Top 10 Oldest Films Ever Created
Hello readers! If you are looking for the oldest films ever created, then you are in the right place. In this article, I have listed the names of the top 10 oldest films ever created.
At present time, we mean movie or cinema by the word ‘film’, right? But at the very beginning of the invention of cameras, a ‘film’ wouldn’t suggest a movie or cinema. Then, a ‘film’ would mainly suggest a record of moving pictures. Yes, it is unknown which was the first film ever made in the world. But, here you can take a look at the top 10 oldest films ever made. So, let’s know about the world’s oldest films ever created.
Dickson Greeting
📅 Released on: May 20, 1891
🌎 Country name: United States
⌚ Duration: 3 seconds
⭐ IMDb rating: 5.3
👨🏼💼 Producer: William K. L. Dickson and William Heise (co-producer)
🎥 Director: William K. L. Dickson
🎬 Type: Short silent film
‘Dickson Greetings’ is a silent film of America. This 3-second short clip is considered to be one of the oldest films ever made. On May 20, 1891, ‘Dickson Greetings’ was released in the United States. The film starred William K. L. Dickson who is known as a pioneer of motion picture. William Dickson was the director and the producer of the film as well. William Heise worked as the co-producer of it.
The shooting of ‘Dickson Greetings’ took place at the Black Maria, a film production studio by Thomas Edison in West Orange, New Jersey. Edison and William Dickson used kinetograph to make the film. Displayed at the National Federation of Women’s Clubs, ‘Dickson Greetings’ is one of those first films which were publicly presented.
Newark Athlete
📅 Released date: 1891
🌎 Country name: United States
⌚ Duration: 12 seconds
⭐ IMDb rating:4.9
🎥 Director: William K.L. Dickson
🎬 Type: Short silent film
‘Newark Athlete’ is one of the oldest films ever created which was filmed in May or June 1891. Using the kinetoscope, the shooting of it was done in the Photographic Building at the Edison Laboratory which is situated in West Orange, New Jersey. William K.L. Dickson is the director cum producer of the film.
This 12 seconds American film shows a young athlete swinging Indian clubs. More than 119 years after the film was made, ‘Newark Athlete’ was preserved in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2010 for its cultural, historical and aesthetic significance. In the list of preserved films in the United States National Film Registry, ‘Newark Athlete’ is currently the oldest.
Pauvre Pierrot
📅 Released on: October 28, 1892
🌎 Country name: France
⌚ Duration: Originally almost 15 minutes
After reclamation, almost 4 minutes
⭐ IMDb rating: 6.5
🎥 Director: Charles-Émile Reynaud
🎬 Type: Short animation
‘Pauvre Pierrot’ includes its name in the list of the oldest animated films ever made. It is also believed that film perforations were first used in this short animated film. ‘Pauvre Pierrot’ was created by Charles-Émile Reynaud in 1891. This French film was released on October 28, 1892.
Though the original running time of the film was 15 minutes approx, after reclamation, it comes to a duration of 4 minutes approx. This film was made up of 500 individually painted pictures. Gaston Paulin added music to this film.
Blacksmith scene
📅 Released on: May 9, 1893
🌎 Country name: United States
⌚ Duration: 34 seconds
⭐ IMDb rating: 6.2
🎥 Director: William K. L. Dickson
🎬 Type: Silent comedy film
On May 9, 1893, ‘Blacksmith Scene’ was released with a duration of 34 seconds. William K.L. Dickson who is the inventor of the first fully functional motion picture camera was the director of ‘Blacksmith Scene’. Charles Kayser, John Ott were the actors of this short comedy film. William Heise is responsible for the cinematography of it while it was distributed by
Edison Manufacturing Company.
This American film is considered to be the first Kinetoscope film shown in public exhibition. So, there is a lot of significance of the film. Besides, ‘Blacksmith Scene’ is known as the earliest example of actors performing a role in a film. For the cultural, historical and aesthetic significance of the film, it was preserved in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 1995.
