Author Topic: A Trip Through Time  (Read 2298 times)

Offline J.A.F.E.

  • Resident Alien
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2611
A Trip Through Time
« on: September 21, 2020, 05:06:29 PM »
Poking around a few dusty corners of youtube I have come across some very old motion picture of everyday life around 1890-1900. I have to admit I have become a fan of these windows into the past. Just a glimpse but more real than anything else I've seen. The one in the link is a titled a Trip Down Market Street and is about a 14 minute journey down SanFranciscos Market Street with a camera mounted to the front of a cable car. This was a hand cranked camera in some versions (and there are several on YT) a sound track was added but originally it was a silent film. The really haunting part is this was filmed four days before the great San Francisco earthquake and fire. At the very end there are a few seconds of film after the earthquake.

I don't know how many times I've watched this but I see new stuff every time.

The first known motion picture was in 1888 by Louis Le Prince although only a few seconds long. So motion pictures were less than 20 years old when this was taken.

People who confuse etymology and entomology bug me in ways I can’t put into words.

Offline john k

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 913
Re: A Trip Through Time
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2020, 12:45:30 PM »
Wow,  came back and watched it twice more.  Almost unbelievable window to the past.

Offline Heiny57

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 828
Re: A Trip Through Time
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2020, 08:05:14 PM »
That is interesting 
MAGA

If you can’t fix it with a hammer, it must be electrical.

Offline J.A.F.E.

  • Resident Alien
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2611
Re: A Trip Through Time
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2020, 02:31:25 PM »
There are a few other similar trolley rides in different cities of that era but this is the most compelling one for some reason. It really seems to capture the moment. Considering cars were pretty recent and not yet mass produced (except the curved dash Olds) there sure seems to be a lot of them. And direction of travel appears to be more of a suggestion although there is a general flow. The cops aren't fazed by any of the chaos.

For anyone interested there is a wealth of these vintage films some more interesting than others and moving pictures themselves were a pretty new technology. Many of these films were shown to the public and advertised as a way for people to see themselves although I am not sure the one linked in the OP was one of them.
People who confuse etymology and entomology bug me in ways I can’t put into words.