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