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Quiz about Silent Films of the 1890s
Quiz about Silent Films of the 1890s

Silent Films of the 1890s Trivia Quiz


See how you do with this year-by-year study of ten silent films of the 1890s. Some of these films are more well-known and some are more obscure.

A photo quiz by bernie73. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
bernie73
Time
4 mins
Type
Photo Quiz
Quiz #
396,815
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Very Easy
Avg Score
9 / 10
Plays
517
-
Question 1 of 10
1. In 1890, William Carr Croft and Wordsworth Donisthorpe provided the first filmed coverage of this city. Which city was the focus of their film? (Look at the vehicle in the picture and think where similar ones--though often colored a bright color--might be found.) Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In 1891, the Edison Manufacturing Company created a film featuring two of its employees engaged in a sport. In which sport did the employees go head to head? (Think about which sport might be easier to film based on what a film camera of the 1890s was able to do. Also consider what sort of equipment is in the picture.) Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. In 1892, filmmaker Charles Emile Reynaud created a film called "Un bon bock" (A Good Beer). What is significant about this film? (Look at the objects in the picture and think how they might be part of a film.) Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In 1893, William K. L. Dickson recorded a scene of three actors portraying craftsmen. In which trade were they engaged? (Consider what you see in the picture and how these objects might have aided with a particular trade.) Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In 1894, the Edison Manufacturing Company produced two short films starring Employee Fred Ott. While he is holding a bird in one film, what is he doing in the other film (Look at the picture. Is something on the person emphasized?) Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. A 1895 short film from the Edison Manufacturing Company features Mary, Queen of Scots. Which event from Mary's life is depicted? (The object in the picture was not shown in the film, but would have been a result of this event occurring.) Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Georges Melies' 1896 film was released in the United States as "The Haunted Castle". Considered the first "monster" film, with which monster is the Castle haunted? (Which of these "monsters" is sometimes pictured with this object? The name of this "monster" is part of the British and French titles of this film) Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. A 1897 documentary film directed by Enoch Rector is considered the first feature length film (over 45 minutes). What is the subject of this film? (This picture uses a rebus to give a clue.) Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In 1898, the short film "Come Along, Do!" is the first in film history to feature two scenes. Where is the second scene located? (Look at the objects in this picture. Who might use them?) Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. 1899 saw the first attempt to film (though heavily abridged) a Shakespearean play. Which one received this treatment? (This picture draws on a bit of history about the particular king and a phrase we more often see in Latin.) Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. In 1890, William Carr Croft and Wordsworth Donisthorpe provided the first filmed coverage of this city. Which city was the focus of their film? (Look at the vehicle in the picture and think where similar ones--though often colored a bright color--might be found.)

Answer: London, UK

The film shows traffic passing by Trafalgar Square in London. This is a lost film--what we have left are ten stills from the film. As the scene was filmed at about 10 frames a second, the stills have been edited into a one second film. Croft and Wordsworth used a škinesigraph" camera to shoot the footage. Crofts (1846-1894) and Donisthorpe (1846-1914) were cousins.

The picture shows an image of a double decker vehicle. London is known for its double decker buses. I considered making this vehicle red as many in London are.
While motorized busses did not run in London in 1890, there appears to be at least one double decker carriage seen in the film stills.
2. In 1891, the Edison Manufacturing Company created a film featuring two of its employees engaged in a sport. In which sport did the employees go head to head? (Think about which sport might be easier to film based on what a film camera of the 1890s was able to do. Also consider what sort of equipment is in the picture.)

Answer: Boxing

"Men Boxing" runs for about five seconds and was shot at the Edison Laboratory Photographic Building. Given the film capabilities at the time, boxing probably was a good choice as a camera set in one location could film the two men while they were relatively close to each other. The other sports would have required much more movement of the camera. William K. Dickson (1860-1935) and William Heise (1847-1910) were the two Edison employees who filmed the scene. The footage was shot on an Edison kinetoscope. The two men who wore boxing gloves and pretended to spar are not identified.

The clenched fist in the picture hopefully suggested fighting or boxing.
3. In 1892, filmmaker Charles Emile Reynaud created a film called "Un bon bock" (A Good Beer). What is significant about this film? (Look at the objects in the picture and think how they might be part of a film.)

Answer: It is one of the first animated films.

Charles-Emile Reynaud (1844-1918) created some of the earliest animated films on the praxinoscope. Running about 15 minutes, šUn bon bock" runs about 15 minutes and consists of about 700 frames all hand drawn and hand colored by Reynaud. The film would be moved back and forth in aid of telling the story. The film shows a visitor to a tavern who gets a glass of beer from a waitress. While he is distracted by flirting with the waitress, a boy comes in the room from the kitchen and drinks the beer.

The picture shows a piece of paper with a simple drawing on it and a pencil, suggesting Reynaud's efforts.
4. In 1893, William K. L. Dickson recorded a scene of three actors portraying craftsmen. In which trade were they engaged? (Consider what you see in the picture and how these objects might have aided with a particular trade.)

