History of Movie Firsts
All of these were the first to accomplish something in the flim world.
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- DirectorFrancesco BertoliniAdolfo PadovanGiuseppe de LiguoroStarsSalvatore PapaArturo PirovanoGiuseppe de LiguoroLoosely adapted from Dante's Divine Comedy and inspired by the illustrations of Gustav Doré the original silent film has been restored and has a new score by Tangerine Dream.First feautre length film shown in its entirety in the US.
- DirectorCharles TaitStarsElizabeth TaitJohn TaitNicholas BrierleyOriginally 70 minutes in running time, only 17 minutes of the world's first full-length narrative feature film survived in stills and other fragments and tell the story of Ned Kelly, an infamous 19th-century Australian outlaw.First feature length film ever.
- StarsNat C. GoodwinVinnie BurnsCharley RogersAn orphan in early 19th century England escapes the poorhouse only to fall among a gang of pickpockets in London.First US produced film shown in its entirety.
- DirectorMack SennettCharles BennettStarsCharles ChaplinMarie DresslerMabel NormandA con man from the city dupes a wealthy country girl into marriage.First feature length American Comedy.
- DirectorOscar ApfelCecil B. DeMilleStarsDustin FarnumMonroe SalisburyWinifred KingstonA chivalrous British officer takes the blame for his cousin's embezzlement and journeys to the American West to start a new life on a cattle ranch.First feature length western.
- DirectorD.W. GriffithStarsLillian GishMae MarshHenry B. WalthallThe Stoneman family finds its friendship with the Camerons affected by the Civil War, both fighting in opposite armies. The development of the war in their lives plays through to Lincoln's assassination and the birth of the Ku Klux Klan.First Controversial Film
- DirectorAllan DwanStarsDouglas FairbanksWallace BeerySam De GrasseA nobleman becomes the vigilante Robin Hood who protects the oppressed English people from the tyrannical Prince John.First movie to have a Hollywood Premiere.
- DirectorChester M. FranklinStarsAnna May WongKenneth HarlanBeatrice BentleyWhile visiting China, an American man falls in love with a young Chinese woman, but he then has second thoughts about the relationship.First feature length film released that used two strip Technicolor
- DirectorHarry O. HoytStarsWallace BeeryBessie LoveLloyd HughesThe first film adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic novel about a land where prehistoric creatures still roam.First feature length Sci-Fi
Also the first "in flight" movie. Shown by Imperial Airways. - DirectorLotte ReinigerCarl KochA handsome prince rides a flying horse to faraway lands and embarks on magical adventures, which include befriending a witch, meeting Aladdin, battling demons and falling in love with a princess.First feature length (surviving) animated film.
- DirectorAlan CroslandStarsAl JolsonMay McAvoyWarner OlandThe son of a Jewish Cantor must defy the traditions of his religious father in order to pursue his dream of becoming a jazz singer.First feature length "talkie" film.
- DirectorUb IwerksWalt DisneyStarsWalt DisneyMickey Mouse is a mischievous deckhand on a riverboat that is under the command of the tyrannical Captain Pete.First sound animated flim.
First Mickey Mouse cartoon released. - DirectorAlan CroslandStarsArthur LakeBetty CompsonJoe E. BrownA musical advertised as the first 100% natural color, all-singing production. The plot concerns a wide-eyed former hatcheck girl who takes the place of a rebellious star.The first all talkie all color film released.
- DirectorRaoul WalshLouis R. LoefflerStarsJohn WayneMarguerite ChurchillEl BrendelBreck Coleman leads hundreds of settlers in covered wagons from the Mississippi River to their destiny out West.First movie to use a swear word.
- DirectorBurt GillettStarsClarence NashEsther CampbellPinto ColvigA jealous stump threatens two trees that are in love by starting a forest fire. When the rain comes and puts out the fire the forest revives and celebrates the wedding.First generally released 3 Strip Technicolor film.
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsClark GableClaudette ColbertWalter ConnollyA rogue reporter trailing a runaway heiress for a big story joins her on a bus heading from Florida to New York and they end up stuck with each other when the bus leaves them behind at one of the stops along the way.First film to win all major Oscars. (Best picture, director, actor, and actress.)
- DirectorRouben MamoulianStarsMiriam HopkinsFrances DeeCedric HardwickeAgainst the backdrop of Napoleon's Waterloo campaign, an ambitious woman from a family of entertainers begins a destructive climb up the social ladder.First feature length 3 strip Technicolor film released.
- DirectorWilliam CottrellDavid HandWilfred JacksonStarsAdriana CaselottiHarry StockwellLucille La VerneExiled into the dangerous forest by her wicked stepmother, a princess is rescued by seven dwarf miners who make her part of their household.First cel-animated feature length film along with the first movie released that grossed over $100,000,000 in the box office. (multiple rleases)
- DirectorVictor FlemingKing VidorStarsJudy GarlandFrank MorganRay BolgerYoung Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are swept away by a tornado from their Kansas farm to the magical Land of Oz, and embark on a quest with three new friends to see the Wizard, who can return her to her home and fulfill the others' wishes.First feature length film broadcast on TV. (1956)
- DirectorJames AlgarSamuel ArmstrongFord Beebe Jr.StarsLeopold StokowskiDeems TaylorThe Philadelphia OrchestraA series of eight famous pieces of classical music, conducted by Leopold Stokowski and interpreted in animation by Walt Disney's team of artists.First film with stereo sound.
- DirectorArch ObolerRobert ClampettStarsRobert StackBarbara BrittonNigel BruceBritish railway workers in Kenya are becoming the favorite snack of two man-eating lions. Head engineer Bob Hayward becomes obsessed with trying to kill the beasts before they maul everyone on his crew.First 3-D feature length film.
