1903 in film

The year 1903 in film involved many significant events in cinema.

Events

• Thomas Edison demolishes "America's First Movie Studio", the Black Maria.
• The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit decides that federal copyright protection for "photographs" extends to motion pictures, and that filmmakers could copyright films as a whole rather than having to separately register each frame.
• The three elder Warner Bros. begin in the exhibition business and open their first theater, the Cascade.
• Gaston Méliès, Georges' brother, opens a branch of Star Film in New York to defend its production's copyrights.
• Adolph Zukor and Marcus Loew partner with Mitchell Mark to expand his chain of movie theaters.
• William N. Selig's war film A Soldier's Dream is released. The film shows soldiers playing cards and music around a campfire. Scholars have speculated that the double-exposed image used to create one soldier's dream sequence may have been inspired by Méliès.

Notable films released in 1903

A

• Alice in Wonderland, directed by Cecil Hepworth and Percy Stow, based on the 1865 novel by Lewis Carroll – (GB)
• The Apparition (Le Revenant), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)

C

• Capital Execution (Henrettelsen), directed by Peter Elfelt – (Denmark)
• A Chess Dispute, directed by Robert W. Paul – (GB)

D

• The Damnation of Faust, directed by Georges Méliès – (France)
• A Daring Daylight Burglary, by Frank Mottershaw – (GB)
• Desperate Poaching Affray, directed by William Haggar – (GB)
• Diving Lucy, produced by Mitchell and Kenyon – (GB)

E

• Electrocuting an Elephant, directed by Edwin S. Porter – (US)
• The Enchanted Well (Le Puits fantastique), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)
• An Extraordinary Cab Accident, directed by Robert W. Paul – (GB)

F

• Faust and Mephistopheles, directed by Alice Guy – (France)
• From Show Girl to Burlesque Queen, directed by A. E. Weed – (US)

G

• The Gay Shoe Clerk, directed by Edwin S. Porter – (US)
• The Georgetown Loop (Colorado), directed by Billy Bitzer – (US)
• The Great Train Robbery, directed by Edwin S. Porter, starring Broncho Billy Anderson – (US)

H

• Hiawatha, the Messiah of the Ojibway (lost), directed by Joe Rosenthal – (Canada)

I

• The Infernal Cake Walk (Le Cake-Walk infernal), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)
• The Infernal Cauldron (Le Chaudron infernal), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)
• The Inn Where No Man Rests (L'Auberge du bon repos), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)

K

• The Kingdom of the Fairies (Le Royaume des fées), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)

L

• Life and Passion of the Christ (Vie et Passion du Christ), directed by Lucien Nonguet and Ferdinand Zecca – (France)
• Life of an American Fireman, directed by Edwin S. Porter – (US)

M

• The Magic Lantern (La Lanterne magique), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)
• Mary Jane's Mishap, directed by George Albert Smith – (GB)
• The Melomaniac (Le Mélomane), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)
• A Message from Mars (lost), by Franklyn Barrett – (NZ)
• Misfortune Never Comes Alone (Un malheur n'arrive jamais seul), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)
• Momijigari (Viewing Scarlet Maple Leaves), directed by Tsunekichi Shibata, based on the 15th-century kabuki play by Kanze Nobumitsu – (Japan)
• The Monster (Le Monstre), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)
• The Mysterious Box (La Boîte à malice), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)

O

• Old London Street Scenes, directed by George Albert Smith – (GB)
• The Oracle of Delphi (L'Oracle de Delphes), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)

P

• Panorama of Beach and Cliff House, produced by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company – (US)
• Petticoat Lane – (GB)

R

• Rip Van Winkle, directed by William K. L. Dickson, based on the 1819 short story by Washington Irving – (US)
• Runaway Match, directed by Alf Collins – (GB)

S

• The Sick Kitten, directed by George Albert Smith – (GB)
• Skyscrapers of New York City, from the North River, directed by J.B. Smith – (US)
• A Spiritualistic Photographer (La Portrait Spirite), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)

T

• The Terrible Turkish Executioner (Le Bourreau turc), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)

U

• Uncle Tom's Cabin, directed by Edwin S. Porter, based on the 1852 novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe – (US)

W

• What Happened in the Tunnel, directed by Edwin S. Porter – (US)
• The Witch's Revenge (Le Sorcier), directed by Georges Méliès – (France)

Births

Deaths

• c. February 15 – Julie Verstraete-Lacquet, Flemish actress, dies at 69

Debut

G. M. Anderson

References

External links

• List of 1903 films at IMDb
• List of 1903 deaths at IMDb
• List of 1903 births at IMDb