Answer: Blacksmiths

William Dickson filmed and directed "Blacksmith Scene" which ran for about 34 seconds. It is one of the oldest films included in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. Unnamed Edison employees stand around a large anvil. The "blacksmith" uses tongs to hold a hot piece of metal while he and the strikers hammer it. One man pulls out a bottle of beer and the three men share it. The scene was filmed in the "Black Maria" studio on the grounds of Edison's laboratory.

The picture shows a hammer or striker that a blacksmith might use and a flame that the blacksmith might use to heat a piece of metal.
5. In 1894, the Edison Manufacturing Company produced two short films starring Employee Fred Ott. While he is holding a bird in one film, what is he doing in the other film (Look at the picture. Is something on the person emphasized?)

Answer: Sneezing

The two films were "Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze" (a.k.a. Fred Ott's Sneeze) and "Fred Ott Holding a Bird". Both were filmed in 1894. Fred Ott (1860-1936) was a long-time employee of Edison who retired from the company after Edison's death in 1931. In the "sneeze" film (about five seconds long), Ott takes a pinch of snuff, which causes him to sneeze.

The picture shows a stick figure with an exaggerated nose hopefully leading you to sneezing.
6. A 1895 short film from the Edison Manufacturing Company features Mary, Queen of Scots. Which event from Mary's life is depicted? (The object in the picture was not shown in the film, but would have been a result of this event occurring.)

Answer: Her Execution

"The Execution of Mary Stuart" runs about 18 seconds and was directed by Alfred Clark. This may be one of the first films to use trained actors. Mary is actually played by male actor Robert L. Thomas. In the film, the blindfolded Mary is brought into a room and is placed on the chopping block. By use of a stop cut, the actor is replaced by a similarly-dressed mannequin whose head is cut off.

The picture shows a blank tombstone with a tuft of grass near it.
7. Georges Melies' 1896 film was released in the United States as "The Haunted Castle". Considered the first "monster" film, with which monster is the Castle haunted? (Which of these "monsters" is sometimes pictured with this object? The name of this "monster" is part of the British and French titles of this film)

Answer: The Devil

"The Haunted Castle" was the title used for the film in the United States. In Britain, it was called "The Devil's Castle" and in France, where it was filmed, it was called "Le Manoir du diable" or "The House of the Devil". Georges Melies (1861-1938) was a French film pioneer who would later direct "A Trip to the Moon"(1902) and "The Impossible Voyage" (1904). Because it is a bat that transforms into the Devil, some people consider this the first vampire movie. The three minute film inspires more wonder than terror as several other characters appear including an assistant to the devil, a woman drawn from a cauldron, and two cavaliers.

The picture shows a pitchfork that a devil might use.
8. A 1897 documentary film directed by Enoch Rector is considered the first feature length film (over 45 minutes). What is the subject of this film? (This picture uses a rebus to give a clue.)

Answer: A Boxing Match

Enoch Rector (1863-1957) was a boxing promoter in addition to a film pioneer. The fight shown was between professional boxers James Corbett and Bob Fitzsimmons and took place on March 17, 1897, in Carson City, NV. Although the original film was 100 minutes long, only small sections of the film still remain. This was one of the first films shot in widescreen. The original footage included time before and after the match as well as between rounds.

The picture is a bit of a visual pun with a "round" circle and the number 15 represent "Round 15", which would be part of a boxing match.
9. In 1898, the short film "Come Along, Do!" is the first in film history to feature two scenes. Where is the second scene located? (Look at the objects in this picture. Who might use them?)

Answer: Art Show

In the first scene, an older couple is eating lunch outside of the art show and in the second scene, they are inside the show. At the show, the husband is interested in a nude statute, which annoys his wife. The full film was about one minute in length but less than two thirds remains. The portion inside of the show only remains as film stills. Robert Paul (1869-1943), a British film pioneer, was the director.

The picture shows an easel with canvas and paints that an artist might use.
10. 1899 saw the first attempt to film (though heavily abridged) a Shakespearean play. Which one received this treatment? (This picture draws on a bit of history about the particular king and a phrase we more often see in Latin.)

Answer: The Life and Death of King John

This version of "King John" was extremely abridged--running at about five minutes, it was rather four distinct scenes. The actors in the scenes were from the cast of a stage version of the play which was performed in London that same fall. Herbert Beerbohm Tree (1852-1917) who appears in the scenes as King John was better known as a stage actor.

The picture shows a scroll with the words "Great Charter", which in the original Latin was "Magna Carta", issued during the reign of King John.
Source: Author bernie73

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Related Quizzes
This quiz is part of series History of Silent Films:

Take this history quiz in pictures of silent films since 1890.

  1. Silent Films of the 1890s Very Easy
  2. Silent Films of the 1900s Easier
  3. Silent Films of the 1910s Easier
  4. Silent Films of the 1920s Easier
  5. Silent (and Silent-ish) Films of the 1930s Easier

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