Film preservationist Céline Ruivo brings an eye for color and pre-cinema to her five early cinema picks for 1904. From scientific intent to fantasy, and industrialism and modernity in between, she demonstrates how an apparently unmemorable year like 1904 can still provide great insight into the art and technology of cinema at the time.

Céline holds a doctorate in cinema and teaches film preservation at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB). She is currently in charge of film restoration projects with two European cinémathèques and also directed the documentary Cinégraphies, les femmes de la tempête (2023).

Visit the5bestfilmsofeveryyearever.com/list to submit your own top five for 1904!

Films and resources mentioned:

• Panorama of Machine Co. Aisle (1904) - Billy Bitzer
• The Flight of a Crane Fly (1904) - Lucien Bull
• The Impossible Voyage (1904) - Georges Méliès
• A Butterfly’s Metamorphosis (1904) - Gaston Velle
• The Strike (1904) - Ferdinand Zecca
• A Trip to the Moon (1902) - Georges Méliès
• The Great Train Robbery (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory (1895) - Louis Lumière
• Alcohol and its Victims (1902) - Ferdinand Zecca
• Down in the Coal Mines (1905) - Ferdinand Zecca
• Le cinématographe des magiciens: 1896-1906, un cycle magique - Frédéric Tabet

Martin L. Johnson, film historian and Associate Professor in English and Comparative Literature at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has literally written the book on local films in the United States. While most of his picks fit into that definition, he also brings comic chases and early filmic nudity into the conversation.

Martin is also co-president of Domitor, the international society for the study of early cinema. He is currently completing a monograph on the history of the advertising film and co-editing, with Liz Clarke, a forthcoming collection on silent cinema that features films that expand, complicate, and deepen our understanding of silent era film.

Visit the5bestfilmsofeveryyearever.com/list to submit your own top five for 1904!

Films and resources mentioned:

• Girls Winding Armatures (1904) - Billy Bitzer
• The Heir of Pruna House (1904) - Segundo de Chomón
• Annual Baby Parade, 1904, Asbury Park, N.J. (1904) - Alfred C. Abadie
• Opening Ceremonies, New York Subway, October 27, 1904 (1904) - Edwin S. Porter
• Court Ladies Bathing (1904) - unknown
• A Trip to the Moon (1902) - Georges Méliès
• The Great Train Robbery (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• How a French Nobleman Got a Wife Through the New York Herald Personal Columns (1904) - Edwin S. Porter
• Personal (1904) - Wallace McCutcheon
• What Happened in the Tunnel (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• New York Subway (1905) - Billy Bitzer
• El Satario (1907) - unknown
• Main Street Movies: The History of Local Films in the United States - Martin L. Johnson

Dimitrios Latsis, Associate Professor in Digital and Audiovisual Preservation at the University of Alabama, has worked extensively in the fields of American visual culture, early cinema, archival studies, and digital humanities. These interests are brought into the conversation about his five eclectic picks, in addition to some “runner-ups” that paint a fuller picture of cinema in 1904.

Dimitrios is the author of How the Movies Got a Past: A Historiography of American Cinema, 1894-1930. He has also co-edited a special issue of The Moving Image, the journal of the Association of Moving Image Archivists on the topic of Digital Humanities and/in Film Archives and an anthology on documentaries about the visual arts in the 1950s and 60s for Bloomsbury Academic.

Visit the5bestfilmsofeveryyearever.com/list to submit your own top five for 1904!

Films and resources mentioned:

• Ball Passing Through a Soap Bubble (1904) - Lucien Bull
• A Butterfly’s Metamorphosis (1904) - Gaston Velle
• How a French Nobleman Got a Wife Through the New York Herald Personal Columns (1904) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Impossible Voyage (1904) - Georges Méliès
• Tracked by Bloodhounds; or, A Lynching at Cripple Creek (1904) - Harry Buckwalter
• The Great Train Robbery (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• Life of an American Fireman (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• Évènements russo-japonais (1904) - Lucien Nonguet
• Living London (1904) - unknown
• The Wrong Door (1904) - Ferdinand Zecca
• Burglars at Work (1904) - Gaston Velle
• Japanese Varieties (1904) - Gaston Velle
• Personal (1904) - Wallace McCutcheon
• A Trip to the Moon (1902) - Georges Méliès
• How the Movies Got a Past: A Historiography of American Cinema, 1894-1930 - Dimitrios Latsis
• The Red Rooster Scare: Making Cinema American, 1900-1910 - Richard Abel

George Willeman has been the Nitrate Film Vault Leader at the Library of Congress for 41 years. Having been in love with movies as far back as he can remember, George is still constantly amazed at the discoveries found within the Library’s nitrate film collection, and his picks reflect the enthusiasm and intrigue that occur at least weekly in his role.

At a young age, George got hooked on 8mm releases from the renowned Blackhawk Films company. He brought this lifelong passion to his degree in film production and began his time at the Library with a part-time job as an inspector of nitrate film cans.

