RW Paul: The Collected Films 1895-1908

Robert W Paul is justly celebrated as the leading pioneer of British film and one of the founders of world cinema. Concentrating first on actuality films, he soon branched out, pioneering almost every kind of film from documentary to fiction and fantasy. This unique DVD collection of 62 films, many preserved by the BFI National Archive, represents an attempt to bring together for the first time the collected output of R W Paul and his studio.
Paul produced what is arguably the first British narrative film A Soldier's Courtship (1896, now lost), and in 1898 became the first man to edit two scenes together in Come Along, Do!. With the help of former magician Walter Booth, he created elaborate fantasies in the mould of George Mlis such as The '?' Motorist (1906), in which an animated motorcar drives off into space and round the rings of Saturn.
In addition to popular comedies, dramas, and elaborate trick films, this collection contains one of only two surviving films of the disaster caused by the launch of HMS Albion; some of the first films shot in Spain, Portugal, Egypt and Sweden, including frontline reporting from the Anglo-Boer War; Paul's famous record of the 1896 Derby and extensive coverage of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee procession. These, and the numerous actuality films that Paul made, show day-to-day life in Victorian London.
These rare films are presented with a brand new musical accompaniment by celebrated pianist Stephen Horne.

Extras
* Commentary by film historian and author Professor Ian Christie ( Birkbeck College, London), whose forthcoming book The Time Traveller: Robert Paul and the Early Moving Picture Business will be published by Chicago University Press at the end of 2007
* Illustrated 24-page booklet with an essay by Ian Christie and an introduction to each of the films


1895-1896: Rough Sea at Dover -- Footpads -- The Derby -- Hyde Park Bicycling Scene -- Scene on the River Thames, Showing the rescue of a Child from Drowning -- Royal Train -- Comic Costume Race -- Twin's tea party -- Blackfriars Bridge -- Westminster Bridge [filoscope] -- Sea cave near Lisbon -- Andalusian Dance [filoscope] -- Chirgwin the white Eyed Kaffir [filoscope] -- 2 a.m., or the Husband's Return – 1897: Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee -- Women Fetching Water from the Nile -- Fishermen and Boat at Port Said -- Cupid at the Wash Tub -- Wayfarer Compelled to Disrobe Partially – 1898: Launch of H.M.S. Albion -- Switchback Railway -- Sirdar's Reception at Guldhall -- Favourite Domestic Scene -- Tommy Atkins in the Park -- Come Along, Do! – 1899: Reproductions of Incidents of the Boer War -- Upside Down, or the Human Flies. 1900: Army Life: Mounted Infantry -- Tetherball, of Do-Do -- Cronje's Surrender to Lord Roberts -- Entry of the Scots' Guards into Bloemfontein -- Exciting Pillow Fight -- Railway Collision -- His bBave Defender – 1901: Cheese Mites -- Over-Incubated Baby -- Countryman's First Sight of Animated Pictures -- Undressing Extraordinary -- Waif and the Wizard -- Artistic Creation -- Deonzo Brothers in their Wonderful Jumping Act -- Haunted Curiosity Shop -- Magic Sword -- Scrooge or Marley's Ghost – 1902: His Only Pair -- Extraordinary Waiter – 1903: Coronation Durbar at Delhi -- Delhi Durbar -- Hammerfest -- Kiddies Cakewalk -- Chess Dispute -- Extraordinary Cab Accident – 1904: Buy Your Own Cherries -- Drat that Boy -- Mr. Pecksniff Fetches the Doctor – 1905: Unfortunate Policeman – 1906: Return of the T.R.H. the Prince and Princess of Wales -- Aberdeen University Quarter Centenary Celebrations -- Lively Quarter-Day -- Is spiritualism a Fraud? -- The Motorist – 1908: Whaling Afloat and Ashore