PamelaShort What a delightful nostalgic gem from Christmas past. I could just feel the excitement and wonderment this film would have brought to audiences of 1905, especially the children. This Edwin S. Porter directed film for the Edison Manufactoring Company is very well done for it's time and follows the poem, Twas The Night Before Christmas nicely. With appealing scenes of Santa feeding his reindeer, making toys in his work shop and looking over his who's been naughty and nice list, these enchanting scenes further the magical story. We also see a family, with the children anticipating the arrival of Christmas morning too excited for sleep, having a pillow fight in their beds. For antique toy collectors this film is for you, as Santa leaves a wonderful assortment of beautiful toys, and he even provides the Christmas tree !!. Whoever played Santa was a perfect choice, he looks like the Santa from the old postcards of the time and he charms all the more with a terrific close-up wishing all a Merry Christmas to close the film. I really appreciated watching this purely enjoyable very early silent film, that still captures the imagination. There are several postings of this film on YouTube, watch and be delighted.

robinakaaly A rather charming little film, which starts with Santa feeding hay to his reindeer, before moving back into his workshop to finish toymaking. The scene switches to a middle class house (parents, five children all about 4!, grandpa and maid). They tell the Christmas story, then hang up stockings before the children are packed off to bed (in two beds and one cot). The children get up, are chased back to bed, then have a proper pillow fight with feathers flying everywhere: I wonder how difficult this scene was to film. Santa checks his delivery schedule and inventory, loads up the sleigh and heads off - a superb animated sequence. Arriving at a chimney, he climbs down, fills stocking and otherwise creates a festive air before continuing his deliveries. The children and adults come down and are delighted. As a children's story, the film still works today.

Michael_Elliott Night Before Christmas, The (1905) *** (out of 4)I believe this was the first version of the famous poem and wouldn't you know it would come from Edison Studios and the forgotten Edwin S. Porter. The movie pretty much shows a group of kids getting ready for bed as Santa gets his reindeers ready for the night's work. While the special effects are obviously fake you can't help but fall victim to the film's charm, which is shining very brightly from start to finish. The movie does a wonderful job of coming off like a fairy tale and this is especially true during all the scenes with Santa. The highlight of the film is a sequence where Santa takes off with his deers and rides over various mountains before going through the air. Again, it's obvious how this scene was shot but that doesn't take away from any of its charm or magic. I don't think the film has lost any of its magic but you can't help but wonder how great this thing would have been in 1905.

linda-ron this is by far my favourite movie I've ever seen... I loved it and if you haven't seen it I recommend it. (though your going to have a rough time looking for it...) i saw it on pay-per-view in 1997. it was Christmas time at my house and I had a great time watching this movie. it is the most compassionate movie ever made in the history of history... I think that other than this movie, the passion of the Christ would be my favourite movie. if you liked the passion of the Christ watch this movie... it is an inspiring of the extremely famous children's story. in my opinion anyone should pick up this movie and watch it. 10/10