Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès (December 9, 1861 - January 21, 1938), full name Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès, was a French illusionist and filmmaker famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest days of cinema. One of the first filmmakers to use multiple exposures, time-lapse photography, tracking shots, dissolves, and hand-painted color in his work, Méliès pioneered effects that would define cinematic special effects for decades to come. A prolific innovator in the use of special effects, Méliès accidentally discovered the substitution stop trick in 1896, a method of creating seamless disappearing and/or appearing effects used throughout both films and television for decades to come. Because of his ability to seemingly manipulate and transform reality through cinematography, Méliès is sometimes referred to as the first "Cinemagician". Two of his best-known films are A Trip to the Moon (1902) and The Impossible Voyage (1904). Both stories involve strange, surreal voyages, somewhat in the style of Jules Verne, and are considered among the most important early science fiction films, though their approach is closer to fantasy. Méliès was also an early pioneer of horror cinema, which can be traced back to his Le Manoir du diable (1896). In early 1909 Méliès stopped making films to protest Thomas Edison's Motion Pictures Parents Company monopoly, and presided over the first meeting of the International Filmmakers Congress in Paris. Further financial hardships created by his opposition to Edison and diminishing influence, Méliès disappeared from public life. By the mid-1920s he made a meager living as a candy and toy salesma in Paris, with the assistance of funds collected by other filmmakers. Although he was recognized for his contributions in cinema, Méliès spent most of his later years in poverty before being accepted into La Maison du Retraite du Cinéma, the film industry's retirement home in Orly.
A Trip to the Moon
as Professor Barbenfouillis / The MoonProfessor Barbenfouillis and five of his colleagues from the Academy of Astronomy travel to the...
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The Impossible Voyage
as MabouloffUsing every known means of transportation, several savants from the Geographic Society undertake...
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The Extraordinary Voyage
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)An account of the extraordinary life of film pioneer Georges Méliès (1861-1938) and the amazing...
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The Haunted Castle
as MephistophelesIn a medieval castle, a dark magician thought to be Mephistopheles conjures up a series of...
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The Man with the Rubber Head
as The Chemist / The India Rubber HeadA chemist carries out a bizarre experiment with his own head.
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Cinderella
as The Gnome of the Clock / The Swiss at the Entrance to the ChurchA fairy godmother magically turns Cinderella's rags to a beautiful dress, and a pumpkin into a...
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The Astronomer's Dream
as AstronomerAn astronomer has a terrifying dream.
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A Nightmare
as ManA man has a fantastical nightmare involving, among other things, a grinning malevolent moon.
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The Kingdom of the Fairies
as Prince Bel-AzorAt the royal court, a prince is presenting the princess whom he is pledged to marry when a witch...
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The Four Troublesome Heads
as ConjurerOne of the greatest of black art pictures. The conjurer appears before the audience, with his...
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The Temptation of St. Anthony
as uncreditedSt. Anthony is tempted by visions of women, including one that is transformed from the image of...
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Bluebeard
as Barbe-bleueA young woman becomes the eighth wife of the wealthy Bluebeard, whose first seven wives have...
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The Mermaid
as uncreditedA magician conjures up a mermaid while fishing.
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The Melomaniac
as uncreditedThe leader of a marching band demonstrates an unusual way of writing music.
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A Terrible Night
as L'homme qui essaie de dormirA man tries to get a good night's sleep, but is disturbed by a giant spider that leaps onto his...
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Whimsical Illusions
as The MagicianIn this hand-colored short, a magician and his assistant do a series of magic tricks, including...
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The Vanishing Lady
as MagicianGeorges Méliès makes a woman disappear, then reappear.
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Playing Cards
as Un joueur de cartesThree friends are playing cards in a beer garden. One of them orders drinks. The waitress comes...
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The Pillar of Fire
as uncreditedA devil wearing bat-like wings and brandishing a trident dances around a giant pot, conjuring...
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The Cinemagician, Georges Méliès
as Self (archive footage)A look back at the life, style and influences of the famed filmmaker Georges Méliès and an...
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The Magician
as Le SculpteurIn this scene is shown a magician behind an ordinary table, upon which he suddenly and...
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The Conquest of the Pole
as Le professeur MabouloffA science fantasy film that deals with an extraordinary race to the north pole by rival parties...
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The Infernal Cauldron
as DevilA green-skinned demon places a woman and two courtiers into a flaming cauldron.
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The One-Man Band
as All the members of the orchestraA band-leader has arranged seven chairs for the members of his band. When he sits down in the...
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Joan of Arc
as Père de JeanneA divinely inspired peasant woman becomes an army captain for France and then is martyred after...
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The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon
as Professor of AstronomyIn this film, Méliès concocts a combination fairy- and morality tale about the foolishness of...
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The Mysterious Knight
as Le chevalier mystèreA knight performs several magic tricks with a disembodied head materialized from a chalkboard...
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The Witch
as The Fairy CarabosseA penniless troubadour consults witch Carabosse about his future, but offends her by paying with...
