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OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 894

Macintyre's X-Ray Film

18961 minUnited Kingdom

Video edition: Wikimedia Commons
Original language: No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: English.
This copy runs: 1:01
Subtitles: English

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Wikimedia Commons · John Macintyre (1857-1928) · Public domain

Subtitles: Wikimedia Commons · Open Classic Cinema

Synopsis

X-ray images reveal bodily structures normally hidden from view, including a frog's joint and movements inside an adult body. A sequence of exposures turns the medical image into an observation of change over time. The short demonstration places cinema beside a new diagnostic technology, extending the camera's subject beyond the visible surface of everyday life.

DirectorsJohn Macintyre

Behind the scenes

John Macintyre's radiographic work belongs to the earliest experiments joining X-rays with moving images. The surviving titles identify a presentation to the Royal Society in 1897, following the experiments associated with the film's 1896 date.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Wikipedia — film reference Wikidata — film identity and credits

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 12, 2026.

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