Perilous Ascent of the Zinal-Rothorn
The ascent of the Zinalrothorn filmed by Frederick Burlingham in September 1916. Burlingham, known at the time as 'The man who kinematographed the Matterhorn', was a traveller, cinematographer, and one of the mountain film pioneers. Continuing the mountain film tradition established by Ormiston-Smith, Burlingham filmed several mountaineering films largely in Switzerland, taking mountain film in a new direction of immediacy and perceived peril. In the early history of factual filmmaking, Burlingham played a substantial role in developing the related genres of the mountaineering and the exploration film.
Facing Death on the Blumlisalp
...where the whole expedition, by the breaking of an ice cornice on the summit, escaped death by a hair's breadth. The miraculous escape is recorded on the screen.
Ascent of the Matterhorn
Released in 1923, produced by Frederick Burlingham.
Chamonix - La Mer de glace. Montée
Four roped men jump a crevasse and ascend through the seracs of the Mer de Glace using long ice axes. The shot belongs to a collection of scenes that were presented together as a kind of travelogue film under the title of 'Voyages animés' in a diorama pavilion in the Universal Exhibition of Paris of 1900. The mountaineering scenes in this series include four scenes in the Mer de Glace and one in the Meije glacier. These five scenes, under a minute long, are the first mountaineering images ever filmed. Several of the 'Voyages animés' scenes were included in the Lumière catalog in 1901 under the title of 'À travers la France'.
Scaling the Jungfrau
A record of the ascent of the Jungfrau by Frederick Burlingham accompanied by four mountain guides. The film starts with panoramics of the Eiger North Face from Kleine Scheidegg. The party begin the climb from the Jungfraujoch Station crossing the Jungfrau Firn and reaching the summit of the Jungfrau by the steep Roththal Sattel. Frederick Burlingham was a traveller cinematographer and one of the mountain film pioneers. Continuing the mountain film tradition established by Ormiston-Smith, Burlingham filmed several mountaineering films largely in Switzerland, taking mountain film in a new direction of immediacy and perceived peril. In the early history of factual filmmaking, Burlingham played a substantial role in developing the related genres of the mountaineering and the exploration film.
Ascent and Descent of the Dolomite Towers
Frank Ormiston-Smith, the pioneer mountaineering photograher and filmmaker, filmed in 1906 the ascent to several towers in the Cinque Torri area in the Dolomites, acomppanied by Bortolo Barbaria, Baldessare Verzi and Damiano Dibona, three well-known Ampezzo mountain guides. Among others, the team ascended Torri Inglese, and placed the camera on top of some of the towers by pulling it with a rope. The film, produced by the Urban Trading Company, was presented at the Alhambra Theater in London in November 1906. Ormiston-Smith is considered the father of mountain cinema. In 1902 he filmed the first major mountain film shown widely in cinemas: "The Ascent of Mont Blanc". The success of his films encouraged the production of alpine films in which mountaineering feats were shown, and inspired other pioneer filmmakers.
Winter Sports: Ski Jumping at Grindelwald
This exciting and somewhat dangerous sport has attained a popularity at all the Swiss winter resorts that is really remarkable. The film depicts in a most striking way large numbers of Ski jumpers in rapid succession taking most dangerous leaps, and while many of them on alighting on the snow manage to retain an upright position, others come rolling and tumbling over right up to the camera.
A Mountaineering Memory
A scenic documentary record of a climb up to Mount Assiniboine, the 'American Matterhorn' in the Canadian Rockies.
Scrambles in the High Alps
Documentary on mountain climbing in the Swiss and Italian Alps.
Railway Panorama from Se En to Man Pwe
1907, cinematography by Frank Ormiston-Smith.
Alpine Vistas from the Zugspitze
Austria and the Alps is the title of a 18 minutes travelogue by Burton Holmes produced to be distributed by the Paramount. The travelogue consisted of several segments showing different picturesque aspects of Austria. In this segment, amateur and professional mountain climbers climb the Zugspitze (2.962 meters), the highest mountain in Germany, at the Austrian border. Other segments of the film were 'Up to date alpinism' (showing the cable car up to Rax Alp, near Vienna), or 'Picturesque Salzburg' (showing a collection of city scenes).
The Matterhorn from the Viège-Zermatt Railway
1907, cinematography by Frank Ormiston-Smith.
Panorama of Sarnen See
1901, cinematography by Frank Ormiston-Smith
The Arlberg Railway
1906, produced by Charles Urban, cinematography by Frank Ormiston-Smith.
Climbing the Jungfrau
Released in 1915, cinematography by Frank Ormiston-Smith.
On the Meron Esplanade
1906, cinematography by Frank Ormiston-Smith
Railway Panorama: Jaffa to Jerusalem
1907, cinematography by Frank Ormiston-Smith.
Logging in Norway
1909, cinematography by Frank Ormiston-Smith.
The American Tourist on the Alps
Showing lady and gentleman climbers with guides negotiating difficult situations until finally their progress is stopped by a cow in their path which puts them all to flight.
Winter Sports: Swiss Snow Sports
A great variety of the Swiss snow sports are here shown. Commencing with toboganning round a steep circular descent, and next in increasing numbers down a precipitous incline, ladies and gentlemen in singles and pairs, several carrying flags and other trophies as they whisk merrily past. Still toboganning at high speed, they next engage in many games-grab apple, tilting at the ring, cleaving the champagne bottle, &c., and in these the lady competitors, who are numerous, show up to great advantage. In the final bout, where mixed couples come down together and "dump" into a huge snow heap at great velocity, the fun is brought to a climax.