Movie 1min

The Cavalier's Dream (1898)

Rating:

+ 1 image
Categories
Black and White Dreams Fantasy Food Ghost Horror Short Silent Film The Devil Trick Film
Descriptions

He sits asleep at a bare table; old witch enters, raps three times, then disappears; cavalier sees table spread for a sumptuous repast. Mephistopheles appears; then the old witch, who suddenly changes to a beautiful young girl. The changes and magical appearances are startling and instantaneous.

Source: Edison Catalog


This is probably Edwin S. Porter's first movie made as a director, and he moved to direct from earlier doing some cinematography. Possibly the first American-made horror movie, trying to imitate the French Georges Méliès. The role of Edwin S. Porter is disputed, and it may be a misattribution.

Similar movies
The Devil's Laboratory
1897
The Devil's Laboratory
The Devil's Laboratory (1897)
85%
1897 3min
Faust and Mephistopheles
1898
Faust and Mephistopheles
Faust and Mephistopheles (1898)
80%
1898 2min
The Black Imp
1905
The Black Imp
The Black Imp (1905)
80%
1905 4min
The Prince of Darkness
1900
The Prince of Darkness
The Prince of Darkness (1900)
78%
1900 1min
Faust: Apparition de Méphistophélès
1897
Faust: Apparition de Méphistophélès
Faust: Apparition de Méphistophélès (1897)
78%
1897 1min
The Pillar of Fire
1899
The Pillar of Fire
The Pillar of Fire (1899)
78%
1899 1min
Cast
Unavailbale.
Crew
Edwin S. Porter - Director (Disputed)
J. Stuart Blackton - Cinematography (Disputed)
Albert E. Smith - Cinematography (Disputed)
Reviews
by
Gravatar
Americans take on the ideas of Méliès

As film evolved there is no question people tried to copy and experiment on others ideas, and in this short film, the ideas from France are tried out by Vitagraph. The typical devil, or Mephistopheles, is present, as well as some ghostly figures and a lot of disappearing and appearing acts. Yet, as a horror, it does not make much, as we all know from the title that it is a dream - but even so, the film has some quick action to offer and as a showcase of tricks and what the movies could do this would be the perfect entertainment of the time.