The world's archives

97–144 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 Sur les toits (1897) par Georges Méliès 1897 · Short · 1 min Sur les toits (1897) par Georges Méliès. Commons Le Coucher De La Mariee (1896) 1896 · Short · 2 min Le Coucher De La Mariee (1896) Commons 1896. Коронация Николая II 1896 · Short · 1 min Коронация Николая II Commons Momijigari (1899) Best Quality 1899 · Short · 5 min Momijigari (1899) Commons Le Diable au couvent (1899) by Georges Méliès 1899 · Short · 3 min The Devil in a Convent (1899) by Georges Méliès. Commons Danse du feu (1899) 1899 · Short · 1 min Hand-coloured version of The Pillar of Fire Commons Inhuldiging prinses Wilhelmina (1898) 1898 · Short · 6 min Beeldmateriaal van de inhuldiging van prinses Wilhelmina in 1898. Commons New Brooklyn to New York via Brooklyn Bridge, no. 2 (1899) 1899 · Short · 2 min New Brooklyn to New York via Brooklyn Bridge, no. 2 Library of Congress [Hendricks Collection. No. 30, Police entering patrol wagon--unidentified works] 1897 · Documentary Police are seen mounting a horse-drawn police wagon. Open Images Hurdle Jumping by Trained Dogs 1899 · Short · 1 min Vaudeville act with dog and cat dressage. Open Images is not answering just now Library of Congress Sheep run, Chicago stockyards 1897 · Documentary "A large flock of sheep being driven over the runs from the cars to the slaughter beds. The sheep, pressed by the driver and frightened by the surroundings… Library of Congress Cattle driven to slaughter 1897 · Documentary "A herd of long-horn cattle being driven through the Chicago stock yard gates to the slaughter house, where 280 of the animals are killed every hour of the… Library of Congress Karina 1898 · Documentary On a bare stage with a black background stands a woman with short, curly hair, wearing a dark dress with a sleeveless top, low-cut bodice, mid-calf length… Commons Nietzsche in asylum 1899 · Short · 1 min This is the original material of Nietzsche in the psychiatric asylum. Commons Butterfly dance (1895) 1895 · Short · 1 min Serpentine dance. Hand coloured. Restauration by IVAC. Commons Playing Cards (1896) 1896 · Short · 1 min Playing Cards (Une partie de cartes) (1896) Commons Kungens ankomst på utställningen 1897 1897 · Short · 1 min Kungens ankomst på utställningen 1897 Commons Leone XIII 1898 · Short · 2 min Silent American film. Commons Cinderella (1899 film) 1899 · Short · 5 min Cinderella is an 1899 French film based on the fairy tale by Charles Perrault. Commons 1896-melies-une-partie-de-cartes 1896 · Short · 1 min Card Party, by Georges Méliès Commons Le Cauchemar (1896) 1896 · Short · 1 min Silent French short Commons Escamotage d'une dame chez Robert Houdin (1896) 1896 · Short · 1 min The Vanishing Lady is a 1896 short trick film by Georges Méliès. Commons Une nuit terrible (1896) 1896 · Short · 1 min Silent French short Commons Entre Calais et Douvres (1897) 1897 · Short · 1 min Silent French short Commons Guillaume Tell et le clown (1898) 1898 · Short · 1 min Silent French short Commons La Danse du feu (1899) 1899 · Short · 1 min French hand-coloured silent film Commons Panorama pris d'un train en marche (1898) 1898 · Short · 1 min Silent French short Commons Le magicien (1898) 1898 · Short · 1 min Silent French short Commons Un homme de tête (1898) 1898 · Short · 1 min Silent French short Commons Après le bal (1897) 1897 · Short · 1 min Silent French short Commons Illusions fantasmagoriques (1898) 1898 · Short · 1 min Silent French short Commons Tentation de Saint Antoine (1898) 1898 · Short · 1 min Silent French short Commons L'Auberge ensorcelée (1897) 1897 · Short · 2 min Silent French short Commons Momijigari full(1899) 1899 · Short · 6 min Commons La Lune à un mètre (1898) 1898 · Short · 3 min Silent French short Commons French: Autour d'une cabine Autour d'une cabine title QS:P1476,fr:"Autour d'une cabine " label QS:Lfr,"Autour d'une cabine " label QS:Lit,"Autour d'une cabine" label QS:Lht,"Autour d'une cabine"… 1894 · Short · 1 min · Low resolution Autour d'une cabine (Around A Cabin), original full title Autour d'une cabine ou Mésaventures d'un copurchic aux bains de mer (Around a Cabin or Misadventures… Commons Biter Bit-1900-Bamforth & Co.-The British sequel of Lumiere's first film- A history of filmmaking 1899 · Short · 1 min The Biter Bit film from 1899 Commons Georges Méliès The Pillar of Fire (1899) 1899 · Short · 1 min This is "Georges Méliès The Pillar of Fire (1899)" Commons Le Cauchemar, 1896, Méliès 1896 · Short · 1 min "Кошмар", фильм Жоржа Мельеса 1896 года Commons L'auberge ensorcelée (1897) - yt 1897 · Short · 2 min 1897 silent film by Georges Méliès Commons The Haunted Castle 1896 1896 · Short · 3 min · Low resolution A short silent film The Haunted Castle (1896). Commons Momijigari (1899) 1899 · Short · 2 min Japanese silent film. 紅葉狩り Commons Mardi Gras Carnival (1898) 1898 · Short · 1 min Mardi Gras Carnival (1898) Commons Le Chevalier mystère 1899 · Short · 1 min The Mysterious Knight Commons Trick bears (1899) 1899 · Short · 1 min · Low resolution American short silent film. Open Images Three acrobats 1899 · Short Film from the Paper Print Collection of the Library of Congress. Open Images is not answering just now Open Images The boxing cats (Prof. Welton's) 1894 · Short Film from the Hendricks (Gordon) Collection of the Library of Congress. Open Images is not answering just now Open Images Turkish dance, Ella Lola 1898 · Short Film from the Paper Print Collection of the Library of Congress. Open Images is not answering just now