What short films are today, they were the feature films of yesterday. A backwoods mystery, by theodore goodridge roberts, illust. Porters identically titled 1903 silent movie, usually considered the first fullscale western on the american screen. The onereel film, with a running time of twelve minutes, was assembled in twenty separate shots. Edwin stanton porter was an american early film pioneer, most famous as a director with thomas edisons company. Life of an american fireman and the great train robbery, are two famous films that edwin s. Of over 250 films created by porter, his most important include jack and the beanstalk, life of an american fireman, the great train robbery, the kleptomaniac, life of a cowboy, rescued from an eagles nest, and the prisoner of zenda. We were discussing the breaking bad episode dead freight and he asked if id ever read the great train robbery. The great train robbery was one of the first crime dramas and archetype of the western genre. The clerk at the train station is assaulted and left tied by four men, then they rob the train threatening the operator. The great train robbery is a like quite a few of my reads over the years, this book appeared on my radar courtesy of kemper. The great train robbery is a 1903 american western film directed by edwin s. The great train robbery edwin s porter 1903 e principles of classical hollywood from mac 143 at miami university. Porter woort gebore in connellsville, pennsylvania es zoon vaan thomas richard porter, ne marchang, en mary jane clark porter.
The film was inspired by scott marbles 1896 stage play, and may also have been inspired by a 1900 train robbery perpetrated by butch cassidy. An early american film pioneer, he was a famous director most known for films like life of an american fireman 1903 and the great train robbery 1903. The film introduced moviegoers to robberies, chase scenes, and gun shootoffs. Porters seminal the great train robbery 1903 and the pictorial splendor of ferdinand zeccas the golden beetle 1907, both presented in mint condition prints with the original handtinting, as well as georges melies extravagant a trip to the moon 1902, complete with. Porter told a story of a robbery, chase and inevitable capture of the bad guys. Porter made this little gem in the wilds of new jersey, with additional scenes at thomas edisons studio.
Porter, most often remembered as the producer of the great train robbery, musser situates porter s achievements within the vibrant c. From basic beginnings, porter absorbed much from his contemporaries, adopting trick work and narrative innovations, and in 1903 he directed two seminal american films, the life of an american fireman and the great train robbery. A major problem for early filmmakers was the establishment of temporal continuity from one shot to the next. A little girl discovers the clerk tied and gives notice to the sheriff, who at once goes along with his men hunting the bandits. Great train robbery, the the great train robbery 1903, directed by edwin s. Porter used crosscutting to show that two events were. Since august 1963, when the actual event took place, the robbery has passed into both more. Porter made among his best known works while with all the edison company. Many of the videos have been preserved digitally and are available for free here at the. The first scene shows the chief as he explains to his followers the plan of the great train robbery. Porter, a camera operator in the edison laboratory. Edwin porter edwin stanton porter april 21, 1870 april 30, 1941 was an american early film pioneer, most famous as a director with thomas edisons company. This is the moving image, the eighth art, and today it is seen in living rooms, theaters, driveins, museums, classrooms.
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. The film showcased some groundbreaking filming methods at the time of its production. Then in 1903 came porter s masterpiece, the great train robbery. The great train robbery was one of the most daring, ingenious and infamous heists of the twentieth century. Anderson as a slain passenger and a robber, walter cameron as the sheriff. The great train robbery is a 1903 silent film directed by edwin s porter. When the great train robbery debuted in december of 1903, henry ford had. He was an american film director most known for his work with the edison company. In the late 1890s porter worked as both a projectionist and mechanic, eventually becoming director and cameraman for the edison manufacturing company. Inspired by scott marbles play the great train robbery 1896, porter was the first to put together motion picture magic with myths and stories of americas pursuit of manifest destiny on the pioneering plains and horizons, all pointing west.
Porter simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. In addition, youll find great book recommendations that may be of interest to you based on your search and purchase history, as well as the most wished for and most gifted books. Edwin stanton porter 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. Directed by edwin porter, who had previously worked as a cameraman for the edison company, the great train robbery showed the.
This book is within the scope of wikiproject biography, a collaborative effort to create, develop and organize wikipedias articles about people. Differences in footages may be due to different methods of measurement. The great train robbery 1903 by edwin s porter youtube. Filmed in 1903, it was the first narrative film in history. Two masked robbers enter and compel the operator to stop the approaching train. Thats director martin scorseses homage to the grand tradition of outlaws on film, more specifically edwin stanton porters 1903 silent film, the great train robbery. Edwin stanton porter connellsville pennsylvania, vs, 21 april 1870 new york city, 30 april 1941 waor nen amerikaanse filmpionier. The great train robbery is a 12minute short film aboutyep, you guessed ita bunch of bandits pulling off an awesome train robbery.
