With Edison Manufacturing Company (Sorted by Popularity Ascending)
1. A Trip to the Moon (1902)
TV-G | 13 min | Short, Action, Adventure
A group of astronomers go on an expedition to the Moon.
Director: Georges Méliès | Stars: Georges Méliès, Victor André, Bleuette Bernon, Brunnet
Votes: 52,445
2. The Great Train Robbery (1903)
TV-G | 11 min | Short, Action, Adventure
A group of bandits stage a brazen train hold-up, only to find a determined posse hot on their heels.
Director: Edwin S. Porter | Stars: Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson, A.C. Abadie, George Barnes, Justus D. Barnes
Votes: 20,068
3. Frankenstein (1910)
Unrated | 16 min | Short, Fantasy, Horror
The first filmed version of Frankenstein. The young doctor discovers the secret of life, which he uses to create a perfect human. Things do not go according to plan.
Director: J. Searle Dawley | Stars: Mary Fuller, Charles Ogle, Augustus Phillips
Votes: 4,452
4. Electrocuting an Elephant (1903)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short, Horror
The execution of Topsy, a female elephant, in a publicity stunt advertising the opening of Luna Park on Coney Island. Topsy was originally owned by Forepaugh Circus where she killed a ... See full summary »
Director: Edwin S. Porter | Stars: Carl Goliath, Topsy
Votes: 1,835
5. A Gay Old Boy (1902)
Comedy, Short
Here is a picture that is extremely laughable. An old man is indulging in a dream, which dream is demonstrated in the picture. It shows him in a restaurant partaking of a sumptuous meal and... See full summary »
Votes: 47
6. Carmencita (1894)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
Performing on what looks like a small wooden stage, wearing a dress with a hoop skirt and white high-heeled pumps, Carmencita does a dance with kicks and twirls, a smile always on her face.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: Carmencita
Votes: 1,976
7. Alice in Wonderland (1903)
9 min | Short, Family, Fantasy
This is the first movie version of the famous story. Alice dozes in a garden, awakened by a dithering white rabbit in waistcoat with pocket watch. She follows him down a hole and finds herself in a hall of many doors.
Directors: Cecil M. Hepworth, Percy Stow | Stars: May Clark, Cecil M. Hepworth, Blair, Geoffrey Faithfull
Votes: 2,742
8. Blacksmith Scene (1893)
Unrated | 1 min | Short, Comedy
Three men hammer on an anvil and pass a bottle of beer around.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Stars: Charles Kayser, John Ott
Votes: 2,619
9. The Kiss (1896)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Romance
In a medium close-up shot of the first kiss ever recorded on screen, two fervent lovers cuddle and talk passionately at hair's breadth, just before the love-smitten gentleman decides to give his chosen one an innocent peck.
Director: William Heise | Stars: May Irwin, John C. Rice
Votes: 3,548
10. Four Heads Are Better Than One (1898)
TV-PG | 1 min | Short, Comedy
Much to our amazement, an elegant and masterful illusionist detaches his own head effortlessly from his shoulders for a once-in-a-lifetime performance.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 3,672
11. Joan of Arc (1900)
Not Rated | 10 min | Short, Drama, History
A divinely inspired peasant woman becomes an army captain for France and then is martyred after she is captured.
Director: Georges Méliès | Stars: Bleuette Bernon, Jeanne Calvière, Jehanne d'Alcy, Georges Méliès
Votes: 1,303
12. Trapeze Disrobing Act (1901)
Not Rated | 2 min | Short, Comedy
In this short silent film, we see Charmion an early vaudeville strongwomen, perform her famous Trapeze disrobing act. During the Victorian era, Charmion believed in promoting physical culture and dress reform for women.
Directors: George S. Fleming, Edwin S. Porter | Star: Charmion
Votes: 325
13. The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots (1895)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, History
This short film, one of the first to use camera tricks, depicts the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Director: Alfred Clark | Stars: Robert Thomae, Mrs. Robert L. Thomas
Votes: 2,386
14. Monkeyshines, No. 1 (1890)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
One of W.K.L. Dickson's laboratory workers horses around for the camera.
Directors: William K.L. Dickson, William Heise | Star: Giuseppe Sacco Albanese
Votes: 1,558
15. The Boxing Cats (Prof. Welton's) (1894)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Action, Comedy
"A glove contest between trained cats. A very comical and amusing subject, and is sure to create a great laugh." (by Edison Films)
Directors: William K.L. Dickson, William Heise | Star: Henry Welton
Votes: 1,340
16. Dickson Experimental Sound Film (1894)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Music
The sound has been found in the form of an old Edisonian recording cylinder. The cylinder was repaired, then Walter Murch ACE MPSE synced the film to the correct music in (I believe) 2002. Total running time is approximately 17 seconds.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: William K.L. Dickson
Votes: 2,438
17. Cinderella (1899)
Not Rated | 6 min | Short, Drama, Family
A fairy godmother magically turns Cinderella's rags to a beautiful dress, and a pumpkin into a coach. Cinderella goes to the ball, where she meets the Prince - but will she remember to leave before the magic runs out?
