A FUNNY STORY AT THE WINDOW
This little and entertaining A Funny Story at the Window perfectly captures the essence of what film pioneer Johann Schwarzer made during his short but intense career.
Category: 1908
IN THE BATH
Although cinema had been invented some thirteen years before, Austria still had to familiarise itself with this new form of artistic expression. Cameras were still very rudimentary and scene changes rarely took place. Also In the Bath, therefore, has the simplest mise en scène possible. Everything takes place in a single room and, thanks to some editing cuts to give the whole thing dynamism, the scene unfolds rather quickly.
STEINKLOPFER-MARSCH
Steinklopfer-Marsch, made in 1908 and discovered and restored in 2019 by the Filmarchiv Austria, is, thanks to its completely innovative form for the time, an extremely rare document today. One of the earliest forms of music videos, in which the singer Mirzl Hofer performs one of her songs.
THE VAIN HOUSEMAID
Although the first Austrian film in history – Von Stufe zu Stufe by Heinz Hanus – dates back to 1908, it has to be said that a production company, Saturn-Film, founded by photographer Johann Schwarzer and specialised exclusively in the production of erotic short films, had already been established in Austria for a couple of years. The films produced here include The vain Housemaid.