Princess Ali | 1895 | Short, Documentary

Title: Princess Ali | 1895 | Short, Documentary Director: William Heise Studio: Edison Manufacturing Company Starring: Princess Ali Release Date: May 9, 1895 Runtime: 1 Format: 35mm, Kinetoscope format, 1.33:1, black-and-white, silent Country: United States Language: Silent Genres: Short, Documentary, Dance --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Studio setup and entrance 00:00:03 Dance begins 00:00:06 Scarf movements 00:00:09 Final turn and pose --- Summary: A brief record of a specialty act, Princess Ali captures the Barnum & Bailey dancer performing an “Egyptian” routine before the camera, accompanied by musicians positioned behind her. The film presents a single, continuous view of her steps, turns, and scarf flourishes. As with many early Edison subjects, the piece functions as a straightforward visual document rather than a narrative, emphasizing motion, gesture, and the novelty of moving pictures at the time. --- Background: Filmed at Thomas Edison’s Black Maria studio in West Orange, New Jersey, Princess Ali was produced for viewing on the Kinetoscope. Shot and directed by William Heise for the Edison Manufacturing Company, the film belongs to the company’s stream of brief records of circus and vaudeville performers in the mid-1890s, and features a dancer billed in Barnum & Bailey’s Circus as “Princess Ali.” --- Trivia: The film was photographed at the Black Maria, the revolving, retractable-roof studio Edison’s team used to capture performers in optimal sunlight. Silent-era sources list the length at approximately 21 feet of 35mm film, consistent with only a few seconds of screen time at Kinetoscope frame rates. The subject was promoted in catalog descriptions as an “Egyptian dance,” reflecting late-19th-century American fascination with so-called Oriental acts on variety bills. The date May 9, 1895 is associated with its production at the West Orange studio. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: May 9, 1895 Original Studio / Distributor: Edison Manufacturing Company Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: No --- Hashtags: PrincessAli 1895 Edison WilliamHeise BlackMaria Kinetoscope SilentFilm Documentary DanceFilm PublicDomain LibraryOfCongress BarnumAndBailey Source page: https: //www.loc.gov/item/00694136/ Direct media URL: https: //tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/mbrs/ntscrm/00180343/00180343.mp4