Director: Georges Méliès | Stars: Mlle Barral, Bleuette Bernon, Carmelli, Jehanne d'Alcy
Votes: 1,690
18. Gulliver's Travels (1902)
Not Rated | 4 min | Short, Fantasy
Gulliver washes ashore on Lilliput, the inhabitants of which are no more than six inches tall. He later travels to Brobdingnag, a country populated by giants.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 923
19. Mary Jane's Mishap (1903)
4 min | Short, Comedy
Smith casts his wife as a sluttish housewife who is mutilated by lighting her oven with paraffin.
Director: George Albert Smith | Star: Laura Bayley
Votes: 964
20. A Christmas Carol (1910)
Not Rated | 11 min | Short, Drama, Fantasy
Based on the story by Charles Dickens: Ebenezer Scrooge is well known for his harsh, miserly ways, until he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, and then by three other spirits.
Directors: J. Searle Dawley, Charles Kent, Ashley Miller | Stars: Marc McDermott, Charles Ogle, William Bechtel, Viola Dana
Votes: 761
21. Annie Oakley (1894)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short, Western
The 'Little Sure Shot' of the 'Wild West.' Exhibition of Rifle Shooting at Glass Balls, etc. (from the Edison Catalog)
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Stars: Francis E. Butler, Annie Oakley
Votes: 1,392
22. Corbett and Courtney Before the Kinetograph (1894)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Sport
James J. Corbett and Peter Courtney meet in a boxing exhibition.
Directors: William K.L. Dickson, William Heise | Stars: James J. Corbett, Peter Courtney
Votes: 821
23. Life of an American Fireman (1903)
Not Rated | 6 min | Short, Action
A fireman rushes into a carriage to rescue a woman from a house fire. He breaks the windowpanes and carries the woman to safety; after dangerous and uncertain moments he also saves the woman's son.
Directors: George S. Fleming, Edwin S. Porter | Stars: Edwin S. Porter, Vivian Vaughan, Arthur White, James H. White
Votes: 2,556
24. Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze (1894)
1 min | Documentary, Short
A man (Thomas Edison's assistant) takes a pinch of snuff and sneezes. This is one of the earliest Thomas Edison films and was the first motion picture to be copyrighted in the United States.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: Fred Ott
Votes: 2,114
25. Newark Athlete (1891)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
An athlete swings Indian clubs.
Director: William K.L. Dickson
Votes: 1,738
26. Chinese Laundry Scene (1894)
1 min | Short, Comedy
The pursuit of Hop Lee by an irate policeman.
Directors: William K.L. Dickson, William Heise | Stars: Phil Doreto, Robetta
Votes: 593
27. Buffalo Dance (1894)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short, Western
Three Sioux Indians perform a 'buffalo dance', while two others use drums to supply a rhythm. The three dancers move around in a circle as they perform the various actions that are part of the dance.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Stars: Hair Coat, Parts His Hair, Last Horse
Votes: 1,004
28. Tossing a Nigger in a Blanket (1898)
1 min | Documentary, Short
"Company F, 1st Ohio Volunteers, initiating a new man. Nineteen times he bounces in the blanket, and each toss is funnier than the last one."
Director: William 'Daddy' Paley
Votes: 2,043
29. The Enchanted Drawing (1900)
2 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
A cartoonist defies reality when he draws objects that become three-dimensional after he lifts them off his sketch pad.
Director: J. Stuart Blackton | Star: J. Stuart Blackton
Votes: 1,328
30. Parade of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, No. 2 (1898)
Documentary, Short
A shot of the parade of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.
Director: William Heise | Star: Buffalo Bill Cody
Votes: 56
31. Bucking Broncho (1894)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short, Western
A fine exhibition of horsemanship by Lee Martin, a genuine cowboy. This particular broncho is an unusually wicked one. (from Edison Films)
Directors: William K.L. Dickson, William Heise | Stars: Frank Hammitt, Lee Martin, Sunfish
Votes: 726
32. The Little Match Seller (1902)
3 min | Drama, Short
In front of a windowless, soot-blackened brick wall on a snowy evening, a young girl wearing one shoe, a dress, and apron, tries to sell matches. She has no buyers. A cheeky lad comes by ... See full summary »
Director: James Williamson
Votes: 469
33. Dickson Greeting (1891)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short
"A little while ago there was a great convention of women's clubs of America. Mrs. Edison is interested in women's clubs and their work and she decided to entertain the Presidents of the ... See full summary »
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: William K.L. Dickson
Votes: 1,491
34. Wash Day in Mexico (1898)
1 min | Documentary, Short
"In front of each bare headed woman is a flat rock, used as a wash board. Stream of water near by. Naked Mexican child is playing in the foreground."
