THOMAS EDISON'S MARITIME MOVIES
DVD 45 minutes, black and white, $29.95
The Edison Manufacturing Company produced some of America's earliest motion pictures, documenting a nation entering the 20th Century. Maritime activities played a large role in the U.S. culture back then, and this is reflected in Edison's footage. We see boats utilized for recreation, politics, commerce, and entertainment.
This 45 minute collection of 20 maritime related subjects, is from the U.S. Library of Congress's Paper Print Collection. It is interesting to note that Edison originally submitted these films to the U.S. Government for copyright protection. Since copyright laws didn't exsist for motion pictures, Edison submitted individual photographic prints of each frame of film to be copyrighted. These "paper prints" were re-photographed, and now comprise a great glimpse into the lifestyle of another generation.
A highlight of the collection is the American Powerboat Association's Gold Cup Regatta on the Hudson River in June of 1904. Each boat traveled 16 miles up and back, with William K. Vanderbilt's "Standard" winning the race, and setting a speed record of 24 MPH.
SUBJECTS:
Coptic" departing SanFrancisco, 1897
Dewey Day Naval Parade, N.Y. Harbor
Launch of "Chitose", San Francisco
Gold Cup Regatta, Hudson River
Torpedo Boat, Newport Rhode Island
Panama Canal 1919
"European Rest Cure", "Down the Old Potomac", Pilot boats in New York Harbor, Steamship "Whitney",
Peace Conference, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Navy Frigate "Constellation", Steamships "Queen"
"Willimete", crusier, "Brooklyn", battleship "Indiana", "Australia" departs San Francisco, battleship
"Texas", Firing and exploding a Whitehead torpedo, and the fireboat "New Yorker".
