History of Motion Pictures - Early Films by Thomas Alva Edison 1900 (2-DVD Set)
	"I am experimenting upon an instrument which does for the eye what the phonograph does for the ear, which is the recording and reproduction of things in motion." - Thomas A. Edison, 1888 Witness 70 of the best short films produced by Thomas Alva Edison in 1900, which eventually paved the way for today's multi-million dollar film industry.

Few people associate Thomas Edison's name with the origin and evolution of motion pictures. You can't blame them. This incredible tinkerer has an amazing 1093 patents bearing his name, and it's quite easy to lose count of his achievements,

Having perfected the incandescent lamp and the phonograph in the 1880s, Edison turned his attention to designing and inventing a devise that would "do for the eye what the phonograph does for the ear". The Edison Company's research facility in Menlo Park, New Jersey, resembled a beehive. Scientists under the watchful eye of Edison's most trusted lieutenant William Dickson toiled with film, lenses and the mechanics of film transport to produce the first successful movie projector. This was aptly christened the "Kinetoscope:" It was a far cry from today's modern machines. At best, it allowed for a peep show, in which a single viewer could enjoy 30-60 second clips.

Edison's obsession with combining sound and pictures on film allowed the Lumiere brothers in France to beat him to the record books as the first company to commercialize cinema. Nearer home, Thomas Aramat perfected the movie projector, leaving Edison behind in the race for technological supremacy. Fortunately for Edison, two of his employees, Raff and Gammon happened to be astute businessmen and experts in marketing and product promotion as well. They soon convinced Aramat to market his product as the work of Edison, convincing him that their infrastructure and marketing network would guarantee commercial success. The ploy worked.

The Edison Manufacturing Co. (later known as Thomas A. Edison, Inc.) did not stop at designing, building and refining apparatus for projecting motion pictures. It went on to produce films for public viewing and pleasure. Most early Edison films show events, people on the street and at work and several other equally mundane activities. Sensing that these "story less" gems were fast becoming boring to audiences, the Edison Company decided to move on to filming comedies and other short narratives with interesting storylines.

This fascinating 2-DVD set contains 70 fabulous examples of early Edison films, which highlight the significance of Edison's contribution to the development of motion picture technology.


This 2-DVd set is brimming with 70 grand examples of vintage Edison films. Some of the films you will see are:

Eiffel Tower from Trocadero Palace Offers a grand view of the Eiffel Tower from a distance. This helps you to get a fabulous view of the Tower's surroundings Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: James White Year: 1900 Length: 00:01:14 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White
Naval Sham Battle at Newport Shows Naval gunners honing their skills at Newport. Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: James White Year: 1900 Length: 00:01:37 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White
Panorama of Gorge Railway A fascinating footage taken from a train traveling alongside the Gorge. Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: James White Year: 1900 Length: 00:00:49 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White
Scene from the elevator ascending Eiffel Tower Thrilling footage of an elevator ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower offering a fabulous panoramic view of Paris. Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: James White Year: 1900 Length: 00:02:01 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White
Uncle Josh's Nightmare A hilarious silent short about Uncle Josh's experience in a spooky hotel inhabited by a naughty ghost. Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: N/A Year: 1900 Length: 00:02:29 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White
A Storm at Sea A memorable film, which records the passage of a ship through a storm. Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: N/A Year: 1900 Length: 00:01:19 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White
An Antimated Lucheon This hilarious short shows a couple at lunch, with pigeons and rabbits jumping out of the dishes being served. Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: N/A Year: 1900 Length: 00:01:05 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White
An Artist's Dream A fabulous and funny short depicting an artist's dream in which characters from a couple of paintings come to life. Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: N/A Year: 1900 Length: 00:01:05 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White
Grandma and the Bad Boys Depicts a grandma and her two naughty grandsons who were more than a handful for her to handle. Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: N/A Year: 1900 Length: 00:01:02 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White
Ching Ling Foo Outdone Some fabulous magic tricks performed by Ching Ling Foo. Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: N/A Year: 1900 Length: 00:00:47 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White
Capture of Boer Battery by British Shows live action from the Boer War Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: N/A Year: 1900 Length: 00:01:36 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White
The Enchanted Drawing This clip shows the beginnings of animation. Artist Stuart Blackton is shown drawing a caricature of man whose expressions changed magically. Sponsor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Producer: N/A Year: 1900 Length: 00:01:36 Audio: Silent Color: Black & White

Running Time:
DVD One : 00:59:36
DVD Two : 00:57:23

EDITORIAL REVIEW:

To say that movie buffs owe Thomas Edison a huge debt for making motion pictures a reality would be an understatement. Edison stands tall among a group of outstanding luminaries whose contributions to science and technology fill volumes.

Over the course of two DVDs and 70 engrossing vintage shorts, this fabulous set takes you back over a century to several landmark events that made headlines. Aside from the their historic significance, these clips highlight the technological achievements of Edison and his band of devoted researchers. They also reveal that Edison had a humorous side to his personality. Proof? - Several clips featuring comic episodes, which served as inspiration for later full-length comedies.

The lack of recorded sound is forgivable, given that these were very early days of film production. Yet, the childlike enthusiasm of the cameramen and the vintage value of the films, make these clips invaluable collectors items. These DVDs are a great testimony to Edison's genius. History buffs and vintage film enthusiasts, here is a chunk of history that is fabulously gift-wrapped in the earliest films ever produced. Your vintage collection cannot be complete without this gem.

CUSTOMER'S REVIEWS:

"A die-hard movie addict, I cannot even begin to imagine a world without movies. I really cannot understand how people sat through three hours of operas and plays before Mr. Edison introduced this fascinating mode of entertainment. We owe this mastermind a huge debt of gratitude for his incredible contribution to motion pictures."

Customer's Name : Ursula Andrews (New York, New York)