The great train robbery is a great tale from beginning to end, enormously well researched to reflect the language and mores of victorian times, and produces great suspense up to a highly satisfactory ending, better yet it tells of a true event that crichton doesnt have to work very hard to embellish. At ten minutes long, it is considered a milestone in film making, expanding on porter s previous work life of an american fireman. The great train robbery was written, produced and directed by edwin s. All music is performed on a levin guitar from ca 1930. He filmed the great train robbery and it change the way of thinking about movies. He was an american filmmaker who invented the simplex camera for edison company. One of the milestones in film history was the first narrative film, the great train robbery 1903, directed and photographed by edwin s. The great train robbery and edwin porter 1814 words. A nagy vonatrablas 1903ban keszult amerikai nemafilm, kezi szinezesu.
At first, porter did not seem to realize the potential of this work, and returned to his onescene comedies and trick films. Library of congress motion picture, broadcasting and recorded sound division, washington, d. The life of an american fireman 1903 and the great train robbery 1903, which were acquired by iris barry for momas fledgling film library in the mid1930s. The great train robbery also ignited americas long love affair with the western genre. Porter film, the great train robbery is a dramatization of the famous first holdup of a moving train in 1855 england. It was a breakout success, transcending everything that had been screened before it. Porter he entered motion pictures work in 1896, the first year movies were commercially projected on large screens in the united states.
The great train robbery is the first american western film. The former was ahead of its time in its editing techniques, and the latter anticipated the spectacular westerns to come, even though porter and his crew got no further west than. Great train robbery 1903, directed and photographed by edwin s. Edwin stanton porter the great train robbery is the first great american western film. Three american geniusesthomas alva edison, edwin stanton porter, and david wark griffithindividually and with others, created here a new means of depicting life. An elevenminute narrative with a plot boasting a beginning, middle, and end, the great train robbery laid the groundwork for the modern feature film.
Combined with edisons production rights and porter s editing talent, it became an epic western film. The life of an american fireman 1903, the first american film to use intercutting, the great train robbery 1903, the first motion picture with a plot, and the eternal city 1915. The video cellar is an eclectic collection of feature films, shorts, animations and tv shows. It was a primitive onereeler action picture, about 10 minutes long, with 14scenes, filmed in november 1903 not in. As for more obvious fictions there is the mythmaking of edwin s.
He pioneered some of the earlier film techniques which were implemented in films such as the great train robbery. As an employee of thomas edison, porter was placed in charge of all the edison companys film projects. Porter 18701941 was a prominent innovator in the early years of cinema. In 1902, porter turned out a fiveminute subject titled life of an american fireman. It was directed by edwin s porter and stars justus d. Two of my favorite earliest films are george melies a trip to the moon 1902 and edwin s. See more ideas about the great train robbery, train and old movie posters. The same year that frank and cole younger launched their wild west exhibition, pennsylvaniaborn edwin stanton porter. Of over 250 films created by porter, the most important films include life of an american fireman and the great train robbery. Porter s next film, the great train robbery 1903 took the archetypal american western story, already familiar to audiences from dime novels and stage melodrama, and made it an entirely new visual experience. In 1898, porters work resulted in steadier and brighter film projection. Jul 28, 2011 america has been exploring its own history in cinema since the birth of the medium itself. An 11minutelong escapade telling the story of a gang of bandits who rob a passenger train, the great train robbery is a spectacle and dramaladen film.
The former film had a simple but effective multiscene narrative in which a dramatised rescue was intercut with. Porter, who was a former cameraman for the edison studios. Since august 1963, when the actual event took place, the robbery has passed into both criminal folklore and popular culture, inspiring numerous films and tall tales along the way. Filmed in november 1903 at edisons new york studio, at essex county park in new jersey, and along the lackawanna railroad and released in december 1903, the great train robbery is considered to be one of the first significant early us narrative films. Comprising 14 separate shots of noncontinuous, nonoverlapping action, the film contains an early example of parallel editing, two credible back, or rear. Anderson as a slain passenger and a robber, walter. The great train robbery film by porter 1903 britannica. The great train robbery is a landmark film, an 11minute motion picture thats widely regarded as the first narrative movie ever made. Its the first film to have some kind of narrative, and features in its cast future cowboy star broncho billy anderson. Edwin stanton porter was born on april 21, 1870, in connellsville, pennsylvania.