- DirectorMike NicholsStarsElizabeth TaylorRichard BurtonGeorge SegalA bitter, aging couple, with the help of alcohol, use their young houseguests to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other over the course of a distressing night.First PG-rated film.
- DirectorJoseph StrickStarsMilo O'SheaBarbara JeffordMaurice RoëvesJames Joyce's masterpiece incarnated: The story of two seperated Dublin wanderers, Leopold Bloom and Stephen Dedalus, struggling to control their personal lives.First major movie to use the F-word.
- DirectorJohn SchlesingerStarsDustin HoffmanJon VoightSylvia MilesA naive hustler travels from Texas to New York City to seek personal fortune, finding a new friend in the process.First X-rated movie to win a Best Picture Oscar.
- DirectorDonald BrittainThrough the use of multi-image compositions and giant IMAX format full-frame shots, Tiger Child expresses a poetic vision of civilization at the dawn of the 1970s, filmed on locations around the world as a travelogue of the human spirit.First IMAX format flim.
- DirectorMike NicholsStarsJack NicholsonCandice BergenArt GarfunkelChronicling the lifelong sexual development of two men who meet and become friends in college.First movie to show a condom.
- DirectorRalph BakshiStarsSkip HinnantRosetta LeNoireJohn McCurryIn the late 1960s, a pretentious, womanizing young cat drops out of college, starts a riot in Harlem, hits the road with an ex-girlfriend and gets mixed up with domestic terrorists.First X-Rated cartoon.
- DirectorKim Ki-dukStarsSe-hie YunShin Seong-ilAm ParkA new teacher organizes a volleyball game to boost school spirit and self confidence while fighting with the conservative school board and chauvanistic principal. Two of her students run away and the teacher's liberal methods and free thinking are blamed. The teacher is fired and tries to sneak away during the volleyball match which she succeeded in pushing through.First movie released on VHS.
The last was: A History of Violence - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.First movie to break $100,000,000 box office in a single release.
Also first to collect over $100,000,000 in rentals. - DirectorMichael CrichtonStarsAlbert FinneyJames CoburnSusan DeyThree of four models, who had plastic surgery done by Larry after a computed list, are dead. Neither the cops nor Larry believe they're suicides. Larry investigates and stays with the fourth model. Who's behind the lists and murders?First movie to have a CGI character.
- DirectorRichard MarquandStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebel Alliance attempt to destroy the second Death Star, while Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side.First film shown in THX certified auditorium.
- DirectorJohn MiliusStarsPatrick SwayzeC. Thomas HowellLea ThompsonIt is the dawn of World War III. In the west mountains of America, a group of teenagers band together to defend their town, and their country, from invading Soviet forces.First PG-13 rated film.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerLinda HamiltonEdward FurlongA cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.First film with a $100,000,000 dollar budget.
- DirectorGary TrousdaleKirk WiseStarsPaige O'HaraRobby BensonJesse CortiA prince cursed to spend his days as a hideous monster sets out to regain his humanity by earning a young woman's love.First animated film to be nominated for best picture.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsMichael KeatonDanny DeVitoMichelle PfeifferWhile Batman deals with a deformed man calling himself the Penguin wreaking havoc across Gotham with the help of a cruel businessman, a female employee of the latter becomes the Catwoman with her own vendetta.First film using Dolby Digital Sound.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsMeryl StreepBruce WillisGoldie HawnWhen a fading actress learns of an immortality treatment, she sees it as a way to outdo her long-time rival.First human skin CGI software.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsSam NeillLaura DernJeff GoldblumA pragmatic paleontologist touring an almost complete theme park on an island in Central America is tasked with protecting a couple of kids after a power failure causes the park's cloned dinosaurs to run loose.First movie using DTS digital sound.
- DirectorBrian LevantStarsJohn GoodmanRick MoranisRosie O'DonnellIn a parallel modern-day Stone Age world, a working-class family, the Flintstones, are set up for an executive job. But they learn that money can't buy happiness.First CGI-rendered fur.
- DirectorBrad SilberlingStarsBill PullmanChristina RicciCathy MoriartyAn afterlife therapist and his daughter meet a friendly young ghost when they move into a crumbling mansion in order to rid the premises of wicked spirits.First CGI lead character.
- DirectorJohn LasseterStarsTom HanksTim AllenDon RicklesA cowboy doll is profoundly threatened and jealous when a new spaceman action figure supplants him as top toy in a boy's bedroom.First fully CGI animated movie.
- DirectorJan de BontStarsHelen HuntBill PaxtonCary ElwesTwo storm chasers on the brink of divorce must work together to create an advanced weather alert system by putting themselves in the cross-hairs of extremely violent tornadoes.First movie released on DVD.
- DirectorRoland EmmerichStarsWill SmithBill PullmanJeff GoldblumThe aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy Earth. Fighting superior technology, mankind's best weapon is the will to survive.First movie to make $100,000,000 in it's first week.
- DirectorBen StillerStarsJim CarreyMatthew BroderickLeslie MannA designer makes a grievious mistake when he rejects the friendship of a borderline cable guy.First time an actor recieves a $20,000,000 salary for a role.
- DirectorGeorge LucasStarsHayden ChristensenNatalie PortmanEwan McGregorTen years after initially meeting, Anakin Skywalker shares a forbidden romance with Padmé Amidala, while Obi-Wan Kenobi discovers a secret clone army crafted for the Jedi.First major movie shot entirely on digital film.