The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots is an 18 second short film depicting exactly what its title says. There is no real story, and beside what the title tells us, we have no further context. Also, the actual swinging of the axe is curiously slow.
Still, this is the first known film to use a special effect, namely a cut where the person of Mary is replaced by a mannequin, and it also may be the first film to use trained actors.
The actual special effect, while visible, is not that bad. If the legend is to be believed, some audience members even thought that the film depicted an actual beheading.
18 seconds is not much to see one of the pioneering works in cinema history.
Still, this is the first known film to use a special effect, namely a cut where the person of Mary is replaced by a mannequin, and it also may be the first film to use trained actors.
The actual special effect, while visible, is not that bad. If the legend is to be believed, some audience members even thought that the film depicted an actual beheading.
18 seconds is not much to see one of the pioneering works in cinema history.