Visit the5bestfilmsofeveryyearever.com/list to submit your own top five for 1904!

Films and resources mentioned:

• Gage d’amour (1904) - Alice Guy-Blaché
• The Great Train Robbery (1904) - Siegmund Lubin
• The Terrible Turkish Executioner (1904) - Georges Méliès
• The Impossible Voyage (1904) - Georges Méliès
• Dog Factory (1904) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Great Train Robbery (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• Saving Brinton (2017) - Tommy Haines and Andrew Sherburne
• The Heart of Lincoln (1922) - Francis Ford
• The Heart of Lincoln (1915) - Francis Ford
• When Lincoln Paid (1913) - Francis Ford
• A Trip to the Moon (1902) - Georges Méliès
• The Eclipse, or the Courtship of the Sun and the Moon (1907) - Georges Méliès
• The Conquest of the Pole (1912) - Georges Méliès
• Mon Oncle (1958) - Jacques Tati
• The Patriot (1928) - Ernst Lubitsch
• Wonder Dogs

Film historian Steve Massa is a particular expert on silent film comedy. His five choices for 1904 certainly reflect that interest, as they feature premises and gags that can still rouse surprise, chuckles, and laughs today.

Steve is the author of Lames Brains and Lunatics: The Good, the Bad, and the Forgotten of Silent Comedy and its sequel as well as many other books. He also co-hosts Silent Comedy Watch Party with Ben Model, has curated comedy film programs for institutions and festivals, and has provided essays and commentary tracks for DVDs and Blu-rays.

Visit the5bestfilmsofeveryyearever.com/list to submit your own top five for 1904!

Films and resources mentioned:

• Burglars at Work (1904) - Gaston Velle
• As Seen on the Curtain (1904) - A.E. Weed
• How a French Nobleman Got a Wife through the New York Herald Personal Column (1904) - Edwin S. Porter
• Dog Factory (1904) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Impossible Voyage (1904) - Georges Méliès
• The Great Train Robbery (1903) - Steve Massa
• A Trip to the Moon (1902) - Georges Méliès
• A Trip to Jupiter (1909) - Segundo de Chomón
• Pull the Curtain Down, Susie (1904) - A.E. Weed
• A False Beauty (1914) - Ford Sterling
• Shoulder Arms (1918) - Charlie Chaplin
• The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) - Lotte Reiniger
• Personal (1904) - Wallace McCutcheon
• The Policemen’s Little Run (1907) - Ferdinand Zecca
• Seven Chances (1925) - Buster Keaton
• The Mechanical Butcher (1895) - Louis Lumière
• The Sausage Machine (1897) - unknown
• Fun in a Butcher Shop (1907) - Edwin S. Porter
• Ham and the Sausage Factory (1915) - Marshall Neilan
• The Man with the Rubber Head (1901) - Georges Méliès
• Joan of Arc (1900) - Georges Méliès
• Robinson Crusoe (1902) - Georges Méliès
• The Eclipse, or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon (1907) - Georges Méliès
• The Conquest of the Pole (1912) - Georges Méliès
• Hugo (2011) - Martin Scorsese
• The One-Man Band (1900) - Georges Méliès
• Bluebeard (1901) - Georges Méliès
• Broadway (1929) - Paul Fejos
• Lonesome (1928) - Paul Fejos
• The Last Performance (1929) - Paul Fejos
• The Kid Brother (1927) - Ted Wilde and J.A. Howe
• King of Jazz (1930) - John Murray Anderson
• The Kingdom of the Fairies (1903) - Georges Méliès
• What Demoralized the Barber Shop (1898) - William Heise
• Lames Brains and Lunatics: The Good, the Bad, and the Forgotten of Silent Comedy - Steve Massa

While 1904 doesn't have an iconic film like the past two seasons have each featured, that doesn't mean it doesn't have its share of worthwhile films and intriguing aspects of film history to explore. From the eve of the nickelodeon boom to expanding narrative ambitions, this season will explore both returning and new threads of the cinematic discourse of the early cinema period, from its time to now.

Visit the5bestfilmsofeveryyearever.com/list to submit your own picks for 1904!

Films mentioned:

• A Trip to the Moon (1902) - Georges Méliès
• The Great Train Robbery (1903) - Edwin S. Porter

While one particular film was explored in-depth this season, every guest (whether they selected The Great Train Robbery or not) explored lesser known or at least lesser appreciated arenas of cinema in 1903. The myth busting, amateur spotlighting, and spectacle showcasing elements of this season's conversations make the case for the expansion of the art form in this calendar year, which may indeed deserve its special attention.

Visit the5bestfilmsofeveryyearever.com/list to view the full list of films submitted for 1903 (and beyond)!

