Porter, in an attempt to resist the new industrial system born out of the popularity of nickelodeons, left edison in 1909 to form his. As one of the movies first producers, writers, directors, and cameramen, his curiosity and innovative vision helped spawn a new art. Porter, forever changed the world of film by breaking away from the static singleshot stories of the silent era and bringing about the dynamic kind of narrative filmmaking complete with location shooting, crosscutting, and a moving camera we all take for granted today. Porter photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Porter, the 12minutelong silent film, the great train robbery 1903, was the first narrative movieone that told a story. Porter, pioneer american film director whose innovative use of dramatic editing piecing together scenes shot at different times and places in such films as the life of an american fireman 1903 and the great train robbery 1903 revolutionized filmmaking.
Porter, thomas edisons mechanic and cameraman, who is now recognized as americas first important filmmaker and a major contributor to. Before the great train robbery, most films were either actualities short documents of prominent people, places, or. From the beginning of early cinema, it was a cinema of attractions, enjoyed primarily for the spectacle, not for the story. It was a primitive onereeler action picture, about 10 minutes long, with 14scenes, filmed in november 1903 not in the western expanse of wyoming but on the east coast in various locales in new jersey at edisons new york studio, at. Porters advances in film editing especially in the 1903 film the great train robbery. There is some doubt as to whether all of the great train robbery s many innovations were actually the first of their kind, but there s no question that edwin s.
An anaglyph, in photographic terms, is when two differentcolored images are superimposed. Porter, thomas edison s mechanic and cameraman, who is now recognized as america s first important filmmaker and a major contributor to the evolution of film structure. His uncle toms cabin 1903 was one of the very earliest fulllength american movies although full. The film is based on the research of the leading scholar of early american film, charles musser, who also cowrote and directed it. One of his early films was terrible teddy, the grizzly king, a satire made in february 1901 about the then. Porter s the great train robbery, made in 1903, was notable for what reason. One of his early films was terrible teddy, the grizzly king, a satire made in february 1901 about the then vice. Porter 18701941, presents the same narrative eventsa fireman rescuing a woman from a burning buildingas seen first from inside the building and then from camera setups outside the building, repeating the same narrative action.
It was a primitive onereeler action picture, about 10 minutes long, with 14scenes, filmed in november 1903 not in the western expanse of wyoming but on the east coast in various locales in new jersey at edison s new york studio, at. It was the first to use editing and closeups as narrativebuilding techniques. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. This weeks slide show is about movie theaters in new jersey. After porters own attempt to manufacture movie cameras and projectors failed, edison hired him in 1899. It was a primitive onereeler action picture, about 10 minutes long, with 14scenes, filmed in november 1903 not in the western expanse of wyoming but on the. This documentary is produced by one of the world s foremost authorities and biographers of edwin s. Edwin stratton porter in connellsville, pennsylvania, 21 april 1869. In silent films, the dialogue was seen through muted gestures, mime, and title cards from the beginning of the film to the end. He worked collaboratively, producing, directing, and.
Porter s 1902 film the life of an american fireman important. Porter was the first american director, the pioneer who discovered how to use edison s invention to tell stories and entertain audiences. Elder then came up with another rig that projected dual strips of film. Uncle josh s nightmare 1900 world s first movie trilogy part 1 edwin s. Porters the great train robbery, made in 1903, was notable for what reason.
Two of my favorite earliest films are george melies a trip to the moon 1902 and edwin s. It was the first studio film to use personal style. Porter in 1903 is frequently acknowledged as the first narrative film. The first movie sequel, remake, and reboot ever all thats. Edwin stanton porter april 21, 1870 april 30, 1941 was an early movie pioneer and director. Griffith who would expand on porters discovery that the unit of film structure was the shot rather than the scene. It was directed by edwin s porter and stars justus d. In this capacity he played a vital role in organizing the first. They take all the money and shoot a passenger when trying to run away. Porter enjoyed the esteem of being regarded as one of the most innovative filmmakers of his day.
People panicked and thronged together in the aisles to run away from the colossal vehicle that was hurtling towards them. Film pioneer edwin stratton porter knew what scared and thrilled an audience. Porter made the first western, one of films to pioneer the use of cinematographic narration. Porters seminal 1903 western was the first definitive evidence of the power of film editing in the service of a story. Griffith 18751948 without question, was the next great contributor to film. The music in this version is composed by andreas brink. Life of an american fireman 1903, directed by edwin s. The great train robbery is a 1903 american silent short western film written, produced, and directed by edwin s.
Navy, assisted in development of gunnery range finder, 189396. Porter 18701941 was a pioneer in the film industry as one of the first real film directors, who also developed a story with a progressive narrative, which are. His uncle tom s cabin 1903 was one of the very earliest fulllength american movies although fulllength in 1903 meant about 14 minutes. The great train robbery 1903 by edwin s porter youtube. Pioneer motion picture director, editor, cinematographer, inventor. Left school at age fourteen, worked as sign painter, theater cashier, and stagehand. All but forgotten today, american director edwin s.
