The X Rays (Original title)X-ray Film (Acquisition title)The X-ray Fiend (Alternative title)
Date: 1897 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirector: G.A. Smith
Shotlist: COMEDY. A courting couple are filmed by X-rays. A man and a woman are spooning on a bench. A man with a large camera marked X RAYS stands beside them, points his camera at the couple and takes off the lens cap (18). The couple are turned into skeletons (black bodystocking for the man with bones painted in white, the woman wearing a black dress with the bones painted in white), with the woman's umbrella becoming just a bare frame, while they continue to court. The camera man puts the lens cap back on (30). The couple return to full dress, as the camera man retreats. The woman protests at the man's attentions and leaves, leaving the man seated and pulling faces (46ft). Note: The Prestwich catalogue for 1898 describes the film as follows: "The Professor turns his apparatus upon the lovers and makes a startling revelation. Very surprising and amusing. 54 feet". The G.A. Smith cash books record the film as being made in October 1897. X-rays, or Roentgen rays, were discovered in 1895. Refs: John Barnes, The Rise of the Cinema in Great Britain, pp. 91, 93, 95, 209, 235.
Genres: Comedy, Science Fiction, Trick film
Subjects: Radiography, Courtship
Releases
Date: 1897not specifiedRelease type: unknownFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SilentRuntime: 0 mins 46 secs - Length: 46 Feet
Date: 2017Country: United KingdomRelease type: InternetFormat: not specified - Black and White - SilentRuntime: 0 mins Distributor: BFIPlayer
Film, Video or Digital materials held in BFI National Archive(16)
Accessible materials to view(8)
Description: 35mm BW PositiveBase: PolyesterSound: SilentLength: 44 FeetBFI identifier: C-949348
Status: Viewing - Location of material is under review (servicing required)
Description: Digital BetacamDuration: 0.54 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-1198008
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Description: VHS cassetteLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-1198009
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Description: MP4MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-401190
Status: Viewing - Digital file is accessible to view within BFI
Description: Digital BetacamDuration: 01.00 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: N-464610
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Description: MP4 - LTO5MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-603043
Status: Viewing - Digital file can be accessed on request
Description: MP4 - LTO5MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-603043-2
Status: Viewing - Digital file can be accessed on request
Description: MP4BFI identifier: N-640712
Status: Viewing - Digital file is accessible to view within BFI
Digital materials(10)
Description: 50I - LTO5Duration: 00:01:36 minutesD10 - BFI identifier: N-401189
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: 50I - LTO5Duration: 00:01:36 minutesD10 - BFI identifier: N-401189-2
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: MP4MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-401190
Status: Viewing - Digital file is accessible to view within BFI
Description: DPX - LTO5BFI identifier: N-603068
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: DPX - LTO5BFI identifier: N-603068-2
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: MOV - LTO5ProRes 422 (HQ) - BFI identifier: N-603019
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: MOV - LTO5ProRes 422 (HQ) - BFI identifier: N-603019-2
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: MP4 - LTO5MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-603043
Status: Viewing - Digital file can be accessed on request
Description: MP4 - LTO5MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-603043-2
Status: Viewing - Digital file can be accessed on request
Description: MP4BFI identifier: N-640712
Status: Viewing - Digital file is accessible to view within BFI
Video materials(3)
Description: Digital BetacamDuration: 0.54 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-1198008
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Description: VHS cassetteLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-1198009
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Description: Digital BetacamDuration: 01.00 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: N-464610
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Film materials(3)
Description: 35mm BW PositiveBase: NitrateSound: SilentLength: 50 FeetStock date: 1900BFI identifier: C-825069
Status: On loan - Restricted access to film on loan to BFI
Description: 35mm BW PositiveBase: PolyesterSound: SilentLength: 44 FeetBFI identifier: C-949348
Status: Viewing - Location of material is under review (servicing required)
Description: 35mm Dupe NegativeBase: PolyesterSound: SilentLength: 44 FeetStock date: 1997BFI identifier: C-949347
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved film
Date: 1897 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirector: G.A. Smith
Shotlist: COMEDY. A courting couple are filmed by X-rays. A man and a woman are spooning on a bench. A man with a large camera marked X RAYS stands beside them, points his camera at the couple and takes off the lens cap (18). The couple are turned into skeletons (black bodystocking for the man with bones painted in white, the woman wearing a black dress with the bones painted in white), with the woman's umbrella becoming just a bare frame, while they continue to court. The camera man puts the lens cap back on (30). The couple return to full dress, as the camera man retreats. The woman protests at the man's attentions and leaves, leaving the man seated and pulling faces (46ft). Note: The Prestwich catalogue for 1898 describes the film as follows: "The Professor turns his apparatus upon the lovers and makes a startling revelation. Very surprising and amusing. 54 feet". The G.A. Smith cash books record the film as being made in October 1897. X-rays, or Roentgen rays, were discovered in 1895. Refs: John Barnes, The Rise of the Cinema in Great Britain, pp. 91, 93, 95, 209, 235.
