The Animated Supplement - magazine film Seattle - 1917

Country: United States
This is a silent short 'magazine' film reel made in 1917 by the Seattle Sunday Times.

The Artist's Dreams - 1913

Country: USA
Director: John Randolph Bray
Stars: John Randolph Bray and Margaret Bray
Release Date: 12 June 1913 (USA)
Also known as: The Dachshund and the Sausage (undefined) / (USA - informal title)
Production Co: Pathé Frères, J.R. Bray Studios
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Plot Keywords: Artist | Dog | Part Live Action | Part Animation | Surrealism  | Cartoon Reality Crossover | Cartoon Dog | Animation Filmmaking | Cartoonist | Dachshund
Genres: Animation | Short
An artist draws a dog who comes to life and eats a plate of sausages.
There had been cinematic animations of drawings before Bray turned out this, his first animated cartoon, as far back as Blackton's Sketches in 1896. But animation remained a labor-intensive and expensive form of movie, because someone had to draw each frame. Bray's studio was notable on two points: first, a lot of talent in the field passed through his doors, including Lantz, Fleischer and Paul Terry; and he bought or encouraged the invention of various methods to bring the cost of cartoon production down to a manageable level: the Hurd-Bray patents were key to this, including cel technique.
Therefore, although this is not the first animation or even the first regularly issued series of animation -- that honor would belong to Emile Cohl in France -- it is crucial because without it there would be very little: no Looney Toons, no Betty Boop, no Woody Woodpecker.... and so it is important.
But when confronted with the statement that a particular film is important, we are, nonetheless, left with the question of 'is it any good?' Yes, it is. The animation is lively and the sequence in which the dog steals and devours a sausage is delightful. If you get a chance to witness this landmark film, don't miss the chance to get some enjoyment out of your research.

Rues de Paris - 1928

Country: France
English title: Paris' Streets
A short bus ride in the streets of Paris in 1928. Another time, another world. If you view this again, and again, and again, each time you'll notice details you hadn't noticed before. Enjoy. (This review was extracted from You Tube).

Première Traversée du Sahara à Moto - 1927

Country: Belgium
Language: French
Director: Ernest Genval
Also known as: Eerste doortocht van de Sahara per moto (Belgium - Flemish title)
Filming Locations: Sahara Desert, África
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Plot Keywords: Motorcycle | Desert
Genres: Documentary
Documentary about the first crossing of the Sahara on a motorcycle.  

As Seen Through a Telescope - 1900

Country: United Kingdom
Director: George Albert Smith
Release Date: April 1903 (USA)
Also known as: As Seen Through the Telescope (UK - alternative title), L'astronome indiscret (France - new title), The Professor and His Field Glass (USA)
Production Co: G.A.S. Films
Runtime: 01:07
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Plot Keywords: Telescope | Peeping Tom | Subjective Camera
Genres: Short | Comedy
An elderly gentleman in a silk hat sits on a stool in front of a store on the main street of town. He has a telescope that he focuses on the ankle of a young woman who is a short distance away. Her husband catches the gent looking. What will the two men now do? 

The X Rays - 1897

Country: United Kingdom
Director: G.A.Smith
Also known as 'The X-Ray Fiend', this comedy by G.A. Smith combines two very recent innovations: Wilhelm Roentgen's discovery of X-rays in 1895, and Georges Méliès' accidental realisation of the special-effects potential of the jump-cut in 1896. The central couple is played by the Brighton comedian Tom Green and Smith's wife Laura Bayley, and we know that they were filmed in October 1897 from Smith's cashbook, now preserved in the BFI National Archive.

World's First Helicopters - The Good, The Bad and The Sheer Dangerous! (different dates)

Country: United Kingdom
Silent footage. World's First Helicopters - The Good, The Bad and The Sheer Dangerous! using various videos from the British Pathe film archive.
For a full list of the footage used, including dates, and for links to watch the full versions of each each individual item see this blog post here:
http://britishpathe.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/the-history-of-the-helicopter-early-helicopter-footage/