Poor Pierrot (1892) User Reviews (21)

Colourful, charming curio

[ackstasis · 7/10 · 28 November 2010]

J. Stuart Blackton's 'Humorous Phases of Funny Faces (1906)' is generally held as the first animated film. Indeed, it was the first animated film made on motion-picture film, but such history is nevertheless unfair to Émile Reynaud, who, fourteen years earlier, was projecting moving animated images to delighted audiences. 'Pauvre Pierrot (1892)' is one of the director's few surviving works (most were, in a fit of frustration, discarded into the Seine by the director himself), and such a colourful and charming curio remains a delight to behold.

Reynaud animated each frame himself – 500 in total (36 metres long) – and extended the film to 12-15 minutes by personally manipulating the picture-bands during the projection. The story told is a simple one: Pierrot and Arlequin compete for the romantic attention of Colombine, a beautiful maiden. One potential suitor attempts to charm the good lady with a lute performance, but his competitor goes one better with a baton or sword of some sort.

Reynaud's moving picture show, billed as "Théâtre Optique" or "Pantomimes Lumineuses," included a triple-bill of three films: 'Pauvre Pierrot,' 'Un bon bock (1892),' and 'Le Clown et ses chiens (1892).' One contemporary newspaper reported that Reynaud "creates characters with expressions and movements so perfect that they give the complete illusion of life." The show was initially a great success, but, in 1918, Reynaud died a poor man. His delicate work, prone to rapid degradation, could not compete with the Lumière brothers' cinematograph, which depicted real-life, and not merely an animated approximation.

A Minor Miracle

[JoeytheBrit · 6/10 · 18 July 2010]

This might be fairly basic animation compared to today's 3D computer-generated spectaculars, but it is in its own way just as remarkable. Emile Reynaud developed many marvels like this, and operated some rather tricky mechanism to screen it. Sadly, Reynaud was not only something of a perfectionist who personally hand-painted every image of every film, he also only trusted himself to operate the screenings. and therefore stretched himself a little too far. He was hugely successful before the advent of movies, but was incapable of progressing and stands as a singular warning of the fate that befalls any business that fails to adapt to a changing market. The film has historical importance, and as a bitter and impoverished Reynaud destroyed most of his films years after the film industry had made his shows obsolete, it's something of a minor miracle that it still exists today.

The First Animated Film Ever

[diogohenrivintem · 7/10 · 31 March 2016]

It is said that Pauvre Pierrot (1892) was the first animated film ever (it was presented with Le Clown et ses chiens (1892) and Un bon bock (1892)). Was exhibited in October 1892 when Charles-Émile Reynaud opened his Théâtre Optique at the Musée Grévin. It is probably the first usage of film perforations. Pauvre Pierrot originally consisted of 500 individually painted images, which originally was 15 minutes long, but the 1996 restoration made it 4 minutes long.

The story is about Harlequin (best-known of the zanni or comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell'arte), Colombina (a stock character in the Commedia dell'Arte, she is Harlequin's mistress, a comic servant playing the tricky slave type and wife of Pierrot) and Pierrot (is a stock character of pantomime and Commedia dell'Arte). It is a comedy, though nowadays it isn't that funny, in its time it must have been one of the funniest things that existed. I wish I was there when it happened.

Historically significant, artistically negligible.

[F Gwynplaine MacIntyre · 13 May 2007]

Charles-Émile Reynaud deserves credit as the inventor of the animated cartoon. Unfortunately, he was a poor businessman, and his artistic innovations outstripped the technical hardware which he invented to exhibit them. Reynaud died penniless in a Val-de-Marne hospice. A few years before he died, embittered, he took most of his animated films -- too deteriorated to be restored yet again -- and flung them off Pont Saint-Michel into the Seine. I am reluctant to describe any movie as 'lost' unless it was deliberately destroyed, since many early films which some expert described as 'lost forever' have returned from the dead. Sadly, it does appear that the most of the cartoons drawn and produced by Reynaud -- each running 15 minutes or less -- are, indeed, lost.

