, and Louis Lumière, are celebrated as pioneers in the history of cinema for their groundbreaking contributions to the medium. Among their most significant achievements are the 10 short films they produced, some of the earliest motion pictures ever made.

The movies made their debut at the Salon Indien du Grand Café in Paris on December 28, 1895. Following this premiere, the Lumière Brothers embarked on a tour in 1896, showcasing these films in various popular cities around the globe.

On top of that, it was also among the earliest movies to ever charge an entry fee.

6. The Execution of Mary Stuart (1895)

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The Execution of Mary Stuart is a historically significant short film directed by Alfred Clark in 1895. It is one of the earliest examples of narrative filmmaking and is noteworthy for its historical subject matter. This short film, lasting just over 18 seconds, tells the story of the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, which occurred in 1587.

Mary Stuart, also known as Mary, Queen of Scots, was a controversial figure in the history of the British monarchy marked by political intrigue and personal tragedy. The movie recreates the moment of Mary's execution, with Mary portrayed by a dummy. While the film's length is extremely short by modern standards, it was groundbreaking for its time.

5. Carmencita (1894)

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Carmencita is a historically significant short film that dates back to the earliest years of cinema. Produced in 1894 by Thomas Edison's Black Maria studio, it is one of the earliest surviving motion pictures in the medium's history. This brief film, lasting just over a minute, features a performance by the Spanish dancer and singer, Carmencita.
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In the film, Carmencita performs a brief dance, showcasing her grace and talent as a dancer. Carmencita was filmed using the Kinetoscope, an early motion picture device developed by Thomas Edison and his team. The film's simplicity is a testament to the early stages of film production, with static camera angles and minimal editing.

4. Blacksmith Scene (1893)

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The "Blacksmith Scene" is another old film created by Thomas Edison's film company, the Black Maria Studio, in 1893 and it was the first of its kind to be filmed using Kinetoscope. The movie offers a documentary-like glimpse into the working conditions of a blacksmith's shop in the late 19th century.

William K.L. Dickson, the inventor of the first fully operational motion picture camera during his tenure with Thomas Edison, directed this film. In 1995, more than a century after the movie's production, "Blacksmith Scene" earned recognition for preservation by the United States National Film Registry, administered by the Library of Congress.

A surviving 35-mm print of the film was located at the Henry Ford Museum, and a duplicate of the original negative is safeguarded within the film archive of the Museum of Modern Art.

3. Pantomimes Lumineuses (Le Clown et ses chiens; Pauvre Pierrot; and Un bon bok) (1892)

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Pantomimes Lumineuses is a collection of short films created by the French inventor and filmmaker Émile Reynaud in the late 19th century. Le Clown et ses chiens" (The Clown and His Dogs) was created in 1892 featuring a clown who interacts with a group of animated dogs, showcasing Reynaud's innovative use of hand-painted color on individual frames.

Reynaud's technique involved the use of his invention, the Théâtre Optique, which utilized loops of perforated film to create a moving image. Pauvre Pierrot" (Poor Pierrot): Released in 1892 tells the story of Pierrot, a stock character from French pantomime, who pines for the affections of a lady, Columbine, while Harlequin, a rival, vies for her love.

Un bon bok is a humorous and lighthearted animated film. It features a man who enjoys a refreshing glass of beer but experiences comical and exaggerated effects from its consumption. The initial screening of all three films took place in October 1892, coinciding with the inauguration of Reynaud's Théâtre Optique at the Musée Grévin.

2. Dickson Greeting (1891)

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Dickson Greeting also known as "The Dickson Experimental Sound Film," is a historic short film created in 1891 by William K.L. Dickson, a prominent figure in the early history of cinema.

In the late 19th century, when cinema was still in its infancy, inventors and filmmakers were exploring the technical possibilities of the medium. "Dickson Greeting" represents one such experiment, with its primary focus on combining sound and motion.
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The film is a short sequence featuring William K.L. Dickson himself, accompanied by a recorded greeting in the form of a phonograph cylinder. This synchronization of sound and image was a novel concept at the time.

The movie is merely a 3 second miming film which might not sound as pleasing to the people today.

1. Roundhay Garden Scene (1888)

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The oldest movie in the world to ever be made will be the Roundhay Garden Scene created in 1888 by Louis Le Prince. The film is exceedingly short, lasting only about 2.11 seconds. It consists of a brief sequence depicting a group of individuals in a garden.

The film is notable for its simplicity. It captures a moment in time, depicting people walking in the garden. In the movie, you can see Louis Le Prince's son, Adolphe, and Sarah Whitley and Joseph Whitley, who were the owners of the house where the film was shot. Additionally, Annie Hatley is seen strolling through a garden.

To capture this film, Le Prince utilized an 1888 Eastman Kodak paper-based photographic film, and he employed a single-lens combi camera projector of his own design.

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