In the Grip of the Blizzard

1899
5.7| 0h2m| en| More Info
Released: 20 May 1899 Released
Producted By: American Mutoscope & Biograph
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Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

"This is a very remarkable picture, showing Union Square, New York City, during the great March blizzard of 1899. The camera was stationed at the corner of Broadway and Fourteenth Street, and was swept in almost a complete circle, showing the tremendous drifts of snow and the blockade at 'Dead Man's Curve' in Fourteenth Street. This picture was taken during the busiest time of the day, and shows to what extent New York City was tied up by this tremendous fall of snow." (AMB Picture Catalogue (1902)

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Reviews

Steinesongo Too many fans seem to be blown away
Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.
Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
Sammy-Jo Cervantes There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.
Michael_Elliott In the Grip of the Blizzard (1899)A lot of times people question why I watch such early films. There's no doubt that a lot of them aren't really ground-breaking or show anything of great importance but I always argue that it's terrific getting to see how things were over a hundred years ago. This film is the perfect example of that because you get to see New York City as it was in 1899 and you also get to witness a snowstorm, although I'd fall short of calling it a blizzard. We get some terrific footage of the snow-covered streets and we also get to see several horse carriages and trolley cars. Another benefit of watching films from this era is that you get an authentic view of the types of clothes people were wearing. This here certainly has a lot of good visuals.
MartinHafer Films around the turn of the century were, by and large, dull little things--very short, EXTREMELY mundane and lacking technical prowess. In fact, I wouldn't even bother reviewing most of them because they are so short and uninteresting. However, this one stands out for several reasons. First, it shows New York City (around 14th and Broadway) in one of the earliest film records of the town. Second, you get to see how people lived--the trolleys (which were electric), horse-drawn carts, pedestrians and police--all coping with the snow. It's all very interesting--seeing how things have changed. However, the third reason to admire the film is something most will miss. In 1899, films were STATIONARY. Movement was almost unheard of by the cameramen and as a result the films were very confined. Here, however, the camera moves--creating a panorama shot. It might just be the earliest example you'll see of this and you have to admire the film for being so innovative. My very high score of 9 is relative to other films of the day...so take this in consideration and don't assume I'm insane for rating such a simple little film so highly.
lor_ The snow falls and the camera pans counter-clockwise in Manhattan's Union Square in this interesting short film, preserved on the Image Entertainment DVD: "Unseen Cinema Vol. 5", a tribute to NYC.The value of these primitive and brief films from the first decade of the art form is capturing historical scenes still of interest over a century later. The movie company's offices were located on Union Square, and here's a chance to see an entirely different look than most people now alive can remember: horse-drawn carriages and trolleys traveling along the snowscape above 14th St.A worthwhile example from a previous era.