Walter R. Booth – scifist 2.0

By Janne Wass on January 20, 2020 ( 2 Comments )

Top 10 Silent Space Films

It was a trip to the moon in 1902 that gave birth to the narrative film, and propelled cinema forward. The theatrical fairy-tale A Trip to the Moon turned French director Georges Méliès into the uncrowned king of international cinema. The silent era provided some of the timeless classics of space films, whose influence is not only seen on screen even today, but that even had an impact on space travel itself. Hereby we present the 10 greatest space films of the silent era.

By Janne Wass on April 1, 2018 ( Leave a comment )

The Automatic Motorist

∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗ (4/10) In 1911 British film pioneer Walter R. Booth updated his five years old film The ‘?’ Motorist with better effects, more outer space madness and a robot. Technically […]

By Janne Wass on March 26, 2018 ( 6 Comments )

The Aerial Submarine

∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗ (4/10) A man and his daughter are kidnapped by pirates in a flying submarine in this 1910 British action adventure. Walter R. Booth’s story is too ambitious for its […]

By Janne Wass on March 8, 2018 ( 7 Comments )

The ‘?’ Motorist

∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗ (6/10) Walter R. Booth’s short film is a subversive and funny trick film about a couple of mad motorists that speed through the British streets, toppling police officers, riding […]

By Janne Wass on March 3, 2018 ( 3 Comments )

An Over-Incubated Baby

∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗ (5/10) Britain’s first sci-fi film features a marvelous incubator. The short comedy clip was directed by Walter R. Booth, early cinema’s most prolific science fiction director and the artistic […]

By Janne Wass on February 23, 2018 ( 7 Comments )

The Airship Destroyer

An action-packed British short from 1909 depicting future warfare with missiles and airships. Walter Booth directs with typical energy and audacity and some of the physical effects are very impressive […]

By Janne Wass on February 22, 2018 ( 3 Comments )

The Trailblazers

Early cinema was the pulp fiction of its time: a crude and undistinguished novelty, and just as with other lower-tier entertainment, there were surefire moneymakers: nudity, shock, thrills and escapism. […]