Reynaud's first innovation was to adapt the zoetrope -- basically a toy -- into the more sophisticated praxinoscope. This placed a series of drawings on the inside of a cylinder, with a mirror at the centre. As the cylinder revolved, an onlooker -- viewing the mirror through a slit -- would see the drawings as a continuous moving image, courtesy of the same optical illusion (persistence of vision) now exploited by modern films. But the length of the 'story' told by a praxinoscope was limited to the number of images which could be displayed within the cylinder's finite diameter. Usually, a praxinoscope's drawings depicted a single event happening over and over (with each circuit of the cylinder).

Reynaud's next innovation was to devise a much longer filmstrip, which -- with sprocket holes -- could be fed into and out of the praxinoscope so as to display a much longer sequence of images. A dedicated artist, Reynaud painted his drawings in bright elaborate colours, and affixed them to the transparent filmstrip via a flexible clear gelatin. Unfortunately, Reynaud's technical innovations did not allow for the permanence of his art. As the gelatin aged, it hardened and cracked while turning opaque. The heat of his projection lamp corrupted the delicate colours of his images. The sprocket holes tore easily. The very act of projecting his filmstrips contributed to their destruction. This seems to have been the single greatest reason for Reynaud's commercial failure: the tremendous amount of labour, time and money expended on creating one of his filmstrips could not be recouped in the very small number of projections (for paying audiences) which it would sustain before deteriorating.

'Poor Pierrot', running slightly less than 15 minutes, is a fairly conventional harlequinade. In a garden lit by a crescent moon, the rivals Pierrot and Harlequin vie for the love of the fair Columbine. Harlequin has a baton, which he uses to frighten Pierrot and chase him away. End of story.

The great appeal of Reynaud's films was in their novelty (which nowadays can only be estimated) and their visual beauty (for which we have little surviving evidence) rather than in their (necessarily) extremely simple stories. Consequently, I shan't hazard a guess as to a quantified rating of his films' worthiness. Instead of rating 'Poor Pierrot' on a scale of one to 10, I'll lament the deterioration of Reynaud's films and his final embittered act of destroying most of their surviving remnants. Better grease up the time machine, set it for 1910, and rescue those strips which Reynaud threw from the Saint Michel Bridge.

pretty + important

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 5 December 2016]

Cute and strange; oh, and it's the first animated thing put to film... ever. Impressive for that alone, AND it has a story! It may not be too deep, and may be a little confusing (what's with the guy that comes out of nowhere and steals the guy's ukulele or whatever it is, is he a ghost?) But it does have a beginning, middle and sort of an end, maybe, arguably. For what this french animator was able to accomplish - and did I mention in COLOR no less - and for the simple fact that this is one of the major accomplishments of that century, to get something with images moving, albeit jerkily, I say you should check out all four minutes on YouTube or wherever silent film shorts are sold.

Animation I'd never have guessed from before 1900

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 4 September 2013]

If I had watched this short movie, I'd never have thought that it comes from the year 1892. I've seen way worse animation from 75 years later. It's just so different than everything else that was shot before it. It's considerably longer and people must have reacted with surprise when they held a colorful drawing in their hands and then they see something quite similar moving and telling a story.

All the characters are nicely animated, especially their dresses, gestures and face expressions. It's the funny story of a girl between two men. The fact that they all look a lot like ghosts was possibly not intended, but fits the whole moonlight setting nicely. Which is the right one for her? Go see for yourself.

Pauvre Pierrot holds the significant title of being the world's first animated cartoon (well, thought to be anyway...).

[TheMovieDiorama · 6/10 · 3 July 2019]

History lesson time! Back when films were viewed as magical gimmicks rather than an art form, inventor Reynaud made advancements on the standard zoetrope that children would be hypnotised by, and patented the praxinoscope. The difference? The ability to give further dimensions to the strips that are used to project a flowing film. And that's where Pauvre Pierrot comes in (roughly translated as "Poor Pete"), part one of three short stories that combined to produce Reynaud's 'Pantomimes Lumineuses'. Whilst the other two are considered lost, this third has had four minutes restored from its original fifteen minute runtime. And much to my surprise, it's just as viewable now as it was back in 1892.

