Early Cinema in Scotland 1896-1927

The popularity of cinema in Scotland is legendary. This website invites you to explore the legend.

Find out more about the experience of 'going to the pictures' in over 600 venues, from the drill halls of the 1900s and 1910s to the 'picture palaces' of the 1920s, and from the early touring variety shows and concert parties to the rise of the feature film and the dominance of Hollywood.

Browse or search the annotated filmography to learn about the six silent feature films released by Scottish companies, and about the wealth of non-fiction productions, including extraordinary 'local topical' films, scenic and travel films. Scottish stories, characters, or themes were popular in silent-era films from around the world, and are also discussed here.

'Early Cinema in Scotland, 1896-1927' brings together a range of resources and archive records to produce an integrated account of the beginnings of cinema in Scotland. This project was carried out by researchers at the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.