Chinese Opium Den
📅 Released on: October 1, 1894
🌎 Country name: United States
⌚ Duration: 1 minute
⭐ IMDb rating: 5.6
🎥 Director: William K. L. Dickson
🎬 Type: Silent black and white film
Directed by William K. L. Dickson, ‘Chinese Opium Den’ is one of the oldest films ever made. It is a short black-and-white silent film of the United States and it was released on October 1, 1894. Thomas Edison was the producer of the film. This 1 minute film was also known as ‘Opium Joint’.
As there is no print available of the film, not so much is known about it. Only a single still image of the film exists now. As per the Internet Movie Database, ‘Chinese Opium Den’ consisted of a 35mm film format with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1.
Carmencita
📅 Released date: 1894
🌎 Country name: United States
⌚ Duration: 30 seconds
⭐ IMDb rating: 5.7
🎥 Director: William K. L. Dickson
🎬 Type: Short documentary film
Carmencita is a 30 seconds black-and-white silent documentary film which was released in 1894. The pioneer of motion picture, William K.L. Dickson was the director cum producer of the film. German-born American film cinematographer William Heise did the cinematography of ‘Carmencita’. At Thomas Edison’s ‘Black Maria’ studio, ‘Carmencita’ was filmed entirely.
The film displays the dance of Carmencita who was a Spanish-style dancer in American pre-vaudeville variety and music hall ballet. So, the film was named after her (Carmencita). It is believed that Carmencita was the first woman who appeared in front of an Edison motion picture camera. Carmencita is also considered to be the first woman to appear in a motion picture in the United States.
The Execution of Mary Stuart
📅 Released on: August 28, 1895
🌎 Country name: United States
⌚ Duration: 18 seconds
⭐ IMDb rating: 6.7
🎥 Director: Alfred Clark
🎬 Type: Short silent film
‘The Execution of Mary Stuart’ is a short American film directed by Alfred Clark. On August 28, 1895, this silent film produced by Thomas Edison was released. William Heise was the cinematographer of the film.
This film portrays the execution of Mary Stuart who was executed on 8 February 1587 as she was found guilty of plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I in 1586. Mary Stuart was the Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 to 24 July 1567 when she was forcefully abdicates. This film is the earliest known example of special effects usage in a film, specifically the stop trick. Mr. Robert L. Thomae played the role of Mary Stuart in the film.
Workers Leaving The Lumière Factory
📅 Released on: March 22, 1895
🌎 Country name: France
⌚ Duration: 46 seconds
⭐ IMDb rating: 6.9
🎥 Director: Louis Lumière
🎬 Type: Silent documentary
‘Workers Leaving The Lumière Factory’ is a short black-and-white silent documentary film that was released on March 22, 1895. This film is also known by the two names – ‘Employees Leaving the Lumière Factory’ and ‘Exiting the Factory’. The director, producer and cinematographer of the film was only one person – Louis Lumière.
In the 35 mm format with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, ‘Workers Leaving The Lumière Factory’ was created. This French film consists of a speed of 16 frames per second. There is a total number of 800 frames in the 46 seconds long film.
Boat Leaving the Port
📅 Released date: 1895
🌎 Country name: France
⌚ Duration: 46 seconds
⭐ IMDb rating: 5.9
🎥 Director: Louis Lumière
🎬 Type: Silent documentary
‘Boat Leaving the Port’ is a documentary film created by Louis Lumière. The other name of this French film is ‘Barque sortant du port’. Louis Lumière is also the producer cum cinematographer of this black and white silent film.
This 46 seconds short film was released in 1895 displaying a boat leaving the port, being rowed into rough seas by three men. The clip also features two women and children observing the scene by standing on a nearby dock.
The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station
📅 Released on: January 25, 1896
🌎 Country name: France
⌚ Duration: 50 seconds
⭐ IMDb rating: 7.4
🎥 Director: Auguste Lumière and Louis Lumière
🎬 Type: Silent documentary
‘The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station’ is a 50 seconds documentary film by Auguste Lumière and Louis Lumière. In French, the film’s name is ‘L’arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat’. The clip displays the entry of a train pulled by a steam locomotive into the French railway station, Gare de La Ciotat.
‘The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station’ was filmed by the Kinématographe, an all-in-one camera. The film has an aspect ratio of 1.33:1 with a 35 mm format.