Cordeliers' Square in Lyon

Plot

This pioneering documentary short captures a typical day at Place des Cordeliers in Lyon, France. The film presents a static wide shot of the bustling square where pedestrians walk across the frame while horse-drawn carriages and carts traverse the square in various directions. The scene demonstrates the natural flow of urban life in late 19th century France, with people going about their daily business, some stopping briefly while others purposefully cross the square. The composition captures the architectural elements of the square including buildings and street furniture, providing a valuable historical record of urban Lyon in 1895. The film runs for approximately 50 seconds, offering viewers a window into the everyday rhythms of French city life during the Belle Époque period.

Historical Background

1895 marked the birth of cinema as a public medium, with the Lumière brothers pioneering the technology and presentation of motion pictures. This film was created during the Belle Époque period in France, a time of great technological innovation and cultural flourishing. The Industrial Revolution had transformed urban life, and cities like Lyon were bustling centers of commerce and transportation. The Lumière brothers' invention came at a time when other inventors worldwide were racing to create moving images, including Thomas Edison in America with his Kinetoscope. The first public screening on December 28, 1895, is considered by film historians as the birth of cinema as we know it, as it was the first time motion pictures were projected for a paying audience. France was at the forefront of this technological revolution, with Lyon being an important industrial city where the Lumière family had established their photographic plate factory.

Making Of

Louis Lumière set up his Cinématographe camera on a tripod in a carefully chosen position to capture the maximum activity in Place des Cordeliers. The filming process required the camera to be hand-cranked at a steady pace to maintain consistent exposure. Local residents of Lyon were likely unaware they were being filmed, as motion pictures were completely unknown to the public at this time. The Lumière brothers had to develop the film immediately after shooting using their portable developing equipment. The static camera position was both a technical necessity and an artistic choice, influenced by the composition of contemporary photography. The film was processed and printed at the Lumière factory in Lyon before being prepared for the historic Paris screening. The square was chosen for its architectural interest and the natural flow of traffic that would create visual interest in the composition.

Visual Style

The cinematography of this film represents the earliest techniques of motion picture photography. Shot with the Lumière Cinématographe, the film utilizes a static wide shot that captures the entire square in a single frame. The composition follows traditional photographic principles, with careful attention to architectural elements and the arrangement of space within the frame. The camera was positioned at an elevated angle to provide a clear view of the traffic patterns and pedestrian movement. The black and white imagery shows the characteristic high contrast of early film stock, with strong highlights and deep shadows. The exposure was carefully calculated to capture detail in both the buildings and the moving subjects. The frame rate of approximately 16 frames per second gives the movement a slightly staccato quality that is characteristic of early cinema. The static camera approach reflects the influence of photography and the technical limitations of early motion picture equipment.

Innovations

This film showcases several groundbreaking technical achievements of early cinema. It was captured using the Lumière Cinématographe, a revolutionary device that combined camera, printer, and projector in a single portable unit. The film was shot on 35mm film with a perforated edge design that became an industry standard. The Cinématographe's intermittent movement mechanism allowed for smooth capture of motion pictures at approximately 16 frames per second. The device's claw mechanism for film transport was more advanced than competing systems, reducing film wear and tear. The projection system used a powerful lamp and lens system that could create bright images suitable for public exhibition. The film demonstrates early mastery of exposure control and composition in the new medium of motion pictures. The portable nature of the Cinématographe allowed for location filming, which was revolutionary compared to studio-bound systems. The film also showcases early understanding of continuity and the capture of real-time events.

Music

This film was produced during the silent era of cinema and had no synchronized soundtrack. During its original exhibition at the Salon Indien du Grand Café, the film would have been accompanied by live music, likely provided by a pianist or small orchestra. The musical accompaniment would have been chosen to complement the visual content and create atmosphere. In some presentations, sound effects might have been created live to enhance the viewing experience, such as hoofbeats to accompany the horse-drawn carriages. Modern screenings and presentations of the film sometimes feature period-appropriate musical scores or newly composed soundtracks that reflect the mood and historical context of the piece. The absence of recorded sound was typical of films from this period, as synchronized sound technology would not be developed until the late 1920s.

Memorable Scenes

• The continuous flow of horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians crossing the square in opposite directions, creating a natural choreography of urban movement that captures the rhythm of 19th-century city life

What Critics Said

Contemporary reception to this film and others in the first Lumière screening was one of astonishment and wonder. Critics and audience members were amazed by the lifelike quality of the moving images, with many reports describing the experience as magical or miraculous. The newspaper Le Petit Journal reported that spectators were 'absolutely enchanted' by the projections. Modern film historians and critics recognize this film as a groundbreaking work that established fundamental principles of cinema. It is frequently cited in academic studies of early cinema as an exemplary Lumière production that demonstrates the brothers' documentary approach. The film is praised for its historical value and its role in establishing cinema as a medium for capturing reality. Contemporary critics appreciate the film's simple elegance and its power to transport viewers back in time to the streets of 19th-century Lyon.

What Audiences Thought

The first audiences who viewed this film at the Salon Indien du Grand Café in Paris were reportedly mesmerized by the lifelike quality of the moving images. Many spectators had never seen any form of moving pictures before, and the experience was described as overwhelming and magical. Some audience members reportedly reacted physically to the horse-drawn carriages, attempting to move out of their path, demonstrating the unprecedented realism of the images. The film, along with others in the program, generated tremendous excitement and word-of-mouth publicity, leading to long queues for subsequent screenings. The success of this and other Lumière films quickly led to international demand for their invention and productions. Modern audiences viewing the film today often express fascination with its historical value and the window it provides into everyday life of the past, though the simple, unadorned nature of the film may seem understated compared to contemporary cinema.

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