Films mentioned:

• The Enchanted Well (1903) - Georges Méliès
• Alice in Wonderland (1903) - Cecil Hepworth
• The Great Train Robbery (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Infernal Cauldron (1903) - Georges Méliès
• The Kingdom of the Fairies (1903) - Georges Méliès
• What Happened in the Tunnel (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Execution (1903) - Peter Elfelt
• Mary Jane’s Mishap (1903) - George Albert Smith
• A Trip to the Moon (1902) - Georges Méliès

Colin Williamson, Assistant Professor in Cinema Studies at University of Oregon, has wide-ranging interests, including animation, special effects, and media archaeology. With these angles and more in mind, he brings a unique perspective and some myth busting to his standout films of 1903.

Colin is the author of Hidden in Plain Sight: An Archaeology of Magic and the Cinema and the forthcoming Drawn to Nature: American Animation in the Age of Science. He is also currently Associate Editor at Animation: An Interdisciplinary Journal.

Films and resources mentioned:

• Electrocuting an Elephant (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Cheese Mites (1903) - F. Martin Duncan
• The Kingdom of the Fairies (1903) - Georges Méliès
• Mary Jane’s Mishap (1903) - George Albert Smith
• The Great Train Robbery (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• Execution of Czolgosz with Panorama of Auburn Prison (1901) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Unclean World (1903) - Cecil Hepworth
• A Trip to the Moon (1902) - Georges Méliès
• Blade Runner (1982) - Ridley Scott
• Under the Seas (1907) - Georges Méliès
• Hugo (2011) - Martin Scorsese
• Citizen Kane (1941) - Orson Welles
• Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• What Happened in the Tunnel (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• Life of an American Fireman (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat (1896) - Louis Lumière

Film archivist and historian Rob Stone has always been interested in silent film. With his five picks, he charts evolving storytelling capabilities in the medium’s earliest days and the darker side of the fading actuality, mostly as represented by one filmmaker!

Rob’s publishing company Split Reel specializes in books and other media highlighting lesser-known aspects of the entertainment industry, especially the silent era. He was also Moving Image Curator at the Library of Congress for over 15 years.

Visit the5bestfilmsofeveryyearever.com/list to submit your own top five for 1903!

Films and resources mentioned:

• Alice in Wonderland (1903) - Cecil Hepworth
• Electrocuting an Elephant (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• Life of an American Fireman (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Great Train Robbery (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• What Happened in the Tunnel (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• When Comedy Was King (1960) - Robert Youngson
• The Golden Age of Comedy (1957) - Robert Youngson
• Fire! (1901) - James Williamson
• The Lucky Dog (1921) - Jess Robbins
• Pokes & Jabbs: The Before, During and After of the Vim Films Corporation - Rob Stone
• Laurel or Hardy: The Solo Films of Stan Laurel & Oliver "Babe" Hardy - Rob Stone
• Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies - Randy Skretvedt
• Mack Sennett’s Fun Factory: A History and Filmography of His Studio and His Keystone and Mack Sennett Comedies, with Biographies of Players and Personnel - Brent E. Walker
• Victor Moore and His Klever Komedies - Steve Massa and Rob Stone
• Poverty Row Royalty: The Films of Producer Sigmund Neufeld and His Brother, Director Sam Newfield - Thomas Reeder
• Hometown Tinsel: The Life, Career, and Friendships of Virginia Karns - Jim Kerkhoff
• Story of Grover Jones - Rob Stone

Pordenone Silent Film Festival director Jay Weissberg has facilitated an array of programs that expand the canonical ideas about what was made in the silent era and what can be appreciated now. With his picks (which he stretches a bit past five with two more must-sees), he showcases international, amateur, and aesthetic ambitions in 1903.

Jay also worked as a film critic for 18 years with Variety and contributes essays for a host of festivals, retrospective catalogues, and international publications with a particular focus on contemporary Arab cinema. Among his published works as a film historian are essays on the American films of Albert Capellani and Balzac in silent cinema.

Films and resources mentioned:

• Blackpool North Pier (1903) - Mitchell & Kenyon
• The Tarantella from ‘Napoli’ (1903) - Peter Elfelt
• He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (1903) - Wallace McCutcheon
• Mary Jane’s Mishap (1903) - George Albert Smith
• Familie Neubronner geht spazieren (1903) - Julius Neubronner
• The Kingdom of the Fairies (1903) - Georges Méliès
• The Execution (1903) - Peter Elfelt
• Move On (1903) - Alfred C. Abadie
• Anna Held (1901) - Frederick S. Armitage
• The Great Ziegfeld (1936) - Robert Z. Leonard
• The Great Train Robbery (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• Alice in Wonderland (1903) - Cecil Hepworth
• Life of an American Fireman (1903) - Edwin S. Porter
• The Finish of Bridget McKeen (1901) - Edwin S. Porter
• A Trip to the Moon (1902) - Georges Méliès
• Conclave (2024) - Edward Berger
• The Slave (1917) - William Nigh
• London After Midnight (1927) - Tod Browning
• Beyond the Rocks (1922) - Sam Wood
• A Pictorial History of the Silent Screen - Daniel Blum
• Cinema’s First Nasty Women