The world's archives

49–96 of 145 films, free to watch, from the world's open archives.

Where these films come from, and who sees what

Every film here plays from the archive that keeps it: the Internet Archive, Wikimedia Commons, the NASA Image and Video Library, the Library of Congress and Open Images (the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision). Nothing is copied to this site. Each film's page names its archive, links to its page there, and states its licence or status as the archive does.

Archive films carry no age ratings, so each is placed from the collections it sits in and the subjects the archive gives it, cautiously. Sexual content and nudity are left out altogether.

Little OnesFilms for young children by name: nursery rhymes, lullabies, preschool.
KidsCartoons and animation, children's and family films, and educational films, unless they deal with war, propaganda, crime, horror or drugs, or carry racial caricature.
TweensDocumentaries, science, nature and space, classic comedies, newsreels, commercials and lectures.
TeensEverything else, including anything we cannot tell about; war, crime, horror and westerns go no lower.
AdultSexual themes (such as the old "sex hygiene" films), gore, surgery, slaughter, atrocity footage.
Commons Bradford Town Hall Square (1896) 1896 · Short · 1 min The earliest surviving footage of Victorian Bradford, little is known about this film or who made it. The filmmaker picked a splendid vantage point from which… Commons 71st Regiment, Camp Wyckoff 1898 · Short · 1 min From the Biograph picture catalogue: Of the thousand and more men who left New York for the Cuban Campaign, scarcely three hundred were able to shoulder their… Commons 10th U.S. Infantry, 2nd Battalion, leaving cars 1898 · Short · 1 min "American infantry troops dressed in field uniforms of the Spanish-American War can be seen close to the foreground of the camera position. Three companies of… Commons Admiral Dewey landing at Gibraltar 1899 · Short · 1 min War hero Adm. George Dewey, famous for his victory at Manila Bay early in the war, was filmed during his trip back to the United States at Gibraltar in early… Commons Admiral Dewey receiving the Washington and New York committees 1899 · Short · 1 min From Edison films catalog: Showing Committee of Arrangements' visit to the Admiral on board the U.S. Cruiser Olympia. One of 20 films advertised in Edison… Commons Admiral Dewey taking leave of Washington committee on the U.S. cruiser "Olympia" 1899 · Short · 1 min "Showing the gallant Admiral standing directly in front of the camera, life size, his head bare, graciously bidding his guests adieu. This was exhibited at… Commons Torres Strait Islanders (1898) 1898 · Short · 1 min Fragment or a black and white silent film from the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to the Torres Strait, featuring a lead dancer in mask and two Dari… Commons Torres Strait Islanders (1898) 3 1898 · Short · 1 min Fragment or a black and white silent film from the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to the Torres Strait, featuring a small group of young Aboriginal men… Commons 104th Street curve, New York, elevated railway 1899 · Short · 2 min From Edison films catalog: Taken from the front platform of a special train run backward over the celebrated S curve. Not only are the passing trains and… Commons 2nd Special Service Battalion, Canadian Infantry - parade 1899 · Short · 3 min From Edison films catalog: This picture shows the Canadian troops departing from Quebec for the war in the Transvaal. The scene opens with the soldiers clad… Commons Dr MacIntyre's X-Ray Film and X-Ray Cabinet 1896 · Short · 2 min 2 short movies by Dr. John Macintyre, showing the first video records of x-rays: First one a frog's legs and the second one a fluoroscopy of a human. Commons Admiral Dewey leading land parade, no. 2 1899 · Short · 4 min "Showing Central Park in back-ground. 200 feet. $30.00"--Edison films catalog. One of 20 films advertised in Edison films catalog under the category "Dewey… Commons Annabelle Dances and Dances (1894-1897) 1894 · Short · 5 min Annabelle Moore was a pioneer of early motion pictures, starring in silent short films like the Annabelle Serpentine Dance produced by Edison Studios in the… Commons Early English Traffic, Turn of the Century London (1896-1903) 1896 · Short · 10 min This remarkable archive footage shows London at the turn of the century, 1896-1903, and it turns out the traffic hasn't changed. Catch a rare glimpse at early… Commons The Unbeliever (1918) 1896 · Feature · 1 h 24 min The Unbeliever, with English intertitles. Digital transfer from a 16 mm print preserved at the Library of Congress. Library of Congress Robetta and Doretto, [no. 2] 1894 · Short "The pursuit of Hop Lee by an irate policeman"--Maguire & Baucus catalogue. Library of Congress Lourdes, procession, II 1897 · Documentary People carry candles in a procession in Lourdes. Library of Congress Cuban volunteers embarking 1898 · Documentary Men carrying rifles and bedrolls boarding ship via gangway. Commons William McKinley at Home Canton Ohio 1896 1st United States President on film 1896 · Short · 1 min The 1st United States President on film: McKinley at Home, Canton, Ohio is a reenactment of