The fourth of five films restored by La Cineteca del Friuli and presented in the online part of the 40th Pordenone Silent Film Festival, "The Spider and the Fly" is an incomplete Italian stop-motion-animated film from 1913. Basically, it's just a spider chasing a flightless fly around a room via the trick effects. As far as bug-based stop-motion animation goes, I prefer the reflexive "The Cameraman's Revenge" (1912), but this Milano Film production has its charm, as well. As opposed to the other prints presented, there's considerable decomposition in this one. Also of note is that, at least for a frame, the animator's hand may be spotted in arranging the fly and spider. I wonder whether that was intentional or not, as the hand of the animator would and continues to have a long history in reflexive animated filmmaking.
