Dan Willard’s interest in film was fostered by a viewing of Eraserhead in 1977 and a number of UCLA film classes. In more recent years and reflecting the depths of his cinephilia, that has manifested in his extensive Films by the Year site and YouTube channel, which have been linked to many times in this very show’s notes (in this case, ranging from comedy and the féerie to “message films” and naturalism).

Dan is also a professional musician, composer, producer, and teacher and is currently working on an online History of Western Art Music.

Visit the5bestfilmsofeveryyearever.com/list to submit your own top five of 1905!

Films and resources mentioned:

• First Night Out (1905) - Louis J. Gasnier
• Rescued by Rover (1905) - Cecil Hepworth and Lewin Fitzhamon
• The Kleptomaniac (1905) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Palace of the Arabian Knights (1905) - Georges Méliès
• Down in the Coal Mines (1905) - Ferdinand Zecca and Lucien Nonguet
• Eraserhead (1977) - David Lynch
• The Great Train Robbery (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Ex-Convict (1904) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Little Train Robbery (1905) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Barber of Seville (1904) - Georges Méliès
• A Trip to the Moon (1902) - Georges Méliès
• The Kingdom of the Fairies (1903) - Georges Méliès
• The Impossible Voyage (1904) - Georges Méliès
• Coney Island at Night (1905) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Strike (1904) - Ferdinand Zecca
• Germinal (1913) - Albert Capellani