Sinatra fights prejudice in short film, singing for tolerance & unity, although dated.

The House I Live In (1945) is innovative in its approach to social commentary. This ten-minute short film, directed by Mervyn LeRoy, uses the popularity of singer Frank Sinatra to deliver a powerful message ag...

Popeye & Sindbad meet, vie for Olive & title. Friendly rivalry leads to unlikely teamwork & escape.

Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor (1936) might seem like a typical Popeye cartoon, but this Fleischer Studios production was a major leap forward in animation techniques, expanding the li...

Chicago documentary weaves jazz, Black life, & intellectual debates.

Made with a shoestring budget and a dedicated volunteer crew, Ed Bland's Cry of Jazz (1959) defies conventional narrative structure. Instead, it blends documentary footage of Chicago's Black neighborhoods with staged conversati...

Filled with Chaplin's signature humor and pathos, an exploration of love, family, and resilience.

The Kid, a 1921 silent film by Charlie Chaplin, broke new ground by seamlessly blending slapstick humor with genuine pathos. This emotional depth, rarely seen in comedies of the era, pushed the boun...

Civil War engineer chases stolen train & girlfriend, defying danger with slapstick & grit.

The General, a 1926 silent film by Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman, was inspired by a true story from the Civil War, but prioritizes audacious stunts and slapstick humor over historical accuracy. Keaton, ...

Betrayed lover finds solace in bluesy lament. Bessie Smith shines in historic early sound film.

St. Louis Blues, a 1929 short film starring blues legend Bessie Smith, uses the familiar narrative structure of a song performance to break new cinematic ground in its focus on African American talent...

Modesta starts a feminist movement, challenging male authority and fighting for female liberation.

While the narrative of Modesta, a groundbreaking 1956 short film directed by Benjamin Doniger, follows a clear path — a peasant woman named Modesta rebelling against her husband's oppression and in...

Mickey navigates chaos on a steamboat, charming Minnie & battling bossy captain with slapstick.

Steamboat Willie (1928) holds an important place in the history of animation thanks to its groundbreaking use of sound. Created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, Steamboat Willie was one of the first cart...

Eccentric professor leads expedition to jungle plateau, encountering dinosaurs & ape-men.

The Lost World, a 1925 silent film adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's novel, follows an expedition to a plateau inhabited by dinosaurs. It's a classic monster adventure film with innovative special effects....

The haunting tale of a disfigured musical genius who lives beneath the Paris Opera House.

The 1925 silent film, Phantom of the Opera, directed by Rupert Julian and starring Lon Chaney, uses the classic gothic novel as its source material while incorporating innovative cinematic techniques.

Most...

1910 film captures epic boxing match, reflecting racial tensions.

The Jeffries-Johnson World's Championship Boxing Contest isn't just a record of a historic fight. Unlike the staged boxing films popular at the time, this documentary captured the rawness and energy of a real bout.

Filmmakers dep...

Mother & baby alone. Tramp intrudes. Husband races home in stolen car. Split-screen suspense!

Suspense, a 1913 silent short by Lois Weber and Phillips Smalley, deviates from the standard one-scene, one-action format prevalent at the time. Suspense unfolds a thrilling narrative through parallel e...

Montage blends documentary & avant-garde styles. Kids play, vendors sell, families bustle. A Bronx Morning (1931) is a brief yet captivating glimpse into a New York borough awakening.

Created by a young Jay Leyda, the film transcends a straightforward documentary approach. While capturing the si...

Sea monster hunt leads to wonders aboard Nemo's Nautilus, ending with revenge & island rescue.

A pioneering spirit in early cinema, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916) broke new ground with its cinematic techniques.

The film experimented with large-scale sets and special effects, creating a be...

Greed drives tycoon to corner wheat market, enriching himself & starving citizens. A Corner in Wheat (1909), directed by D.W. Griffith, unlocked new dimensions of film editing.

While silent films relied heavily on single-shot scenes, Griffith employs a technique called cross-cutting. He interspl...

Gambling hubby lies about lodge, wife exposes poker game, fake raid & shame cure his itch.

A Cure for Pokeritis (1912), though a lighthearted comedy, pushes boundaries in its time. This silent film breaks free from the theatrical roots of early cinema.

Instead of a staged performance delivered...

Diplomat falls for femme fatale, loses all to her charms. Wife fights for him, but ruin prevails.

A silent drama ahead of its time, the narrative of A Fool There Was (1915) itself may seem conventional, however the film's exploration of sexuality and its use of suggestive intertitles like "Kiss...

Midwife Mary Coley delivers hope & babies in segregated Georgia.

All My Babies (1953) might surprise you at first glance. It isn't a film pushing boundaries with abstract imagery or sound. Instead, it's a documentary following a midwife's work. But beneath its seemingly straightforward surface l...

Wisconsin women's club dreams turn red, as lecture snooze leads to comedic Soviet labor nightmare.

Crafted by women's club filmmaker Miriam Bennett, A Study in Reds (1932) uses humor to explore serious anxieties.

While audiences might expect a polished Hollywood production, A Study in Reds em...

A captivating, silent journey through San Francisco, days before the devastating 1906 earthquake.

A Trip Down Market Street (1906) captures the bustling life of San Francisco's main thoroughfare with an innovative approach placing it firmly as a pioneer of experimental film.

Firstly, the film u...

Betrayed prince Judah fights slavery & chariots for revenge, finding redemption amid Christ's rise.

While not technically experimental in narrative, the 1925 silent epic Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925) is lauded for its technical achievements. Director Fred Niblo utilizes innovative special...

1st film shown publicly, using Kinetoscope. Historical landmark of early cinema.

Blacksmith Scene (1893), a mere 30 seconds long, is a significant artifact of film history. This short work by William Dickson, made under the supervision of Thomas Edison, is not just one of the first films ever p...

Pacifist sub commander defies orders, dies for peace. Reborn, he unites nations under holy message.

Civilization (1916), an ambitious production by Thomas H. Ince tackled the devastating realities of World War I through a fictional lens. While war films were common at the time, Civilization brok...

Outlawed wolfdog befriends prospector. Villain covets claim, attacks. Loyal canine saves the day.

Clash of the Wolves (1925) challenged traditional projects within the studio system. The film features Rin Tin Tin, a hugely popular canine actor, in a surprising comedic role. This challenges the t...