At the beginning of the 20th century, cinema was still in its infancy, and its ability to capture real life was limited. Film tape lacked sensitivity, meaning shooting was almost only possible outdoors in bright light. Moreover, there was no clear understanding of how to depict historical events in film.

During this period, the reconstruction of historical events became a popular genre, but these "recreations" often did not align with actual facts, being fabricated or exaggerated instead. This trend arose due to several reasons: technical limitations, the desire to satisfy public demand for spectacles and interest in current events, and the influence of theatrical aesthetics characteristic of early filmmakers.

It’s no surprise that among those who portrayed historical events, we find the names of individuals famous for their staged films, such as Georges Méliès.

Today, through the example of three films—"The Coronation of Edward VII" (1902), "Naval Combat in Greece" (1897) by Georges Méliès, and "Attack on a Chinese Mission" (1900) by James Williamson—I will explain why reconstructions of events replaced documentary filming at that time and how society perceived such works.

"Naval Combat in Greece"

The Greco-Turkish War of 1897, also known as the "Thirty Days' War," was a brief conflict between Greece and the Ottoman Empire. It arose from disputes over the island of Crete, where Greeks sought unification with Greece, while the Ottomans tried to maintain control. Despite desperate resistance, the Greek army suffered defeat due to poor preparation and outdated technology.

The war resulted in Crete gaining autonomy under international control and Greece being obliged to pay reparations to the Ottoman Empire. This conflict was a significant step in Greece's struggle for reunification of lands inhabited by Greeks.

Mass media at the time could quickly inform the European public, but there was a challenge: correspondents had to be on-site to cover events, and Greece was on the periphery of European interests, making travel to the war zone lengthy. It was even more difficult to imagine a cinematographer arriving in time to the battlefield.

The public, however, eagerly wanted to see the war’s current events. A whole generation had grown up since the last major war in Europe (the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871), for whom war outside the colonies was a novelty.

"Naval Combat in Greece" (1897) by Georges Méliès is a short silent film inspired by the events of the Greco-Turkish War of 1897. Neither the general public nor Méliès himself knew precisely what Greek sailors and ships looked like. Thus, both the plot and the visuals were entirely the author’s imagination.

Méliès created an innovative moving platform for the scenery that simulated a ship's rocking, a technical novelty at the time. The film’s plot involved a battle alert and firing by a Greek ship.

Although there were no significant naval battles in this war, the film demonstrates the director's inventiveness in staging and using special effects, such as simulated cannon explosions. It is a vivid example of early cinema combining real events with fantasy.

"Attack on a Chinese Mission"

The film "Attack on a Chinese Mission" (1900) by James Williamson is one of the first films that attempted to depict contemporary conflicts using dramatic editing techniques.

Its plot unfolds in China during the Boxer Rebellion. The film is based on real events widely covered by the press of the time. The uniqueness of the conflict lay in the fact that united forces from Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Russia, Japan, Italy, and Austria-Hungary opposed Chinese rebels, secretly supported by their government. Thus, these events were prominently featured in newspapers worldwide.

This two-minute silent film portrays the defense of a religious mission attacked by Chinese rebels. It shows sailors coming to the aid of a missionary's wife after he is killed during the rebellion. The film uses varied camera angles and features at least 20 performers, whereas most dramatic films of the time had minimal casts. Visual effects of shooting and explosions added to the drama and tension.

The film was shot in an abandoned house in Hove, England, creating the atmosphere of a mission, complete with signs in both Chinese and English. Despite its short runtime and primitive technical means, the film leaves a strong impression, reflecting Williamson’s innovative approach to cinema, particularly his attention to realism and dynamic action.

The director was inspired by Georges Méliès' "The Dreyfus Affair" (1899), which contained about 11 scenes.

This film is an example of early war cinema that paved the way for subsequent historical and dramatic films, illustrating how cinema was used to document and popularize global events of the time.

"The Coronation of Edward VII"

The coronation of Edward VII was a significant event in British history, held on August 9, 1902, at Westminster Abbey. Initially planned for June, it was postponed due to the king’s appendicitis, which required urgent surgery—still a risky procedure at the time.

The ceremony marked the beginning of Edward VII’s reign after over half a century of Queen Victoria’s rule. The event included traditional religious and monarchical rituals attended by royal family members and high-ranking officials. Queen Alexandra was crowned alongside her husband.

The filming of the reconstruction "The Coronation of Edward VII" was a remarkable achievement by Georges Méliès, one of cinema's pioneers. The film aimed to depict the main moments of the ceremony, which lasted several hours, in a compact six-minute format.

Cinema at the time was made very slowly, so Méliès, together with producer Charles Urban, decided to surprise the world. Edward VII was to rule the largest, most powerful, and most developed country in the world, so the filmmakers planned the film’s premiere for the day of the coronation. This meant shooting had to be completed well in advance.

Every aspect of this project was grand for its time. Preparation and research, unlike in "Naval Combat in Greece", were thorough: the producer gathered descriptions of rituals, photographs of Westminster Abbey, and instructions for accurately recreating the event.

Méliès also developed elaborate trompe-l'œil decorations to depict the abbey. Trompe-l'œil is an artistic technique that uses realistic imagery to create the illusion of three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface. This technique was popular during the Renaissance and Baroque periods and remains in use in modern interior design and street art.

The decorations, too large for indoor filming, were assembled outdoors in Méliès’ garden.

The film stood out for its attention to detail; about 40 actors were carefully selected for their resemblance to real-life figures. The roles of the king and queen were played by a laundromat worker and an actress from the Châtelet Theatre, respectively. To achieve maximum realism, Méliès created crowns, thrones, and furniture, later reused in other films.

Filming and editing were also innovative. Two versions of the film were made—a novelty at the time—for British and American audiences, with different final scenes tailored to each market’s expectations. The shooting included the use of special equipment for maximum detail.

Urban also recorded real footage of the arrival and departure of the royal cortege, which was integrated into the film for authenticity.

The film premiered on the coronation day, August 9, 1902, at London’s Alhambra Theatre. It was a great success, despite being labeled a reconstruction rather than genuine footage. Interestingly, within decades, many began to perceive this film as actual historical footage.

This film is an important example of how early cinema used artistic techniques to recreate major historical events.

Reconstruction films such as James Williamson’s "Attack on a Chinese Mission" or Georges Méliès' "The Coronation of Edward VII" (but not "Naval Combat in Greece") demonstrate how cinema used artistic techniques to recreate key events of the present or past. These films combined dramatization, technical innovation, and historical context, engaging audiences with “living history.” Despite criticism for their theatricality, these films represent an important stage in the evolution of cinema as a mass art form.

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Presentation

However, within a few years, true newsreels were being actively filmed worldwide, including in Ukraine during the Ukrainian Revolution. If you wish to see such footage on the big screen, we invite you to the presentation of the 1917 film "Ukrainian Movement." This unique documentary, featuring Mykhailo Hrushevskyi, Volodymyr Vynnychenko, and other notable figures, is one of the few surviving cinematic records of that era. Stored at the Central State Digital Archive, the film underwent extensive copying, which degraded the image quality. Our team has restored it using 4K and AI technologies.

You can see the restored film and learn about the restoration process at the presentation on November 26 at 6:00 PM in the Blue Hall of the House of Cinema in Kyiv.