The straightforward plot consists of a man teasing another man to scare him away from a woman he was trying to woo. The limited fluidity resulted in the story being as clunky as various frame transitions (occasionally pausing on every third strip), but for such an experimental ancient silent film, the story isn't exactly at the forefront. It's the innovation, and Reynaud was an innovator through and through. Just by staring at the detailed drawings that are able to exude featured facial expressions, you get a sense of commitment from Reynaud. The lack of narrative interest is seemingly masked by the grandeur of this static backdrop, and it's still stupendously amazing to watch today. Will I remember it next week? Most likely not. However it's imperative to appreciate the milestones that paved the way for films today, and Pauvre Pierrot is a technical achievement.

A simple, yet important classic

[eric-branan · 8/10 · 15 June 2013]

Charles Emile Reynaud is often given little credit for his pioneering of the Animation genre. For Shame! The first animated film to be projected, "Pauvre Pierrot" (In English, "Poor Pete"), is a simple, yet important classic, in the fact that not only is it the first animated film ever made, it is also one of the first films in history to have an actual story featured in it.

The plot, while simple, is noted because it can actually relate to modern times. Pete, the main character, is obviously in love with Colombine, an evidently pretty girl. He brings her flowers and even sings for her. However, her current lover, Arlequin, isn't too keen to that idea. He deviously scares Pete away, taking his drink as well. Unrequited love does hurt, and to me, it's apparent that Pete didn't know Colombine was in a relationship, which keeps Pete from being the villain here. Still, the simple and timeless message is that unrequited love hurts, but it's important than you move on.

While it may only be five minutes, "Pauvre Pierrot" is a timeless classic, and should be given much more credit, along with it's amazing creator, Charles Emile Reynaud.

Oldest available cartoon

[vukelic-stjepan · 5/10 · 26 July 2016]

Like I said in title of this review, this seems to be oldest available cartoon now. We have one which is older but it is lost film (Le Clown et ses chiens). This film was a part of Pantomimes Lumineuses which consist three movies created by Charles-Émile Reynaud. Film probably doesn't deserve this rate, but I increase my rate because of funny music. Sad thing is that inventor of animated movie die penniless, like many other inventors in history. And second sad thing is that before he dies, he throw away all of his work into river and that is a reason that 2 of 3 his movies from Pantomimes Lumineuses are considered as lost films.

Charming, fascinating immediate predecessor to the animated cartoon film

[des-47 · 8/10 · 20 October 2013]

It's cheating a little to list this as a film as strictly speaking it's not one, though its maker Émile Reynaud pushed pre-cinema technology as far as it could go to achieve an experience practically indistinguishable from that of watching a theatrical presentation of an animated cartoon film. His Théâtre Optique featured his Praxinoscope, a radical development of old-established animation toys like the Zoetrope. This used rotating faceted mirrors and lenses that could project a succession of hand-drawn images from a paper strip with sprocket holes, allowing much longer sequences of continuous action than the short loops hitherto used in such devices. These images were then superimposed on a static background projected from a conventional magic lantern slide, prefiguring later cel animation techniques in which the image is broken down into a succession of layers with the minimum of movement in each one. The exhibition was completed with live narration and music.

Some of Reynaud's original elements survive (others he later threw in the Seine) and their affinity with film is demonstrated by the ease with which they can be reconstructed on modern film or video. Pauvre Pierrot was the first such production and is among the most charming, a simple tale featuring the traditional characters Pierrot, Arlequin and Colombine acting out their ancient love triangle. Some reconstructions replicate the translucent, slightly ghostly quality the characters would have had at the time. Sadly Reynaud's work was overtaken by the arrival of the cinema proper and he died a poor and unhappy man.

