Just perfect...

From my favorite movies..

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Considering we were in the birth of the cinema, this does a decent job of portraying at least part of the classic poem. It begins with Santa preparing, getting the reindeer ready, and finishing a couple toys. Cut to a big multi-generational family, getting the kids ready, stockings hung, kids in bed, and so on. The kids have a nurse so they must be wealthy. When a little guy stirs them up, a pillow fight ensues, quite a dramatic effect. The plot can't get any more simple, but it showed off the technology of the time.

"The Night Before Christmas" is probably a title that is known to many and actually even back in 1905, so over 110 years ago, this already existed in film. The director is Edwin S. Porter and he brought Clement Moore's poem to the screen here. of course, it is a bit tough looking at how this is a silent film and they could not recite the poem audibly, but this is not a major problem here. I did not really care for the scenes of the kids playing on the bed for example, but it was all about the moments during which we see Santa and also his reindeer occasionally. I think this can be a really good watch during the holidays. Certainly worth checking out again when the snow falls. I give it a thumbs up, 11 minutes worth seeing.

What a delightful nostalgic gem from Christmas past. I could just feel the excitement and wonderment this film would have brought to audiences of 1905, especially the children. This Edwin S. Porter directed film for the Edison Manufactoring Company is very well done for it's time and follows the poem, Twas The Night Before Christmas nicely. With appealing scenes of Santa feeding his reindeer, making toys in his work shop and looking over his who's been naughty and nice list, these enchanting scenes further the magical story. We also see a family, with the children anticipating the arrival of Christmas morning too excited for sleep, having a pillow fight in their beds. For antique toy collectors this film is for you, as Santa leaves a wonderful assortment of beautiful toys, and he even provides the Christmas tree !!. Whoever played Santa was a perfect choice, he looks like the Santa from the old postcards of the time and he charms all the more with a terrific close-up wishing all a Merry Christmas to close the film. I really appreciated watching this purely enjoyable very early silent film, that still captures the imagination. There are several postings of this film on YouTube, watch and be delighted.

'Twas THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...The wonderful old poem by Clement C. Moore comes to life in this little silent film. Looking like a Victorian Christmas card, it has all the charm of a bygone era. The special effects, especially the scenic diorama used for St. Nicholas' ride, are quite effective.Al Kryszak provided the score for the video compilation A Christmas Past, in which this film appears.