Genres: Comedy, Science Fiction, Trick film
Subjects: Radiography, Courtship
Releases
Date: 1897not specifiedRelease type: unknownFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SilentRuntime: 0 mins 46 secs - Length: 46 Feet
Date: 2017Country: United KingdomRelease type: InternetFormat: not specified - Black and White - SilentRuntime: 0 mins Distributor: BFIPlayer
Credits
(2)
Production Company: G.A. Smith
Cast
(2)
Tom Green, Laura BayleyFilm, Video or Digital materials held in BFI National Archive(16)
Accessible materials to view(8)
Description: 35mm BW PositiveBase: PolyesterSound: SilentLength: 44 FeetBFI identifier: C-949348
Status: Viewing - Location of material is under review (servicing required)
Description: Digital BetacamDuration: 0.54 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-1198008
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Description: VHS cassetteLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-1198009
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Description: MP4MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-401190
Status: Viewing - Digital file is accessible to view within BFI
Description: Digital BetacamDuration: 01.00 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: N-464610
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Description: MP4 - LTO5MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-603043
Status: Viewing - Digital file can be accessed on request
Description: MP4 - LTO5MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-603043-2
Status: Viewing - Digital file can be accessed on request
Description: MP4BFI identifier: N-640712
Status: Viewing - Digital file is accessible to view within BFI
Digital materials(10)
Description: 50I - LTO5Duration: 00:01:36 minutesD10 - BFI identifier: N-401189
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: 50I - LTO5Duration: 00:01:36 minutesD10 - BFI identifier: N-401189-2
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: MP4MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-401190
Status: Viewing - Digital file is accessible to view within BFI
Description: DPX - LTO5BFI identifier: N-603068
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: DPX - LTO5BFI identifier: N-603068-2
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: MOV - LTO5ProRes 422 (HQ) - BFI identifier: N-603019
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: MOV - LTO5ProRes 422 (HQ) - BFI identifier: N-603019-2
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Description: MP4 - LTO5MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-603043
Status: Viewing - Digital file can be accessed on request
Description: MP4 - LTO5MPEG-4 AVC - BFI identifier: N-603043-2
Status: Viewing - Digital file can be accessed on request
Description: MP4BFI identifier: N-640712
Status: Viewing - Digital file is accessible to view within BFI
Video materials(3)
Description: Digital BetacamDuration: 0.54 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-1198008
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Description: VHS cassetteLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-1198009
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Description: Digital BetacamDuration: 01.00 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: N-464610
Status: Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access
Film materials(3)
Description: 35mm BW PositiveBase: NitrateSound: SilentLength: 50 FeetStock date: 1900BFI identifier: C-825069
Status: On loan - Restricted access to film on loan to BFI
Description: 35mm BW PositiveBase: PolyesterSound: SilentLength: 44 FeetBFI identifier: C-949348
Status: Viewing - Location of material is under review (servicing required)
Description: 35mm Dupe NegativeBase: PolyesterSound: SilentLength: 44 FeetStock date: 1997BFI identifier: C-949347
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved film