Émile Cohl

Directing

Émile Cohl

Born 1857-01-04 · Paris, France

Émile Cohl (French: [kol]; January 4, 1857 – January 20, 1938), born Émile Eugène Jean Louis Courtet, was a French caricaturist of the largely forgotten Incoherent Movement, cartoonist, and animator, called "The Father of the Animated Cartoon" and "The Oldest Parisian".

Acting credits

Behind the camera

Childish Dreams poster
5.0

In "Rêves enfantins", players in the flesh are mixed with animated objects and cut-out paper actors.

Childish Dreams

1910

The Smile-O-Scope poster
5.6

A British clown invents a device which shows all people in grotesque sizes.

The Smile-O-Scope

1910

Bonsoir poster
5.0

Early short by French animation artist Émile Cohl. A woman becomes slowly visible in front of a black space. She points a wand and spells the word “Bonsoir” in colored letters formed from flowers.

Bonsoir

1910

Crowns, II: The Crown of Thorns poster
4.0

Framed in a wreath of roses we see a lithe Creek dancer, who sways and postures before an epicurean party of ancients, followed by a laurel wreath and encircling a scene showing school children of 1830 receiving their marks of diligence at a distribution of rewards: then the wreath of bay tendered by the Human Senators to Caesar on the culmination of his career; now a beggar receives a loaf called a "crown" from a charitable passerby: Christ is shown crowned with thorns by the rabble; following the divine drama we see the old comedian's wreath presented him at a performance. The next view shows the Emperor Charlemagne crowning his son Lewis. The film closes with the wreath of orange blossoms encircling a bridal party.

Crowns, II: The Crown of Thorns

1909

Nothing Is Impossible for Man poster
6.0

A splendid blend of live-action photography and Cohl's famous animation, Nothing... displays the realms man has conquered: Air, sea, the domains of music and machinery. The one thing man cannot conquer, Cohl posits, is gossip.

Nothing Is Impossible for Man

1910

Modern Education poster
4.0

The great men of letters and military conquest pose on subsequent pages of a very special history book.

Modern Education

1909

No artwork available
9.0

Part of Émile Cohl's Newlyweds series, based on George McManus' comic strip.

He Never Objects to Noise

1914

No artwork available
5.0

An old and learned doctor discovers the secret of spontaneous generation and makes a microscopic germ which in its growth gives birth to the following people who dissolve into one another and into other shapes with startling mystery.

Comic Mutations

1909

The Master of a Fashionable Game poster
3.0

The film presents a drawing room meeting of enthusiastic puzzle workers. One gentleman has a new way of solving his puzzle. He puts a handkerchief over the game and immediately the picture is made. Under the handkerchief, we see how, piece by piece, it is put into one finished picture. His success makes him an object of envy, however, and the gentleman meets with considerable trouble before the party is over. (Moving Picture World)

The Master of a Fashionable Game

1910

The Fairy's Farewell poster
NR

A woman becomes slowly visible in front of a black space. She points a wand and spells the word “Bonsoir” in colored letters formed from flowers. Intended to be projected at the conclusion of the film programs, the film was directed by Emile Cohl in 1910 (Source: https://gparchives.com/index.php?urlaction=doc&id_doc=275531).

The Fairy's Farewell

1910

No artwork available
6.7

And now our funny little friend, Snookums, has started real trouble for his poor Dada. A few of the neighbors and Dada were having a nice quiet little game when the door-bell rang and when Snookums' beautiful mother went to the door, she found the minister.

He Ruins His Family's Reputation

1913

Music-Mania poster
5.7

A bizarre musical couple falls asleep after an insane performance, and dreams about musical instruments.

Music-Mania

1911

Fantasmagorie poster
6.6

An animated film by French auteur Émile Cohl, one of the earliest examples of hand-drawn film animation. Drawing inspiration from J. Stuart Blackton and the Incoherents of club Hydropathes, the film, with all its wild transformations, sees our protagonist materialize a movie theatre, meet an elephant and escape from jail; A morphing, stream-of-consciousness delight.

Fantasmagorie

1908

Fantasmagorie poster
6.6

An animated film by French auteur Émile Cohl, one of the earliest examples of hand-drawn film animation. Drawing inspiration from J. Stuart Blackton and the Incoherents of club Hydropathes, the film, with all its wild transformations, sees our protagonist materialize a movie theatre, meet an elephant and escape from jail; A morphing, stream-of-consciousness delight.

Fantasmagorie

1908

Fantasmagorie poster
6.6

An animated film by French auteur Émile Cohl, one of the earliest examples of hand-drawn film animation. Drawing inspiration from J. Stuart Blackton and the Incoherents of club Hydropathes, the film, with all its wild transformations, sees our protagonist materialize a movie theatre, meet an elephant and escape from jail; A morphing, stream-of-consciousness delight.

Fantasmagorie

1908

Floral Frameworks poster
4.5

There have been numerous studies of plants and flowers presented to the public, but none which exhibit the perfection of stereoscopic detail. The various plants have been photographed against black backgrounds and are carefully colored. In addition, the various groups were made to revolve during the time of exposure and thus show a succession of lights and shadows which produces the relief which adds so greatly to a picture. (Moving Picture World)

Floral Frameworks

1909

The Enchanted Spectacles poster
5.3

A parlor full of bon vivants pass around an enchanted pair of spectacles that “reveal the personality and pleasures of the one who wears them.”

The Enchanted Spectacles

1909

Transfigurations poster
4.7

A showman invites patrons to step up to his Kinetoscope-style magic box and glimpse the answers to their most burning questions.

Transfigurations

1909

No artwork available
5.5

An animation where real life objects turn into animations.

Les Métamorphoses Comiques

1912

Delicate Porcelains poster
4.5

Several unique specimens of highly ornamented porcelain are shown in series. In each case the various pieces of ware are in reality formed of living people. After a short time has been allowed for admiration of each article, it disintegrates into the individual models, who pose in various figures and dances. In the following pictures are seen a powder box, a clock, candle sticks, a loving cup and a vase, all of wonderfully ornate design, beautifully colored. (Moving Picture World)

Delicate Porcelains

1909

Bébé's Masterpieces poster
4.5

A child painter sells one of his paintings to an adult who appears to be surprised.

Bébé's Masterpieces

1910

The Mysterious Fine Arts poster
5.0

In this film several objects make paintings on an empty canvas, which all turn into photos and films.

The Mysterious Fine Arts

1910

The Faithful Furniture poster
6.2

A man who no longer can afford his rent is forced to sell his beloved furniture. The furniture can not bear to be parted from their owner and decides to return home. Often confused with Bosetti's film Le Garde meuble automatique (1912).

The Faithful Furniture

1910

No artwork available
7.0

Part of Émile Cohl's Newlyweds series, based on George McManus' comic strip.

He Only Wanted to Play with Dodo

1914