An Artist’s Dream
Also known as [The Artist’s Dream]
(1900) United States of America
B&W : [?] 60, 65 or 75? feet
Directed by [?] Edwin S. Porter?
Cast: (unknown)
Edison Manufacturing Company production; distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company. / Cinematography by Edwin S. Porter. / © 21 March 1900 by Thomas A. Edison [D6369]. Released March 1900. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The production was shot on a day in February through mid-March 1900. Musser control number 795. Musser-Edison p. 584 notes that the film might have been made by the same company that produced The Magician (1900) and other films that were registered for copyright on 28 February 1900.
Trick film.
Synopsis: [Edison Films catalog, July 1901, page 83] The scene opens in the interior of an artist’s studio. Mephisto appears mysteriously and signals the pictures to come to life. They step down from the frames and walk forward, admiring their costumes. Mephisto then touches the artist on the shoulder, awakening him, and disappears. The artist, after rubbing his eyes, sees the picture on his right hand side and jumps up to embrace her. After embracing her once, he makes a second attempt and she disappears. The artist now wakes up, jumps to his feet and runs to see if the pictures are still in the frames. He examines them and finding that they are still fast on the wall, realizes that he has been dreaming and seeks consolation in the bottle. 60 feet. 9.00.
Survival status: Print exists in the Library of Congress film archive (paper print collection) [35mm paper positive (LC 1162), 35mm reference positive (FEB 9369)].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Art: Artists - Devils - Dreams - Trick films
Listing updated: 31 August 2009.
References: Musser-Edison pp. 583-584; Niver-Early p. 14 : Website-AFI; Website-LoC.
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