This short feature is of definite historical interest, as one of the very first of the Edison Company's films to be made available for viewing through their Kinetoscope. Filmed in Edison's 'Black Maria' studio, it does a good job for its time in filming its subject.
Like a good many of the early Edison movies, this one features a popular vaudeville performer of the time. Luis Martinetti's act combined acrobatic skill with a surprising ability to bend and twist himself into unexpected positions. He does these in the movie with a minimum of props, and while it's not really all that exciting, you can see that it's not easy to do.
This is one case in which filming in the studio with the very dark background works well, highlighting the performer while still allowing him what he needs for his act. The framing is good, and the occasional jumps in the footage may not have been there originally. The pace of Martinetti's movement seems to vary, but it's difficult to tell whether that was actually his pace, or whether the camera may simply have been cranked at different speeds.
Like a good many of the early Edison movies, this one features a popular vaudeville performer of the time. Luis Martinetti's act combined acrobatic skill with a surprising ability to bend and twist himself into unexpected positions. He does these in the movie with a minimum of props, and while it's not really all that exciting, you can see that it's not easy to do.
This is one case in which filming in the studio with the very dark background works well, highlighting the performer while still allowing him what he needs for his act. The framing is good, and the occasional jumps in the footage may not have been there originally. The pace of Martinetti's movement seems to vary, but it's difficult to tell whether that was actually his pace, or whether the camera may simply have been cranked at different speeds.
