Inventions of An Idiot
Lubin Catalog synopsis (dated 1909/Length 295 feet/with 3 scenes from the film)
"An eccentric looking man in his laboratory is visited by a friend to whom he show his latest inventions.
The first one is a baby incubator, a most astonishing invention. He next puts his visitor into a tonsorial cabinet from which he emerges minus beard and hair. The visitor is most indignant. The inventor quietly pushes him back into the cabinet - a few backward movements and the visitor appears again with a luxurious growth of hair and beard. The next invention shown to the visitor is a Jig-saw puzzle which is solved in record breaking time. After this the inventor takes his visitor into his flymobile. They are off at a speed of 200 miles an hour. Suddenly the automobile explodes and the two drop to earth. The visitor does not want to see any more. A pressure on the push button and he is thrown out of the door."
Here are pieces of two unidentified reviews:
"This is a trick picture of only passing merit. The French do this sort of thing so well...it would appear a mistake to waste time on them on this side of the Atlantic."
And
"It is not particularly startling in its development of the magical features,.."
This short subject still exists at B.F.I. but it may not be in viewing shape. While I don't advocate any film lying around to rot, maybe they've considered the above critiques in deciding how to allocate their restoration resources.
written: 6/24/2003
