A Brief History of Motion Pictures
The first motion picture was created in 1878 by Eadweard Muybridge. His film, titled The Horse in Motion, was made up of 24 individual photographs that were put together in a sequence. This film was the first example of what we today know as animation.
The first public screening of a motion picture was held in 1894, and the film was called The Dickson Experimental Sound Film. This film was only 17 seconds long, and it featured a man singing “Happy Birthday to You”.
In 1895, the first commercial film screening was held in New York City. The film was called The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, and it was produced by Thomas Edison.
The first feature-length film was The Story of the Kelly Gang, which was released in 1906. This film was over an hour-long, and it told the story of the famous Australian outlaw Ned Kelly.
The first color film was called The Wizard of Oz, and it was released in 1939.
The first 3D film was called House of Wax, and it was released in 1953.
The first film to be shown in a cinema was called The Great Train Robbery, and it was released in 1903.
The first film to be shown on television was called The Lost World, and it was released in 1925.
The first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929, and the first Best Picture winner was Wings.
The first film to be shown in a drive-in theater was called The Blob, and it was released in 1958.
The first IMAX film was called Apollo 13, and it was released in 1995.
Top 10 Most-Watched Movies of All Time
1. Avatar (2009) – Avatar is a science fiction film that was released in 2009. The film was directed by James Cameron, and it stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, and Sigourney Weaver. The film is set in the year 2154, and it tells the story of a group of humans who are sent to Pandora, a moon of the planet Polyphemus, in order to help the mining company RDA extract a valuable mineral called unobtanium.
2. Titanic (1997) – Titanic is a historical drama film that was released in 1997. The film was directed by James Cameron, and it stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The film is set in 1912, and it tells the story of the sinking of the RMS Titanic.
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a fantasy film that was released in 2003. The film was directed by Peter Jackson, and it stars Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Viggo Mortensen. The film is the third and final installment in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and it tells the story of the final battle between the forces of good and evil in Middle-earth.
4. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) – Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope is a science fiction film that was released in 1977. The film was directed by George Lucas, and it stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford. The film is the first installment in the Star Wars saga, and it tells the story of a group of rebels who fight against the evil Galactic Empire.
5. The Dark Knight (2008) – The Dark Knight is a superhero film that was released in 2008. The film was directed by Christopher Nolan, and it stars Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, and Aaron Eckhart. The film is the second installment in the Batman trilogy, and it tells the story of the Joker, a criminal mastermind who creates chaos in Gotham City.
6. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is a science fiction film that was released in 2013. The film was directed by Francis Lawrence, and it stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth. The film is the second installment in The Hunger Games trilogy, and it tells the story of the 74th Hunger Games, in which the participants are forced to fight to the death.
7. Frozen (2013) – Frozen is an animated musical film that was released in 2013. The film was directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, and it features the voices of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, and Josh Gad. The film tells the story of Anna, a princess who sets out on a journey to find her sister Elsa, who has accidentally frozen the kingdom of Arendelle.
8. Marvel’s The Avengers (2012) – Marvel’s The Avengers is a superhero film that was released in 2012. The film was directed by Joss Whedon, and it stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson. The film is the sixth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it tells the story of the Avengers, a team of superheroes who must work together to stop the villainous Loki from conquering Earth.
9. Jurassic World (2015) – Jurassic World is a science fiction film that was released in 2015. The film was directed by Colin Trevorrow, and it stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Jake Johnson. The film is set in the year 2212, and it tells the story of the Jurassic World theme park, which is populated by dinosaurs that have been genetically modified to be more aggressive.
10. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a fantasy film that was released in 2001. The film was directed by Peter Jackson, and it stars Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Viggo Mortensen. The film is the first installment in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and it tells the story of the quest to destroy the One Ring, a powerful artifact that belongs to the Dark Lord Sauron.