KING'S ROAD c.1893 - William Friese-Greene

Note: discoveries made since this was uploaded suggest a more likely dating of 1893.
For full background on this film read: friesegreene.com/2017/12/13/t...
This is a rough reconstruction of a film shot by William Friese-Greene outside 39 King's Road, Chelsea, London with a camera of his own invention, most likely c.1893. The format was 60/65mm celluloid, which had been hand-punched with round perforations to move the film. Frame rate appears to be 4-5 frames per second. The bluriness on movement is likely to be a consequence of typically cloudy British weather and the slowness of sensitivity of the available film stock - meaning a longer shutter opening and/or slower frame rate has been employed to get more light on the film. Fragments of tests on paper film, apparently taken the same day, do not have as much blurring and indicate a higher frame rate.
It is one of the earliest films shot in a London street currently known, pre-dating the Lumiere films and those of Birt Acres and Robert Paul. Friese-Greene himself shot other films around London in the period 1889-1890 but there are only fragments of these remaining.
Contact: [e-mail]

[@courvoisibean]

Incredible, I honestly didn't know enough fragments existed to make a film as complete as this, he's very sparsely documented in the invention of film

[@williamfriese-greene3569]

He is, indeed. He's been rather buried by film historians. If you'd like to know more, do take a look at this talk I gave recently: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZCwcmeChtKlj7M

[@anonimkaanonimka7352]

Movies so old are rare. I saw a lot of movies from end of 1890s, but movies from the first half of this decade are rare.

[@sarpsarp8987]

You watched the ones from late 80s?

[@tomg5187]

Incredible!

[@Merlin-lc4zu]

There is a film biography of Friese Greene called the Magic Box starring Robert Donat.Not sure how accurately it portrays the man but he should be much better known to people considering his achievements in this field.

[@williamfriese-greene3569]

There is indeed, which is not remotely as heroic as many make out, actually being quite downbeat. Obviously, it's a biopic and plays fast and loose with the facts - as all do - but I feel is accurate in its portrayal of the man. Plus some great cameos. It quite often pops up on the BBC and Talking Pictures TV (was on this week).

[@elias7748]

The early 1890s. WOw

[@thekarmafarmer608]

Superb job

[@stalemurfies2031]

CNC needs to do that!

[@batavica4135]

Geweldig!!

[@angienorthey]

Really interesting. Used to work in and around the Kings Road for 20 years. There's a blue plaque to Friese-Greene in what was Habitat. Just looked on Street View and the whole lot's been knocked down!

[@tamar5261]

I just looked on street view and it looks like the building in the original film is still there. Pity I can't post pictures

[@smoka46]

Amazing!

[@aarongranda7825]

Magnificent. Slowed it to half.

[@leeneale8776]

not 1 punk in sight! :)

[@patrickrancourt4782]

LOL

[@patrickrancourt4782]

Billy sheer was there

[@HelloooThere]

Better than HD

[@suzylux]

Jack the Ripper could've been in that shot somewhere....Amazing footage.

[@patrickdevitt1789]

So could my great great aunt Lucy's cat. 😁 Happy 2022 🎊🎈🎼🍻.

[@janeyd5280]

@patrick devitt awe!!! Hope the cat had a good life Xx

[@patrickdevitt1789]

@@janeyd5280 😁.

[@TheStockwell]

I'm pretty sure Mr. Ripper is the fellow who shows up at 0:14 You know how these mythic Victorian serial killers were - always photo bombing! 😸

[@user-wp6eh1gi4z]

Young Mick Jagger there selling Newspapers

[@ladymeghenderson9337]

Thomas Eddison got the credit for Friese-Greene's work

[@williamfriese-greene3569]

Edison certainly knew of Friese-Greene's work before he had a functioning film camera, although his own camera worked a different way (and was largely designed by W K L Dickson).

[@orestebertolirossel4914]

Maravilloso!!!

[@SJ_BERRY1021]

Wow

[@zamardii12]

Why hide historical footage?

[@alexmarshall4331]

MASSIVE 👍's up....the original Sloane Rangers 👉🇬🇧👉💎👉👁️👉👀👉⚠️⚠️

[@alexmarshall4331]

Hey thanks Will👉💎👈

[@garybrockwell2031]

A great man, the movie the black box, great the policeman in it is Lawrence Olivier... Sad story of this world leader of photography.🆘💯🤬🇬🇧👍

[@kopynd1]

movie pictures, yer but his wife believed in his ideas, thats the difference

[@nobuotanaka4511]

貴重な動画ですねカラーにしてください‼️最近古い動画が4Kになっております何とかこの動画も試みてください。

[@williamfriese-greene3569]

Google translation is: "It's a precious video, please color it! Recently, the old video has become 4K. Please try this video somehow." My reply: Upscaling to 4K and colorising are ways of fictionalising the past, leading to a false impression about the nature and quality of films that existed, so I feel equivocal about this, unless detailed research can justify it.

[@nobuootanaka6782]

@@williamfriese-greene3569 There is also such a way of thinking. It's a difficult place.