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The Prince of Magicians
as ExcelsiorA magician does tricks with the aid of his assistant, the Human Pump.
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The Diabolic Tenant
as Le locataire diaboliqueA man rents an apartment and furnishes it in remarkable fashion.
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The Monster
as uncreditedAn Egyptian prince has lost his beloved wife and he has sought a dervish who dwells at the base...
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The Dreyfus Affair
as Fernand LaboriThe first movie ever censored for political reasons. The title refers to the then...
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The Conjurer
as MagicianA film from Méliès has him playing a magician who does a few tricks including making a woman...
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The Merry Frolics of Satan
as SatanTwo travellers are tormented by Satan from inn to inn and eventually experience a buggy ride...
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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
as uncreditedThe film, a parody of the novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, follows a...
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The Black Imp
as uncreditedA traveler at an inn is harassed by a mischievous devil in his room.
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The Hilarious Posters
as The Bill PosterA wall full of advertising posters comes to life.
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Extraordinary Illusions
as uncreditedPioneer filmmaker Georges Méliès performs his cine-magic act.
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The Bewitched Inn
as The TravelerA weary traveler stops at an inn along the way to get a good night's sleep, but his rest is...
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Gulliver's Travels Among the Lilliputians and the Giants
as GulliverGeorges Méliès' adaptation of Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" is most distinguished,...
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The Devil in a Convent
as The DevilA priest is officiating at a convent, when suddenly he is transformed into the devil, who...
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Robinson Crusoe
as Robinson CrusoéGeorges Méliès adaptation of Robinson Crusoe, the first film adaptation of the story. Filmed in...
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The Méliès Mystery
as Lui-même (archives)A documentary that details the process of restoring 270 of the 520 lost films of pioneering...
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Between Calais and Dover
as The Man in the Checked SuitA rocky sea voyage as reenacted by Georges Méliès.
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The Haunted Castle
as uncreditedA man has an encounter with several spooky apparitions in a castle that is evidently owned by...
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The Magic Book
as The MagicianCharacters from a large magic book come to life.
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Tunneling the English Channel
as uncreditedThe plot follows King Edward VII and President Armand Fallières dreaming of building a tunnel...
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Jupiter's Thunderballs
as uncreditedWith godly entrapments, Zeus appears on the horizon, engages Hermes as an audience, and tries to...
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The Human Fly
as The Hindoo MagicianThis is a moving picture that moves. Positively the greatest magical picture ever offered. A...
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Apparitions
as uncreditedAlone in his room at an inn, a lustful old man is haunted by spirits.
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Alcofribas, The Master Magician
as uncreditedTwo men in a cave perform magic.
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The Cook in Trouble
as uncreditedA cook has his hands full with three mischievous devils, who pop in and out of his kitchen.
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Ali Barbouyou and Ali Bouf, In Oil
as Ali BarbouyouThe opening title card explains that a painter has just finished his work when his assistant...
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The Infernal Cakewalk
as DevilPluto, having seen the earth, comes back home amazed at the success of that well-known dance,...
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The Diabolical Church Window
as uncreditedHere we have an old scholar/alchemist brooding over a book, challenged by the devil, and going...
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The Treasures of Satan
as uncreditedThe setting of this fantastic scene represents the hall of an old chateau in which a miser has...
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The Wonderful Living Fan
as uncreditedAs a conjurer awaits an audience, a procession announces the arrival of a royal representative,...
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The Famous Box Trick
as The MagicianA magician performs a series of magic tricks involving a boy and a box.
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The Terrible Turkish Executioner
as uncreditedIn a public place in Constantinople at the corner of a bazaar, the executioner is seated upon a...
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Cleopatra's Tomb
as un profanateur de la tombe de CléopâtreA man digging inside an Egyptian tomb chops up a mummy, then resurrects the woman inside it.
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Naval Combat in Greece
as The CaptainAn officer calls his sailors to the deck. They assemble around the canon while the officer scans...
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Good Glue Sticks
as uncreditedA peddler of "the best glue" sets up his outdoor stall. A crowd gathers for a demonstration. As...
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The Doctor's Secret
as uncreditedDoctors blow to pieces a patient in a hydrotherapy machine and re-assemble him.
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The Christmas Angel
as The Rag-and-Bone Man / Beggar on Crutches / Coal SellerA poor family in a rundown house where snow falls through the broken roof, there's no coal to...
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The Christmas Dream
as BeggarThe entire story of Christmastide is here depicted. The scene opens in a large boudoir of an...
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The Inventor Crazybrains and His Wonderful Airship
as uncreditedAn inventor dreams that his newly designed airship takes flight.
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The Mysterious Retort
as uncreditedA wizard sleeps at a table in his well-appointed sitting room. From a drawer in the table, a...
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The Palace of the Arabian Nights
as The Sorcerer Khalafar (uncredited)A poor but honest man wins great wealth, and the hand of a beautiful princess, after facing a...
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A Desperate Crime
as uncreditedA man is murdered and the killer brought to justice by guillotine. This film is partly lost.