A rather memorable pre-cinema antique, by Charles-Émile Reynaud

[1qatreh · 3/10 · 24 April 2020]

Like his other work, Autour d'une cabine, Charles-Émile Reynaud has shown us again a pre-cinema antique without any theme. But in spite of his other work, this one has a rather acceptable sketch (which one cannot call a plot yet), and also a memorable form. Although the drawings are not excellent and there are some obvious mistakes (e.g. the unacceptable perspective and bad movements of the characters), it is totally a memorable work, thanks to its praxinoscopic form.

A Landmark

[Michael_Elliott · 4 January 2017]

Pauvre Pierrot (1892)

This French film is considered one of the first animated movies ever made. From original reports it seems that the movie lasted longer than what's available in its current version but even at just four-minutes you can't help but be somewhat amazed at what great quality the film actually is. The plot is quite simple and deals with two men and a woman that they both want.

I will just leave the story at that but the main reason to watch this is for the beautiful animation. Now, it should go without saying but this movie was made in 1892 so one really shouldn't be expecting the work of Walt Disney. The film has a very fresh look to it and I must say that the colorful background is certainly the highlight.

Worth seeing just for its cultural and historical significance.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 10 February 2019]

"Pauvre Pierrot" is apparently the first animated film and you probably want to read IMDB's trivia section on how the film was made. All I know is that the copy floating about YouTube is gorgeous and looks nothing like you'd expect a film that is 127 years old!

The story is very simple...something I'd expect from 1892 since films were just invented and complex stories were still not made for several years to come. The animation is very jerky (due to a low cel count) but speeding up the film could correct this...so if you find a copy and play it on Media Player Classic (for example), you can double the speed and it would look better.

As for the story, it's very, very simple and involves the classic Commedia dell'arte character, Pierrot, moving about on the screen with a girl. Not exactly thrilling today...but remember...it was 1892 and for that time, this is a really amazing piece of art.

Magical early animation

[Rectangular_businessman · 9/10 · 12 July 2010]

This is one of the first animations ever made, and considering that it was made in 1892, is quite well made.

The story is quite too simple, which character from the Italian "Commedia dell'arte" (Harlequin, Pierrot and Colombina) but the most impressive thing about this is the technique, with may look quite too simple for this days, but it still has the magic and charm from the first film of the history of cinema.

Just like the other film from Émile Reynaud that I've seen "Autour d'une cabine", I think that every fan of animation should give a look at this, considering that this is one of the very first of his kind.

A hidden gem from the late 1800s

[Irishchatter · 8/10 · 12 April 2018]

I absolutely didn't realise this was the first animation to be created and be shown to audiences, until it was recommended by Youtube for me to give this a watch. Even if the speed wasn't on point, there was no sound or we don't hear the characters talking in this short film, it really stood out anyways! I have to say, fairplay to Émile Reynaud for creating this because like, it really is a good introduction to animation that we know today and the fact, even if it was plain and simple, it really is eye-catching plus interesting.

This little short would be good to watch if you wanna learn baby steps of early animation works or have nothing to do but wanna try to watch something new. I give this a 8/10!

It's very primitive animation by today's standards, but animation nonetheless

[Tornado_Sam · 1 May 2018]

This is a very, very, very, very impressive movie for 1892. Yes, 1892! Edison was still experimenting with his Kinetoscope in America, Etienne-Jules Marey was using his Chronophotographic Gun to shoot film experiments, and films were, like, 3 seconds! Charles-Emile Reynaud's "Pauve Pierrot" originally ran 15 minutes, is in painted color by Reynaud himself, and (drum-roll, please) is animated! 1892, and this is the first cartoon! It consists of 500 images, tells a story, and is something you'd think came much, much later than this!

That's not to say it doesn't have any flaws. It definitely does. For one thing, while this is animation, it is very, very primitive looking by today's standards. The figures' movements are jerky, and at times they don't move at all. One particularly poorly animated spot is when Colombine comes out to meet Harlequin, as well as when she opens the door for Pierrot. Also, while sometimes there is some cutting closer to the figures, we mostly view what's going on from a single vantage point. If you decide to see this, bear in mind that, while ground-breaking, the animation isn't anything like what you'd see nowadays.

