Traffic Crossing Leeds Bridge

Even though "Traffic Crossing the Leeds Bridge" and "Roundhay Garden Scene" are remembered as the first true movies ever shot, it is even more amazing how well they've aged. Despite being 130 years old this year, the prints of both appear to be crisp, detailed and very beautiful. Even though the entire clip of this film lasts only two seconds, the detail seen in those two seconds is remarkable. Pedestrians, horses and carriages, buildings etc. are all caught in this wonderfully framed short by the father of the motion picture, Louis le Prince.

On the main page the link to the video clip at the Leeds University website, I believe is a clip of the Traffic Crossing Leeds Bridge film, although, sadly, the website does not make this clear.

To be able to see people from nearly 120 years ago, walking and moving is quite incredible, like a window into a different age. The movement of the carriages, horses and people makes history come alive. I feel privileged to have seen it.

Take a look, this is one of the oldest moving images you are ever likely to see.

I am surprised there are no more significant links to this entry and the Roundhay film on IMDb. I think it is something to be celebrated.

This is only one of two films (the other being Roundhay Garden Scene) that survive from Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince. According to his son Adolphe Le Prince, this film was shot in Oct, 1888.

The elder Le Prince was a pioneer film-maker and the inventor of the first motion picture film camera to use perforated paper film. His work predates that of WKL Dickson working for Thomas Edison, and the films of the Lumière Brothers by a few years.

Alas, Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince was not to reap the fruits of his labour. In Sept, 1890, as he was taking a train to Paris to show his discovery to the world, Le Prince and all his camera equipment disappeared without a trace. Edison, Dickson, and Lumière would claim the credit for inventing the motion picture. But, it was really Le Prince who made the first ones (the efforts of Marey and Muybridge notwithstanding).

Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince filmed this epic the very same year he gave us Roundhay Garden Scene. Instead of his family walking in circles he filmed, as the title would suggest, traffic crossing Leeds bridge. And when I say traffic I don't mean cars, trucks and buses. I mean people walking a couple of guys who were lucky enough to have horses and carriages.

Since Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince was the ONLY director to release any films in 1888 it proves he was the best director of his era. He didn't need big actors or loads of effects or a computerized ape. Just a camera and a bridge. And he was the man who gave birth to cinema. Not literally, that would be hideous.

Roundhay Garden Scene (1888)

Traffic Crossing Leeds Bridge (1888)

If you've ever wondered what the first movies ever made were then here you go. Director Louise Le Prince shot these two films with a single lense camera he made in 1888. From what I've read, both were shot in October of 1888 because the director's mother died this month and she's featured in the first film (which I just had to watch twice). The first film has some sort of creepy feel along with it but if you're interested then you can see them at IMDb or Youtube. Both just last for two seconds but at least I can now say I saw the first film ever made.