Pferd und Reiter Springen über ein Hindernis (1888) FULL VIDEO

 

 

Pferd und Reiter Springen über ein Hindernis (1888)

Release Date: May 31, 1888

Country of Origin: Germany

Pferd und Reiter Springen Über ein Hindernis is a German silent short film produced in 1888 by the inventor , photographer , and chronophotographer Ottomar Anschütz , and is one of the oldest known films. Its German title , when translated into Portuguese , means "Horse and rider jumping over an obstacle ."

It shows a horse jumping over an obstacle. It is a scientific film made for the Prussian army , with the aim of helping its soldiers improve their riding technique .

Directed by Ottomar Anschütz, the 1888 film Pferd und Reiter springen über ein Hindernis (Horse and Rider Jumping Over an Obstacle) is a cornerstone of proto-cinema. Its trailblazing achievements center on technical precision, the birth of the "loop" format, and early commercialization of moving images. 

Its primary achievements include:

Pioneering "Loop" Motion: The film was designed for the Electrotachyscope (or Schnellseher), a device that used a rotating disc to display 24 chronophotographic images. This created a repetitive, short-duration loop (lasting 1–3 seconds), establishing the loop as a foundational mode of visual entertainment before linear narrative film existed.

Superior Image Quality: Unlike contemporary Eadweard Muybridge, who often used silhouettes, Anschütz achieved high-quality, sharp photographic detail. This was due to his use of a Geissler tube, an intermittent light source that flashed to illuminate the photos as they passed, eliminating the blur of continuous motion.

Scientific and Military Utility: Produced on behalf of the Prussian War Ministry, the film served as a scientific tool to help soldiers analyze and improve horseback riding techniques.

Commercialization of Moving Images: Anschütz was one of the first to recognize the entertainment value of chronophotography. By the late 1880s and early 1890s, his devices were being mass-produced and exhibited to paying audiences, marking a crucial step in the transition from private scientific study to public cinema.

Influence on Future Filmmakers: The film's subject matter and presentation influenced later pioneers; scenes from Anschütz's studies are believed to have inspired early works by the Lumière brothers and Georges Méliès.