The Evolution of Cinema: From Eadweard Muybridge to the First Feature Film

When discussing the first movie ever created, one must delve into the nuances of what constitutes a 'movie.' This article explores the various milestones in the development of cinema, from Eadweard Muybridge's The Horse in Motion to the first feature-length documentary, The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight.

Defining the First Movie

The concept of what the first movie was can vary depending on the criteria used. Many milestones in early motion picture technology were invented before this term became widely understood. However, a strong contender for a seminal work is Eadweard Muybridge's The Horse in Motion from 1878. This innovative project was a series of photographs that captured a horse in motion, later transformed into a continuous sequence using a zoopraxiscope. This device, an early precursor to the film projector, was created by Muybridge in 1880.

The Horse in Motion (1878)

The Horse in Motion was a groundbreaking series of photographs taken by Eadweard Muybridge that depicted a horse in various stages of motion. Taken in 1878, these images were later displayed in a series of photographs and then reassembled into a continuous motion sequence using a zoopraxiscope. The images were painstakingly painted onto glass, making it the first movie in a nascent sense. Notably, Muybridge also developed a color process for the zoopraxiscope by 1893, though the previous images used a black and white format.

The Zoopraxiscope

The zoopraxiscope was an early animated device that projected a series of images onto a screen. The images were painted onto glass discs and spun to create the illusion of motion. Muybridge's work with the zoopraxiscope significantly contributed to the conceptual foundation of film as a medium for storytelling.

The Roundhay Garden Scene (1888)

Another key milestone in the development of cinema came in 1888 with the creation of the first short film using a motion picture camera. The Roundhay Garden Scene, directed by French inventor Louis Le Prince and comprising only 2 seconds of footage, marked a turning point in the evolution of film technology. This short but definitive recording of a garden scene with people and a child running in circles is considered the earliest surviving motion picture film.

Arrival of a Train (1895)

In 1895, Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat was a 50-second silent film that captured a simple, yet shocking, real-time shot of a train arriving at a station. This short film, though simple, was a remarkable achievement in its time, demonstrating the potential of moving images to deliver a powerful visual experience. One of the most famous scenes from this film, the arrival of a train, was so startling to the audience that people screamed and ran to the back of the room in fear. This moment has become one of the most significant in early cinema history.

The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight (1897)

The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight, a 100-minute documentary filmed in 1897, marked the first feature-length movie. This documentary captured a boxing match between James Corbett and Bob Fitzsimmons, running for over 19 minutes in the final cut. The film's length and its comprehensive coverage of the fight made it a groundbreaking work, setting a new benchmark for the length of films.

Conclusion

While the concept of a 'movie' has evolved over time, the milestones discussed here—Eadweard Muybridge's The Horse in Motion, Louis Le Prince's The Roundhay Garden Scene, and the Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight—all played significant roles in the development of cinema as we know it today. These works laid the groundwork for the rich history of film, from silent black and white films to feature-length documentaries.