In the late 1800s most moving images were novel, onescene clips. Both were pivotal in how they advanced the medium, and both have a timeless ability to entertain and fascinate us in a pure and simple way. The great train robbery is considered the worlds first western. It was filmed in new jersey, where many early films were shot before the rise of hollywood in california. The music in this version is composed by andreas brink. Porters the great train robbery 1903 is widely acknowledged to be the first.
The collection contains all kinds of narrative, educational, documentary, advertising, instructional and government films and videos from all over the world. His most important movies are life of an american fireman 1903 and the great train robbery 1903. Pierce is the brains, clean willy the brawn, and safecracker agar provides the finesse. For instructions on how to use this banner, please refer to the documentation. The film was also one of the first to incorporate a full cast of actors and to shoot onlocation. One of the earliest seminal american films is edwin s.
In 1903, he put his talent to use when he directed the great train robbery, one of the first major american motion picture. 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. Though a western, it was filmed in milltown, new jersey. In real life, edwin stanton porter was an early filmmaker who directed the great train robbery. The great train robbery is a 1903 american silent short western film written, produced, and directed by edwin s. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Edwin stanton porter april 1870 april was an american early film pioneer, most famous as a director with thomas edisons of over 250 films created by porter, the most important films include life of an american fireman and the great train robbery edwin porter, director of the great train robbery, native of connellsville. Media in category films by edwin stanton porter the following 32 files are in this category, out of 32 total. The film tells the story of two bandits who hold up a train docking in. The great train robbery 1903 film wikimili, the best. He worked collaboratively, producing, directing, and editing a variety of films, including the first blockbuster motion picture, the great train robbery in 1903.
The great train robbery is a bestselling 1975 historical novel written by michael crichton. Edwin s porter in 1903 june 26, 2015 the theatre of science by robert grau, 1914 this post is part of the classic movie history project blogathon ii, hosted by fritzi at movies silently, ruth at silver screenings and aurora at once upon a screen. They take all the money and shoot a passenger when trying to run away. Edwin stanton porter 18691941 director and filmmaker edwin porter was one of the most important technical innovators in early american cinema. The eight minute feature film showcased an excellent climax, story line and boasted a cast of forty strong actors. Porters the great train robbery 1903, which not only effectively launched the western genre to cinema audiences, it was one of the first examples of narrative storytelling on film. In 1901, porter shot panamerican exposition by night, applying using timelapse photography. Knopf then, a division of random house, it is currently published by avon, an imprint of harpercollins publishers.
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. For this session of the motion picture club, a twelveminute, blackandwhite classic called the great train robbery was being shown. Along with some of its other diversions such as ratting a prime sport, or a hanging, or even the cure. But todays cinema would not be what it is without the original innovation of cinematic devices by edwin s. The landmark short the execution of mary, queen of scots, a oneminute recreation of the monarchs beheading, was made at edison labs in 1895, and a former employee of edisons, edwin stanton porter, directed the first action movie, the great train robbery, in 1903. Porter, the man who had conceived, directed, and edited the film, based it on a felony that occurred in 1900. Response to the movie was so tremendous that nickelodeons began springing up across the nation. The great train robbery edwin s porter 1903 e principles. Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download. Published on jul 3, 20 the great train robbery is a 1903 silent film directed by edwin s porter.
In 1903 edwin porters created the great train robbery, one of the first feature action films. All interested editors are invited to join the project and contribute to the discussion. Porters the great train robbery 1903 is widely acknowledged to be the first narrative film to have achieved such continuity of action. His most important movies are life of an american fireman 1903. Jan 27, 2020 the great train robbery is a 1903 american silent short western film written, produced, and directed by edwin s. The conspirators in this undertaking are edward pierce sean connery, agar donald sutherland and clean willy wayne sleep. Porter, pioneer american film director whose innovative use of.
956 1157 725 988 1496 329 718 11 338 616 1455 1505 537 306 750 1237 523 924 62 967 430 1493 822 473 280 1452 553 46 1063 485 1101 370 868 986 1133 327 696 1138 330 1320 1321 483 594 296 122 886 442 659