The Edison company seemed to get a lot of mileage out of planting a camera in front of popular haunts of holidaymakers or workers on their day off, and this 1903 film is a typical example. The ride looks quite enjoyable: a boat launched from the top of a raised slope and gathering speed before hitting the water below with a splash. Jump cuts are used so that a boat is seen descending the slide every ten seconds or so. The cuts are quite clean, barely noticeable. Once a number of boats have dived we can just make out a cyclist pedalling down the slope then raising his legs before hitting the water. It's a shame the camera couldn't have got a bit closer for that one...
Review of Racing the Chutes at Dreamland