It's so sad. So much of Reynaud's work is lost today. The only other available cartoon from him is "Autour d'un Cabine" from 1894. His other two cartoons, "Le Clown et ses Chiens" and "Un Bon Bock" were both thrown into the Seine by Reynaud himself. Luckily, he spared these two movies so they could be seen and appreciated today.

First Animated Film

[ronin-88 · 8/10 · 18 February 2022]

Pauvre Pierrot, directed by Charles-Émile Reynaud, is one of the first animated films ever made. It is made up of 500 individually painted images and originally lasted about 15 minutes. The version available to today is a 4 minute version, restored from pieces of the original.

It's a simple story of a woman with two men wooing her, one she cares for, and the other which is somewhat a nuisance to her, even if he is sincere. To achieve his effects, Reynaud invented his Théâtre-Optique system which was basically a zoetrope with a projector. The images showed successive images of moving figures in front of blackbackgrounds. These images could be adjusted in real-time to project tthe animated characters against an immobile background image which was being projected by a second projector from a painted glass plate.

At times the show was quite elaborate. Original music and songs were written for the show, played by an piano accompanyist and sung by an actor. Reynaud performed 12,800 shows from 1892 to 1900. Commercially successful for a time, the popularity of these shows were eventually overtaken by the projected camera live action films of the Lumières and others.

A birth, a hoax and history

[patrickfilbeck · 10/10 · 28 October 2022]

Émile Reynaud's third animated film is the oldest preserved animated film in film history. Un bon bock & Clown et ses chiens fell victim to the inventor and artist's disappointment at the oblivion of his Théâtre Optique, though at least a few images of the former have survived.

In Pauvret Pierrot, Reynaud tells a short story of the trickster, but ultimately successful in his scheme, of minstrelsy, superstition, and fear, and he does so in a comedic style of classical storytelling. In a single scene, Pierrot has three acting characters dance across the screen, amusing and shocking his audience.

The work is not only a piece of history, but also a work that stands on its own, meant to be viewed in the splendor of its time, the Théâtre Optique, the beauty of the cosmopolitan city of Paris at the time, and the burgeoning entertainment wonders of modern technology, and it is then that all of its beauty comes to the fore. This brief (surviving) birth of the animated film is a small masterpiece in itself, a trailblazer, a beautiful work of entertainment art and a nostalgic-romantic, a tongue-in-cheek look at two times gone by at once, on three different levels. A look that motivates a smile on the face. A funny hoax that made history.

beautifully colored

[heikkiloytynoja · 8/10 · 19 April 2017]

everything is said the history of this film. I myself was amazed about the colors and the drawing; it is so delicate and fragile. if the speed is clumsy, it is not adequate to comping to future animation films. I thin this film was something that people who saw it back 1900s found it fresh and invigorating.

Interesting

[catpantry · 10/10 · 31 January 2020]

They zoom in on her mouth as she stands at the closed door. She doesn't even have to knock (at least that's what i noticed) the guy opens the door for her with out knowing. There must of been something with thoes two. Because when she arrived at the door, the man stood up staring in that direction with the tired look of not wanting anything in life. He opened the door, she saw him, he saw her, and she walked away.

First Animation with a Plot

[view_and_review · 8/10 · 5 September 2022]

Pauvre Pierrot (aka Poor Pete) is an 1892 French short animated film directed by Émile Reynaud. It consists of 500 individually painted images and lasts about fifteen minutes originally. What can be viewed on YouTube is a four minute silent film of a woman with two suitors, one who keeps himself hidden and one who openly serenades her. The hidden suitor, called Harlequin, succeeds in scaring away the other suitor, Pierrot.

It is one of the first animated films ever made, and alongside Un bon bock. Animations before 1892 were of the zoetrope or praxinoscope type (which was invented by Reynaud).