AROUND THE WORLD, A CENTURY AGO

AROUND THE WORLD, A CENTURY AGO

Around the World a Century Ago

Imagine a time when there was no television, no internet, no Skype or Facetime. Just think how difficult it must have been for a mother on one continent to see another parent on a second one. Or for a farmer, dancer or child to see their own counterparts also in another part of the world!

One of the earliest films that is often discussed is Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station by the Lumière brothers. Trains, cars, boats and ships were all attractive subject matter for early cinema, which was mainly about capturing movement. Not only did the camera capture a moving vehicle, but it could also board it and take us, the audience, with it on a ‘ghost ride’ – an experience similar to travelling yourself and looking out of the window.

Early cinema had this role of providing audiences with the opportunity to travel. Around the turn of the century, when it was too expensive, difficult or adventurous for most people to travel, ambitious cameramen would travel to far-flung corners of the world to bring unknown foreigners and their towns and costumes back to people’s local cinemas. Big production companies like those of the Lumière brothers or Pathé Frères sent adventurers to the other side of the world, not only to show their films but also to capture the local traditions and bring them back to France. This footage then got edited, with some explanatory intertitles, and exported to countries around the world to be seen by film audiences around the globe.

In this programme, we will be visiting sixteen countries from different continents and seeing how people lived around the world more than a century ago. In most cases, the film camera was a novelty which people were fascinated by. We will also see numerous images of some of the world’s most famous places, almost replicating the postcards from these special tourist attractions.All the films presented here are from the collection of the Eye Filmmuseum.

(Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi)

 

Dutch Types

(Dutch Types) (Gaumont, France, 1915 [?])

  DCP, 3’37’’; stencil-coloured; intertitles: EN, subtitles: PL  

Indian and Ceylonsee Types

(Types des Indes et de Ceylon) (Eclair, France, 1913)

  DCP, 3’32’’; bw; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN; Desmet Collection  

Views of Manawatu

(Kijkjes uit Manawatu) (Kalem [?], USA, 1910–1914)

  DCP, 3’44’’; tinted; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN; Desmet Collection 

Portugal

(Portugal) (Eclair, France, 1914[?])

  DCP, 7’13’’; bw; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN  

Tripoli

(Tripoli) (Ambrosio, Italy, 1912)

  DCP, 4’16’’; tinted; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN; Desmet Collection  

Picturesque Japan

(Le Japon pittoresque) (Eclair, France, 1913)

  DCP, 3’24’’; bw; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN; Desmet Collection  

Constantinople and the Golden Horn

(Stamboul et la Corne d’Or) (Eclipse, France, 1912)

  DCP, 3’48’’; tinted; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN  

Hong Kong. Victoria Peak Tram

(Hong Kong. Le funiculaire de Victoria) (Eclipse, France, 1908)

  DCP, 1’41’’; bw; intertitles: FR, subtitles: PL, EN


Constantine

(Eclair, France, 1913)

  DCP, 5’57’’; tinted; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN; Desmet Collection  


The Record of a Journey to South America: Bolivia

(Reisfilm Zuid-Amerika: Bolivia) ([?], The Netherlands, 1924)

  DCP, 5’12’’; tinted, toned; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN  

The Pearl of the Mediterranean: Barcelona

(La Perle de la Méditerranée: Barcelone) (Eclipse, France, 1913)

  DCP, 5’21’’; tinted; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN; Desmet Collection  

On the Shores of Greenland

(Sur les côtes du Groenland) (Pathé, France, 1927) 

  DCP, 7’13’’; tinted, toned; intertitles: FR, subtitles: PL, EN  

Kuala Lumpur, South Asia, Capital of the Federated Malay States

(Kuala-Lampour, Asie Méridionale, capitale des Etats Fédérés Malais) (Pathé Frères, France, 1912)

  DCP, 4’36’’; tinted, stencil-coloured; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN  

Forest Exploitation in Australia

(Exploitation forestière en Australie) (Pathé Frères, France, 1912)

  DCP, 5’28’’; tinted, stencil-coloured; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN  

Picturesque Stockholm

(Stoccolma pittoresca)  (Pasquali, Italy, Sweden, 1909 [?])

  DCP, 2’55’; bw; Desmet Collection


Hawaii: the Paradise of the Pacific

(Lyman H. Howe Films, USA, 1916)

dir.: Lyman H. Howe

  DCP, 8’49’’; tinted; intertitles: NL, subtitles: PL, EN

  introduction to the movies: Iga Harasimowicz
section: TRAVELOGUES

  music by: Kasia Pietrzko Trio

  THURSDAY | OCTOBER 28
19:00  | screening room: STOLICA

 

  • source: EYE Film Institute

  • source: EYE Film Institute

  • source: EYE Film Institute

  • source: EYE Film Institute

  • source: EYE Film Institute

  • source: EYE Film Institute

  • source: EYE Film Institute

  • source: EYE Film Institute