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Going to Bed Under Difficulties
as The ManA man takes off his clothes in preparation for bed, only for new clothes to spontaneously...
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Tchin-Chao, the Chinese Conjurer
as uncreditedA Chinese conjurer stands next to a table, it becomes two tables. A fan becomes a parasol,...
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The Untamable Whiskers
as Man with whiskersThe background of this picture represents a scene along the beautiful river Seine in Paris. A...
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The Dwarf and the Giant
as uncreditedA magician explores two halves of his self: The Dwarf and the Giant.
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The Artist and the Dummy
as ArtisteA very simple gag film as a young lady substitutes herself for a dummy in order to play a...
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The Fat and Lean Wrestling Match
as WrestlerA series of fantastical wrestling matches.
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A Moonlight Serenade
as uncreditedPierrot goes to the house of his love to serenade her, but her father kicks him out. Soon the...
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Rip's Dream
as Rip Van WinkleThe Melies version of the old Rip Van Winkle tale.
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Hat of Many Surprises
as uncreditedA magician's hat offers many surprises.
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The Mystical Flame
as uncreditedA juggler enters upon the scene, picks up a skull, throws it into the air, catches it in his...
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The Magic Lantern
as uncreditedTwo impish clowns construct a magic lantern. They prop it up at an angle, and use it to project...
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Bob Kick, the Mischievous Kid
as uncreditedA boy is led into the frame by two nursemaids who give him a big ball to play with. For the...
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The Triple Conjurer and the Living Head
as ConjurerA conjurer (along with two duplicates) conjure up (and then cause to vanish) a beautiful woman...
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A Fantastical Meal
as The ManA family sits down to enjoy a meal that ends up being fraught with complications.
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Every Man His Own Cigar Lighter
as uncreditedOnly 8 surviving seconds of a man getting great pleasure from smoking a cigar.
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The Mysterious Box
as uncreditedAs scene as pleasing as incomprehensible. A juggler summons two chairs, which come to the stage...
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An Impossible Balancing Feat
as uncreditedA magician along with three doppelgangers perform an elaborate balancing act.
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Tit for Tat
as uncreditedGeorges Melies the magician. Melies removes his own head, puts it in a glass box on a stool,...
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The Fugitive Apparitions
as uncreditedA magician makes a woman appear and disappear.
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The Devil and the Statue
as uncreditedAt the beginning of the scene Romeo in his gondola sings to Juliet a sentimental song, then goes...
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The Marvellous Wreath
as MusketeerA magician performs tricks with a marvelous wreath.
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The Mysterious Portrait
as L'illusionisteA magician produces a living portrait of himself.
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El hombre que quiso ser Segundo
as Self (archive footage)The extraordinary life of cinema pioneer Segundo de Chomón.
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Long Distance Wireless Photography
as uncreditedInto a photography studio full of large fantastic machines steps an elderly couple. The bearded...
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Pygmalion and Galatea
as PygmalionShowing Pygmalion at work in his studio on the statue of Galatea, who, on being completed, comes...
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The Wizard, the Prince and the Good Fairy
as PrinceA prince gets the help of a fairy to aid in his conflict with a wizard.
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The Knight of the Snow
as Devil"The Knight of the Snow" is one of the last films Georges Méliès made. By now, he was under...
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The Prolific Magical Egg
as uncreditedA human skeleton is placed upon a table by an attendant. When the attendant leaves the room the...
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The Magician's Cavern
as uncreditedA very enthusiastic magician performs several tricks.
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Conjuring
as HimselfThe film reproduces a magic act Méliès performed at his Paris theater-of-illusions, the Théâtre...
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Faust in the Underworld
as MephistopholesThe German legend of a scholar's unholy pact with the Devil would have been very familiar to...
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The Ballet Master's Dream
as uncreditedIt's late in the evening, and the ballet master's bed has been prepared for him. But he cannot...
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The Wandering Jew
as uncreditedA Jew who mocked Jesus on the cross is visited by a devil and an angel.
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The Devilish Plank
as uncreditedA magic trick is performed with a long plank with two pots built into it, both with holes in the...
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A Mesmerian Experiment
as uncreditedA magician creates a troupe of dancers out of thin air.
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The Triple Headed Lady
as uncreditedA conjuror appears to demonstrate a lady with three heads.
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Misfortune Never Comes Alone
as LamplighterThe scene takes place in front of a barrack, where a young soldier is on duty --most laughable...
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Satan in Prison
as SatanThe title is vital, since the bulk of the action consists of a well-dressed man magically...
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The Oracle of Delphi
as uncreditedA box of valued jewels is placed inside the tomb of Delphi. A thief breaks into the tomb and...
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Tribulations; or, The Misfortunes of a Cobbler
as The RomanThe Merchant, the Farrier, and the Roman accompany a mysterious woman into a magical cave full...
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The Clockmaker's Dream
as uncreditedA weary clock-maker dozes off in a chair. While he is asleep, three women suddenly appear in the...
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A Midnight Episode
as The Sleeping Man (uncredited)A sleeping apartment of a friend who retires for the night. The rays of the moon are shining...
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