A Storm at Sea | 1900 | Documentary, Actuality, Short

Title: A Storm at Sea | 1900 | Documentary, Actuality, Short Director: James H. White Studio: Edison Manufacturing Co. Release Date: August 1900 Runtime: 1 Format: Silent, black-and-white, 35mm, 1 reel Country: United States Language: Silent Genres: Documentary; Actuality; Short --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Deck view and rising swells 00:00:15 Heavy seas build 00:00:35 Crew holds fast at the rail 00:00:55 Cresting waves 00:01:10 Horizon steadies --- Summary: Filmed from the deck of an ocean liner during rough weather, A Storm at Sea presents a single, fixed-camera view of waves pounding the ship while crew members cling to the railing. The vantage point emphasizes the ship’s motion as it pitches and rolls through the Atlantic. As an early nonfiction “actuality,” the film highlights turn-of-the-century cinema’s fascination with travel and the spectacle of nature, offering audiences a brief, visceral record of life at sea. --- Background: Produced by Edison Manufacturing Co. and credited to James H. White, the film was photographed during June 19–27, 1900 aboard the North German Lloyd liner Kaiserin Maria Theresia, with the camera reportedly lashed to the after bridge to withstand the storm. The Edison Films Catalog later promoted the picture as a sensational storm view “taken at great risk,” and the Library of Congress notes a viewing copy running about 1 minute 17 seconds at 16 fps; cinematography is attributed to Alfred C. Abadie. --- Trivia: The shot’s dramatic motion comes from securing the camera to the ship’s structure, allowing continuous exposure despite heavy seas. Contemporary descriptions identify the vessel as the Kaiserin Maria Theresia of the North German Lloyd Line. The Library of Congress lists a duration of approximately 1:17 at 16 frames per second and preserves paper-print elements as well as 35mm holdings. The film was copyrighted by Thomas A. Edison on August 9, 1900 . Many sources credit Alfred C. Abadie as cameraman, though the attribution has been noted as uncertain in archival records. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: August 1900 Original Studio / Distributor: Edison Manufacturing Co. Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Unknown --- Hashtags: AStormAtSea JamesHWhite EdisonManufacturingCo SilentFilm Documentary Actuality 1900Cinema PublicDomain This video was sourced from Internet Archive. Originally uploaded by James H. White. https://archive.org/details/silent-a-storm-at-sea