Dream of a Rarebit Fiend
A live-action film adaptation of the comic strip Dream of the Rarebit Fiend by American cartoonist Winsor McCay. This silent short film follows the established theme: the “Rarebit Fiend” gorges himself on rarebit and thus suffers spectacular hallucinatory dreams.
From the archive
Our far gone friend is about to have a very strange evening indeed. Based on the comic strip of the same name by Winsor McKay. This was the Edison Company's most popular film release in 1906. Between 1903 and 1905 Edwin Stanton Porter successfully demonstrated most of the techniques that were to become the basic modes of visual communication through film. For instance he helped to develop the modern concept of continuity editing, and is often credited with discovering that the basic unit of structure in film was the shot rather than the scene, paving the way for D. W. Griffith's advances in editing and screen storytelling. Porter also directed The Great Train Robbery in 1903, considered a milestone in film making. Directors: Wallace McCutcheon, Edwin S. Porter Writer: Winsor McCay (comic strip) Stars: Jack Brawn Producer: Edison Company 1906 The Carport Theatre has taken this silent classic and added period music and audio effects
Why this is free to watch
Dream of a Rarebit Fiend (1906) is hosted by the Internet Archive as a public-domain or openly licensed work, which means its copyright has expired, lapsed, or was released by the rights holder. The uploader declared an explicit licence, linked in the source panel. Nitrate streams the file directly from the Archive and hosts no video itself.
- Director
- Edwin S. Porter
- Starring
- John P. Brawn
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