Démolition d'un mur (Demolition of a Wall)
Dir: Louis Lumiere, The Lumiere Brothers
1896
****
The pioneering Lumiere Brothers arguably developed the art of film making as we know it. With their short film Démolition d'un mur (Demolition of a Wall) in 1896 they did two things. They invented/discovered reverse filming, so we see the wall fall and then stand and fix itself (a technique that isn't bettered until 1978's Superman). A simple trick we've all seen before in this day and age but think how amazing it would have been back then. The second thing they did was make the first disaster film. Okay, not quite but it is interesting that one of the first films ever to be made is a document of destruction. We've created something that can now document the destruction of something else. Pioneers and influence, in all aspects of film making.