It can be said that it was porters films that gave rise to the codification of genre, while simultaneously initiating auteur cinema. Porter, a projectionist, was hired by thomas edison to develop his new projection model known as the vitascope. His western the great train robbery 1903 is a milestone of movie history, commonly believed to be the first narrative film. Anderson as a slain passenger and a robber, walter cameron as the sheriff. The great train robbery film by porter 1903 britannica. Generally acknowledged today as the father of the story film, he. A little girl discovers the clerk tied and gives notice to the sheriff, who at once goes along with his men hunting the bandits. The clerk at the train station is assaulted and left tied by four men, then they rob the train threatening the operator. With the great train robbery, he pulled the american film business out of its early doldrums and captured the imagination not to mention the money of the stilldeveloping movie. Porter 18701941 was a prominent innovator in the early years of cinema.
One of the milestones in film history was the first narrative film, the great train robbery 1903, directed and photographed by edwin s. Porter joined thomas edisons vitascope marketing company as a mechanic in 1895, and spent much of his time there working to perfect the movie projector. With blanche sweet, jay leyda, rob issen, robert sklar. Influenced by both the brighton school and the story films of georges melies, porter went on to make important shorts such as life of an american fireman 1903 and the great train robbery 1903. The great train robbery, written, directed, and produced by edwin s. Porters 1902 film the life of an american fireman important. Uncle joshs nightmare 1900 worlds first movie trilogy part 1 edwin s. It makes use of familiar tropes of western stage plays and wild west shows to present its story it begins in a saloon, the big horn named for a steer skull. Porter was the first american director, the pioneer who discovered how to use edisons invention to tell stories and entertain audiences. Edwin stanton porter was born in connellsville, pennsylvania. The great train robbery was directed and photographed by edwin s. Of over 250 films created by porter, his most important include jack and the beanstalk 1902, life of an. Other filmmakers took up all these ideas including the american edwin s.
The pioneers of the silent era were directors such as, d. Film historians now largely consider the great train robbery to be the first american action film and the first. For the very first feature film presented in 3d however, the chronology stretches all the way back to the roaring twenties. Edwin stanton porter april 21, 1870 april 30, 1941 was an american film pioneer, most famous as a producer, director, studio manager and cinematographer with the edison manufacturing company and the famous players film company. The life of an american fireman film by porter britannica. Porter was born in connellsville, pennsylvania, on april 21, 1870. Porter gains accolades, fameand competition until david wark d. This film, which was also influenced by james williamsons fire. There is some doubt as to whether all of the great train robberys many innovations were actually the first of their kind, but theres no question that edwin s.
Porters the great train robbery 1903 is widely acknowledged to be the first narrative film to have achieved such continuity of action. He left school at 14 to train as an electrician and served in. A revolution in filmmaking continuity form, which resulted in the life of an american fireman six minutes, produced in late 1902 and released in january 1903. Porter, a camera operator in the edison laboratory, who became one of the most successful early american filmmakers. Porter s comedy shorts rube and mandy at coney island 1903 and a romance of the rail 1903 were noted for combining a storyline with a travelogue. Porters comedy shorts rube and mandy at coney island 1903 and a romance of the rail 1903 were noted for combining a storyline with a travelogue. Mar 02, 2016 the great train robbery, written, directed, and produced by edwin s. Porter vintage cinema moviesfilmscartoonsvideos on dailymotion. These groundbreaking directors brought films like first horror movie and the first action and western movie. Porter, who started making films for the edison company in 1901. The great train robbery is a 1903 silent film directed by edwin s porter. Porter, believed was the first filmed western evidently the great train robbery didnt count. Porter created film history when he completed the sequences for the great train robbery, released in 1903 but based on an 1896 story by scott marble. April 1941 in new york city war ein usamerikanischer filmpionier.
It was a primitive onereeler action picture, about 10 minutes long, with 14scenes, filmed in november 1903 not in the western expanse of wyoming but on the east coast in various locales in new jersey at edison. The great train robbery was made in 1903 by edwin s. The story of a marine grunt in the first battle of khe sanh april 1967. Porter, in full edwin stanton porter, original name edward stanton porter, born april 21, 1870, connellsville, pennsylvania, u. The great train robberys popularity led directly to the opening up of permanent movie theaters and the possibility of a future film industry. Porter s seminal 1903 western was the first definitive evidence of the power of film editing in the service of a story.
Indeed he was the first director to use long, medium, and closeup shots. Porter celebrity profile check out the latest edwin s. The great train robbery is the first western film written, produced, and directed by edwin s. In them, he helped to develop the modern concept of continuity editing, paving the way for d. Little else is currently known about his early life. Mar 05, 2020 this weeks slide show is about movie theaters in new jersey. Produced by thomas edison but directed and filmed by edison company employee edwin s. He afterwards invested in his own movie gear firm, but the 1929 stock market crash put him out of business. Porter, who had previously worked for thomas edison as a cameraman, takes the plot from a story based on a real train robbery, written by scott marble in 1896. Sadly the film is believed lost but the website silent era quotes a contemporary synopsis, care of motion picture world. Porter was an instrumental force in the development of motion pictures.
It was the first film to be shown to a theater audience. The film depicts the robbery, the formation of a posse, and its pursuit and elimination of the gunmen. In the late 1890s porter worked as both a projectionist and mechanic, eventually becoming director and cameraman for the edison manufacturing company. Noted film historian charles musser the emergence of cinema cowrote and directed this definitive tribute to edwin s. Porter was the first to push the cinema toward the cinematic way.
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