Scenes From My Balcony

A trick film using the reverse effect.

Ferdinand Zecca's remake of his own film "Plongeur fantastique" (The Fantastic Plunger, 1901) with the same premise, showing a diver with reverse motion editing for a curious effect

Apparently inspired by the antics of Harry Houdini, Slippery Jim opens in the office of a police commissioner to whom a rather cocky villain is presented. The commissioner orders the prisoner to be clapped in irons, but this proves to be easier said than done because our anti-hero - presumably the Slippery Jim of the title - proves to be an expert escapologist.

The story of the life and passion of Jesus Christ, from the proclamation of his birth to his ascension into heaven.

The story of the life and passion of Jesus Christ, from the proclamation of his birth to his ascension into heaven.

This is a compact telling of the Cinderella fairy tale and the film is elaborately staged.

A man in a suit and cap stops in front of the display of a bookseller, finds and flips… "Invisible Man" by H. G. Wells! Fascinated by the subject, he buys the book and goes home with the intention to test the invisibility formula described by the author…

An early hand-tinted adaptation of Ali Baba.

A policeman spots a dog stealing a piece of meat from a butcher's shop, and gives chase. Soon several more policemen have joined the pursuit. But the chase does not turn out as the policemen expect.

It is the depths of winter, and the snow is falling. The desolate landscape casts a melancholic note over the scene. A poor peasant woman awaits her husband, who has gone to gather firewood in the forest. When he finally arrives, they lament their sad fate. If only they had a child! This wish has been granted by the Spring Fairy, who appears before them. With a wave of her magic wand, she transforms the scene into a cheerful, flowery landscape. They themselves are dressed in rich costumes. The fairy summons flowers, which flow into her hand to form a magnificent bouquet, instantly transformed into a beautiful pink baby, which she gives to them. Then she vanishes, leaving them overflowing with joy and longing. This film, tinted in Barcelona by Segundo de Chomón, is currently lost and should not be confused with the remake done by Vincent Lorant-Heilbronn in 1905, also tinted by Chomón in Paris, which is widely available to watch.

During a strike, several workers are killed in a confrontation. The wife of one of them kills the factory owner. At her trial, the owner's son asks for mercy, knowing that his father was wrong. Because of that the wife is freed.

Captivated by a vision of beckoning women, a man dives into the ocean, and soon finds himself walking on the ocean floor. After encountering numerous sea creatures, he comes to a giant oyster. When the oyster is opened, a strange adventure begins for the diver.

A servant kills his miser master and buries his corpse. The murderer is haunted by the ghost of his victim....or is it his own conscience?

Pathé film number 380, released as "What Happened to the Inquisitive Janitor" in the US and as "Peeping Tom" in the UK. The title "What is Seen Through a Keyhole" was given 'a posteriori' and should not be regarded as its original. As a janitor is cleaning a hotel, he decides to peek through the keyholes to observe some of the guests in their rooms. In room 8, a woman is busy making herself look more attractive, and the janitor enjoys watching her. There are also some interesting things going on in the other rooms on the floor.