Director: James H. White
Votes: 125
35. Annabelle Butterfly Dance (1894)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
Annabelle (Whitford) Moore performs one of her popular dances. For this performance, her costume has a pair of wings attached to her back, to suggest a butterfly. As she dances, she uses her long, flowing skirts to create visual patterns.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: Annabelle Moore
Votes: 964
36. Indian Day School (1898)
1 min | Short, Documentary
Early footage of Native Indian children at school.
Director: James H. White
Votes: 101
37. Leonard-Cushing Fight (1894)
1 min | Documentary, Short, Sport
In the background, five fans lean on the ropes looking into the ring. The referee is to the left; like the fans, he hardly moves as two fighters swing roundhouse blows at each other. Mike ... See full summary »
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Stars: Jack Cushing, Mike Leonard
Votes: 489
38. What Happened on Twenty-third Street, New York City (1901)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Comedy
A winner and sure to please. In front of one of the largest newspaper offices is a hot air shaft through which immense volumes of air are forced by a blower. Ladies in crossing this shaft ... See full summary »
Directors: George S. Fleming, Edwin S. Porter | Stars: A.C. Abadie, Florence Georgie
Votes: 1,081
39. History of a Crime (1901)
5 min | Short, Crime, Drama
A burglar is arrested for a murder. He is condemned to death. Before his execution the murderer dreams of his past, of how he was a bank clerk, then turned to crime. The criminal is then ... See full summary »
Director: Ferdinand Zecca | Stars: Jean Liézer, Bretteau, Ferdinand Zecca
Votes: 735
40. Coney Island at Night (1905)
Not Rated | 4 min | Documentary, Short
A panorama of Coney Island, taken at night: the camera sweeps across the scene from a vantage point well above the area. It then moves in for closer views of Dreamland and Luna Park.
Director: Edwin S. Porter
Votes: 355
41. How a French Nobleman Got a Wife Through the 'New York Herald' Personal Columns (1904)
Not Rated | 8 min | Comedy, Short
A French aristocrat, who has recently arrived in America, has placed a personal advertisement in the newspaper. In the ad, he invites any well-to-do young woman who is interested in ... See full summary »
Director: Edwin S. Porter
Votes: 273
42. Edison Kinetoscope Records: Annie Oakley (1894)
Documentary, Short
A man (Thomas Edison's assistant) takes a pinch of snuff and sneezes. This is one of the earliest Thomas Edison films and was the first motion picture to be copyrighted in the United States.
Stars: Caicedo, Carmencita, Annie Oakley
Votes: 59
43. Monkeyshines, No. 2 (1890)
1 min | Short
In an experiment that follows up on the results of 'Monkeyshines, No. 1', an Edison company worker again moves around in front of the motion picture camera.
Directors: William K.L. Dickson, William Heise | Star: Giuseppe Sacco Albanese
Votes: 1,144
44. The White Caps (1905)
Not Rated | 12 min | Drama, Short
Two members of a vigilante group known as 'The White Caps' post a warning sign on a man's home. When the man comes home, he tears down the sign, and then proceeds to abuse his wife both ... See full summary »
Directors: Wallace McCutcheon, Edwin S. Porter | Stars: Kate Toncray, John R. Cumpson, Arthur V. Johnson, Lionel Barrymore
Votes: 184
45. Her First Appearance (1910)
Short, Drama
Van Bibber, a thoroughly delightful man of the world who has not been spoiled by society conventionality, and the child whom he rescues will appeal to every lover of the best in life. Some ... See full summary »
Directors: Ashley Miller, Edwin S. Porter | Stars: Robert Conness, Bernardine Prissi Leist, Charles Ogle
46. The Ball Game (1898)
Documentary, Short, Sport
"The Reading's [Pennsylvania] pitcher has just let a Newark [New Jersey] batsman walk to first. Our camera is stationed about twenty feet from the bag, and the satisfied grin of the runner ... See full summary »
Director: William Heise | Stars: Scoops Carey, Zane Grey, Scott Stratton
Votes: 204
47. The Night Before Christmas (1905)
9 min | Animation, Short, Family
It's December 24th, and 'Santa Claus' is busy feeding his reindeer and finishing up the toys that he will soon deliver. Meanwhile, the children in a large family hang their stockings over ... See full summary »
Director: Edwin S. Porter
Votes: 620
48. Dream of a Rarebit Fiend (1906)
Not Rated | 7 min | Short, Comedy, Fantasy
The fiend faces the spectacular mind-bending consequences of his free-wheeling rarebit binge.
Directors: Wallace McCutcheon, Edwin S. Porter | Star: Jack Brawn
Votes: 1,914
49. Sandow: The Strong Man (1894)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
Eugen Sandow, who claims to be the strongest man in the world, appears in the Edison Company's film studio.
Director: William K.L. Dickson | Star: Eugen Sandow
Votes: 1,208
50. Poker at Dawson City (1899)
Short, Comedy, Western
"A decided shady game. Shows a novel way of filling a bobtail flush. Game breaks up in a general scrimmage. The barkeeper cools off the fighters by the judicious use of a siphon of vichy."
Director: James H. White
Votes: 61