Comments on: Ride Through the Streets of Barcelona in 1908

By: Kntaja

Kntaja — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:25:48 +0000

Here's a similar clip of Helsinki, Finland. The year is 1906.

http://www.yle.fi/player/player.jsp?name=El%E4v%E4+arkisto%2F00017_1

By: Starving Artist

Starving Artist — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 03:38:57 +0000

Did anyone notice the kid mooning the camera 5 minutes into the video?

By: Sweet Jesus

Sweet Jesus — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:31:04 +0000

No traffic laws whatsoever.

By: padieg

padieg — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:13:49 +0000

Someone already made a video comparing this footage with the modern Barcelona. Here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxiiS8ZgAmU

Regarding the music, in the Europa Film Treasures website says the composer is Antonio Coppola, not sure if ti refers to the music, though:

http://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/FT/245/about-the-film-barcelona_by_t ram

By: Johnny Cat

Johnny Cat — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:15:09 +0000

Yeah really. While those who are concerned about the death toll they just watched, consider this: canned laughter on most modern sitcoms are recordings of audiences from the 1950s. Oh noes! More deathses!

By: Babycakes

Babycakes — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:56:46 +0000

why is it after watching this clip, that it pops into the brain that all these people are dead? I just think it's funny that a majority of the comments have noted that the people are dead. Think about it, 100 years from now, people will look at footage from today and say; "they're all dead." It's beautiful yet sad at the same time.

By: monia

monia — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:17:31 +0000

This was really cool and unusual. I couldn't help but thinking how all these people are dead and gone now. They were so full of life then.

By: David Govett

David Govett — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:43:09 +0000

Note that being filmed is fatal. All of the people on this film later died dead. Beware!

By: Moon

Moon — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:56:57 +0000

If I was driving that tram, I be saying "Get outta the way, assholes!" all the time.

It sure was a beautiful city, though.

Graywinckel Street?? If your winckel is gray, see a doctor immediately!!!

By: InSpain

InSpain — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:34:04 +0000

In Spain, we have Google street view ¡hurra!

By: Johnny Cat

Johnny Cat — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:55:47 +0000

Yes, richmond. But that music is hideous.

By: richmond

richmond — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:42:37 +0000

here is the same idea from Vancouver Canada 1907 (note the roads are RHD NOT LHD like USA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHbMNDw3CMc&NR=1

By: Kalel

Kalel — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:13:23 +0000

I wanted to step off the trolley and go for a stroll there.

By: emmakate

emmakate — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:29:09 +0000

I would love to see a modern version of this being played right next to it. Just to see if the same buildings are still there and if the streets are wider now.

By: dutchboy

dutchboy — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:58:01 +0000

Notice no bike helmets -Awesome, of course it's still like that over there.

By: Nicole B.

Nicole B. — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:49:55 +0000

@ jim - actually you are wrong about the colors of clothing back then. I am getting my masters in fashion history so have been studying this sort of thing quite a bit. The clothes of the turn of the century were extraordinarily colored. The discovery of aniline dyes came about in the late 1850s and revolutionized the textile industry. Bright greens, pinks, purples blues - you name it were everywhere. One of the reasons why people tend to think everything was so drab then is that for the most part all we have to look at is old black and white pictures that don't hint at the brightness of the colors, or the existent clothes that the average person comes across are horribly faded from time.

Now onto the women in the street thing. 1908 was the beginning of a transitory period where women were just starting to be allowed on the street without a man accompanying them. To be clear, this was only the case in Europe. In America women had been walking around outside on their own for some time. So this video is a great example of the starts of Modernism and the freedom of movement for women.

Sorry to be so long winded, i'm writing a paper about this sort of stuff today so it is definitely on the mind

By: dutchboy

dutchboy — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:44:38 +0000

At 1:23 there is a PHOTOGRAFIA kiosk, anyone know about this?

By: Lorenzo Sortorros

Lorenzo Sortorros — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:15:46 +0000

That's really fascinating. Great Stuff !!

By: seefish3

seefish3 — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:37:41 +0000

Right on, ted !!! LMAO !!!

By: Andrew in Toronto

Andrew in Toronto — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:27:44 +0000

I have a Catalan husband who lived in Barcelona for many years so I will show it to him!

Famed Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudí, died in hospital a few days after being run over by a tram in Barcelona in 1926. He was dressed in a shabby way when run over and no one helped him to the hospital at first because people thought he was a homeless man. When he died, masses poured out on the streets to mourn and he was buried at his unfinished La Sagrada Familia.

By: ted

ted — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:22:33 +0000

People still get in front of the camera as much as possible. That street looked chaotic, as people drove, biked, and ran in front of the trolley.

Yes, seefish, they should have played Flight of the Valkyries. Then it would have been - "Who will they run down next? All flee from the slavering jaws of Progress!"

By: jonas

jonas — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:42:41 +0000

It's really sad how no one on the internet seems to know the title of the music played...

By: seefish3

seefish3 — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:15:42 +0000

It always amazes me how soundtracks can create a specific mood. Try watching this with a Ministry song or something by Nine Inch Nails, instead of that wistful, nostalgic piano piece. Then see how you feel about the video.

By: jim

jim — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:55:17 +0000

Madrid is a beautiful city,even today.

I found a couple of interesting things: everyone dresses the same, everyone dresses very formally-hats,coats,ties (or what we would consider formal today),and the style of dress is very drab. considering there were few or no colors in clothes back then,it was even drabber.

I also noticed how few women there were on the street.

Last,it occurred to me that every single one of those people,even the young children,are now dead.

By: mR pSYcHo

mR pSYcHo — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:29:46 +0000

Beautiful video! It's great being able to see these streets as they were a century ago: full of bicycles, no cars,... It's a pity they didn't show more of Pl. Lesseps.

By: Evilbeagle

Evilbeagle — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:08:48 +0000

This was amazing. I loved the footage, but the music is what really set the mood and made it all the more special.

By: rossini138

rossini138 — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 09:05:47 +0000

That was the most fascinating thing I've seen in ages! Some things never change- people leaping around and waving at the camera... and people still haven't learned not to wander out in front of a moving vehicle!

By: Ali S.

Ali S. — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 07:35:40 +0000

I love this video. I had actually stumbled upon it through Dark Roast Blend. I am just fascinated by how all the folks are so excited by the camera recording them as it is something they haven't seen before. That and all the folks out in their best suits and dresses.

By: Sassafras

Sassafras — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 07:12:02 +0000

Here is a similar (short) film showing London streets in the early 20th century:

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/01/21/early-20th-century-l.html

What I like best is that everyone is so normal and human...laughing, frowning, slouching...so different from the stiff posed people we see in photos from that era.

By: SenorMysterioso

SenorMysterioso — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 04:07:22 +0000

Great piece of footage.

Interesting that even in its early days, people would do anything to get on film, like stand in front of a trolley