William McKinley receiving the Republican nomination for President… Commons Dr. MacIntyre's X-Ray film 1896 · Short · 1 min "First X-ray cinematograph film ever taken shown by Dr. Macintyre at the London Royal Society 1897. Shots of X-ray picture of frog's knee joint (.11); X-ray… Commons The Astronomer s Dream 1898 aka The Moon at One Meter GEORGE MELIES La lune a un metre 1898 · Short · 3 min The Astronomer's Dream, (Star Film Catalogue no. 160-162) is a 1898 French short black-and-white silent film Commons Escamotage d’une dame chez Robert-Houdin by Georges Méliès 1896 · Short · 1 min · Low resolution Escamotage d’une dame chez Robert-Houdin, 1896, 1m15s Star Film Catalogue No. 70 Commons Two AM; or, The Husband's Return 1896 · Short · 1 min немой короткометражный фильм 1896 года, режиссёр Уильям Поль, сценарист Поль Клерже Commons The Devil in a Convent (1899) - GEORGES MELIES - Le Diable au Convent 1899 · Short · 3 min In The Devil in a Convent (aka Le diable au convent), the devil (Georges Méliès) takes advantage of some nuns while in the guise of a priest before finally… Commons Pauvre Pierrot (Emile Reynaud, 1892) 1892 · Short · 4 min Pauvre Pierrot (aka Poor Pete) is an 1892 French short animated film directed by Émile Reynaud. It consists of 500 individually painted images and lasts about… Commons Hurdle Jumping by Trained Dogs - 1899 - American Mutoscope and Biograph (US) - EYE FLM75062 - OB 685436 1899 · Short · 1 min Title: Hurdle Jumping by Trained Dogs. (Alternative:) Trained Dogs Hurdle Jumping Genre: documentary Running time: 01:06 Synopsis Vaudeville act with dog… Commons DicksonFilm High 1894 · Short · 2 min This short film was a test for Edison's "Kinetophone" project, the first attempt in history to record sound and moving image in synchronization. This was an… Commons The Dreyfus Affair (1899 film) 1899 · Short · 10 min The Dreyfus Affair, also known as Dreyfus Court-Martial, is an 1899 silent docudrama Commons Procession à Séville et scènes de corrida (1898) 1898 · Short · 11 min Procession at Séville and bullfighting scenes Title on film: En Espagne Collective title from inventory: Collection of Lumière films from the Cinémathèque… Commons The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight 1897 · Short · 19 min The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight is an 1897 documentary film directed by Enoch J. Rector depicting a boxing match between James J. Corbett and Bob Fitzsimmons in… Internet Archive received_278957430815712 1899 · Cartoon My favorite inspirational video Commons Mesmerist and country couple (1899) 1899 · Short · 1 min · Low resolution American short silent film. From Edison films catalog: "Mr. and Mrs. Hayseed have heard of this wonderful Professor, and come to his office. They waken him… Commons View From An Engine Front - Ilfracombe 1898 · Short · 1 min · Low resolution Ausschnitt aus View From An Engine Front - Ilfracombe; Film der englischen Warwick Trading Company von 1898 Commons Love and War (1899) 1899 · Short · 3 min · Low resolution American short silent film. From Edison films catalog: "An illustrated song telling the story of a hero who leaves for the war as a private, is promoted to… Commons USS Texas at Grants Tomb, 1898 1898 · Short · 1 min · Low resolution From Edison films catalog: Shows every detail of the "Texas" as she passes Riverside Park. The background shows the white dome of the tomb on the hill crest. Commons Automobile parade 1899 · Short · 1 min · Low resolution This may be the first annual automobile parade, held on November 4, 1899 in downtown Manhattan. At least ten different makes and models are seen, including… Commons New Brooklyn to New York via Brooklyn Bridge, no. 2, by Thomas A. Edison, Inc 1899 · Short · 2 min · Low resolution New Brooklyn to New York via Brooklyn Bridge, no. 2. The entire trip from Brooklyn to New York. Commons Varanasi ghats, Ganga river, India, 1899 1899 · Short · 1 min · Low resolution Varanasi ghats, Ganga river, India. This film was initially called "Panorama of Calcutta", although it shows Varanasi.[1] Commons Películas de Félix Oliver 1898 · Short · 4 min · Low resolution Películas de Félix Oliver conservadas en la Cinemateca Uruguaya. Incluye el material que queda de los cortometrajes "Carrera de bicicletas en el velódromo de… Commons Laughing Song (1898) 1898 · Short · 2 min Sheet music cover and recording. Commons A Victorian Lady in Her Boudoir 1896 Esmé Collings 1896 · Short · 1 min Short film A Victorian Lady in Her Boudoir (IMDb) by Esmé Collings Commons Le Coucher De La Mariée (1896) Version 2 1896 · Short · 1 min Le Coucher De La Mariée (1896) Version 2 Commons Georges Méliès - Défense d'afficher 1896 · Short · 1 min Défense d'afficher, un film de Georges Méliès Commons Vue 109 - Course en sacs 1896 · Short · 1 min See Catalogue Lumière. Commons La Lune À Un Mètre, The Astronomer's Dream (1898) 1898 · Short · 3 min La Lune À Un Mètre, The Astronomer's Dream (1898) Commons Miss de Vère Georges Méliès 1896 · Short · 1 min Miss Vère (gigue anglaise) (1896) Méliès (reanimated from flip book) Commons The Corbett– Fitzsimmons Fight (1897) 1897 · Short · 2 min The Corbett– Fitzsimmons Fight (1897) Commons Upside Down ot The Human Flies (1899) - yt 1899 · Short · 1 min British silent film