This film is part of Free
Animated Cotton
Relax and unwind in rewind with this trick film – if you haven’t cottoned on yet all is not as it seems…
Trick film 1909 5 mins Silent
Overview
It might not take you long to cotton on to the trick of this film, but the results are still impressive. Though the various strings, wools and embroideries if this film are certainly animated in one sense, it is not through stop-motion animation. The time-consuming process of manipulating threads frame-by-frame is avoided by simply using reverse film techniques.
Subjects
Related
Early Animation
John Bull's Animated Sketchbook No. 4 John Bull's Animated Sketchbook No. 4
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1915 5 mins Silent
An animated recreation of the sinking of the Lusitania is the centrepiece of this pioneering mix of comedy, satire and outrage in cartoon propaganda.
Oh'phelia A Cartoon Burlesque Oh'phelia A Cartoon Burlesque
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1919 10 mins Silent
To bob, or not to bob? That is the question for Ophelia in this early animated Hamlet, starring a far from gloomy Dane
The Right Spirit The Right Spirit
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1931 9 mins
Don’t judge a book by its cover but do judge a political party by its garage in this Conservative cartoon from the height of the depression.
Giro the Germ Episode 1 Giro the Germ Episode 1
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1927 8 mins Silent
The germs in this silent 1920s cartoon seem to have caught the Flapper bug
The Latest News The Latest News
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1904 1 mins Silent
The “Bill Bailey” punchline might have lost its meaning over the years, but this comic gag short features some of Britain’s earliest animation
Animated Putty Animated Putty
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1911 4 mins Silent
Long, long before Wallace met Gromit filmmakers performed malleable magic to bring clay to life
New
Fox Hunt Fox Hunt
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1936 8 mins
Spoiler alert! The fox is always going to outsmart the hounds in this delightful, balletic cartoon that heads from the countryside into 1930s suburbia.
Carmen Carmen
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1936 9 mins
Carmen get your cartoon opera fix in this (very!) loose version of Bizet’s classic tale of romance and treachery.
Jealous Doll, Or, The Frustrated Elopement Jealous Doll, Or, The Frustrated Elopement
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1909 4 mins
Toy Story meets Fatal Attraction in this tale of an Edwardian childhood romance scuppered by poor finances and a stalking dolly
Adolf's Busy Day Adolf's Busy Day
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1940 8 mins
Who does he think he’s kidding? This parodic day-in-the-life portrait of Mr Hitler is one of the very few British examples of comic cartoon propaganda from WW2.
Geni and a Genius (Series 1) Geni and a Genius (Series 1)
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1919 10 mins Silent
Remember when Charlie Chaplin went into space? Reality is no obstacle in this endlessly inventive silent cinema cartoon of the 'Little Tramp'
Booster Bonzo; Or, Bonzo in Gay Paree Booster Bonzo; Or, Bonzo in Gay Paree
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1925 6 mins
1920s canine icon Bonzo the Dog tests the Entente Cordiale to the limit in this silent British cartoon