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A Four-Disc Collection of 99 Specially Curated, Rarely-Seen Silent Films About Feminist Protest, Anarchic Slapstick Destruction, and Suggestive Gender Play
Curated by Maggie Hennefeld, Laura Horak, and Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi and Produced in Partnership with Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, Women Film Pioneers Project, Eye Filmmuseum, FIC-Silente, and Carleton University
Available on Blu-ray & DVD December 20, 2022 and Digitally on Kino Now
“A mind-expanding endeavor, the set features 99 mostly comic rarities produced from 1898 to 1926, gleaned from archives and libraries across the globe. It is a triumph of scholarship.” — Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
Kino Lorber is proud to release Cinema's First Nasty Women, a four-disc set showcasing more than fourteen hours of rarely-seen silent films about feminist protest, slapstick rebellion, and suggestive gender play. These women organize labor strikes, bake (and weaponize) inedible desserts, explode out of chimneys, electrocute the police force, and assume a range of identities that gleefully dismantle traditional gender norms and sexual constraints.
The films span a variety of genres including slapstick comedy, genteel farce, the trick film, cowboy melodrama, and adventure thriller, and spotlight performers and characters like Bertha Regustus, Minnie Devereaux (Cheyenne and Arapaho), Lillian St. Cyr (Ho-Chunk), Léontine, Little Chrysia, and Edna “Billy” Foster.
Cinema’s First Nasty Women includes 99 European and American silent films, produced from 1898 to 1926, sourced from thirteen international film archives and libraries, with all-new musical scores, video introductions, commentary tracks, and a lavishly illustrated booklet by leading scholars and artists, including Shelley Stamp, Jane Gaines, Jennifer Bean, Mariann Lewinsky, Susan Stryker, Arigon Starr (Kickapoo), Kyla Wazana Tompkins, Yiman Wang, and Liza Black (Cherokee).
Curated by Maggie Hennefeld, Laura Horak, and Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi, and produced for video by Bret Wood, Cinema’s First Nasty Women is a partnership of Kino Lorber, Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, Women Film Pioneers Project, Eye Filmmuseum, FIC-Silente, and Carleton University.
Cinema's First Nasty Women will be released on Blu-ray and DVD December 20, 2022. Selections from the series are also available as five digital collections on Kino Now: Queens of Destruction, Doubles and Doppelgangers, Gender Adventures, Phil for Short, and The Snowbird. Select films from the collection have played theatrical and festival engagements worldwide. A full list of past and upcoming screenings are available on the Women Film Pioneers Project website.
Due to the scale of this endeavor, the theatrical and VOD releases of Cinema's First Nasty Women have offered curated highlights from the series. Only by owning the DVD and Blu-ray editions can one view the full 99-film collection in its entirety.
Both the Blu-ray and DVD are region free. All 99 films have title translations in English, French, and Spanish.
A print version of the 114-page booklet is included with the Blu-ray only. An open access PDF version of the booklet will be available for all to read.
CINEMA'S FIRST NASTY WOMEN
Four-Disc Collection (1898-1926)
Blu-ray and DVD Street Date: December 20, 2022
Blu-ray SRP: $79.95
DVD SRP: $39.95
Blu-ray UPC: 738329259013
DVD UPC: 738329259259
Region Free
Directors: various
Cast: Florence Turner, Little Chrysia, Texas Guinan, Fay Tincher, Gene Gauntier, Mabel Taliaferro, Bertha Regustus, Sarah Duhamel, Evelyn Greeley, Laura Bayley, Edna "Billy" Foster, Tsuru Aoki, Léontine
Total Running Time: 875 minutes
Countries: Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, U.K., U.S.
Genres: Comedy, Action, Drama, Melodrama, Silent, Slapstick, Western
DISC 1: DISASTROUS DOMESTICS & ANARCHIC TOMBOYS
Cinema’s First Nasty Women: An Introduction (2022)
About the Scores: An Introduction by Dana Reason (2022)
LÉONTINE
The Leontine Films: An Introduction by Maggie Hennefeld (2022)
Léontine devient trottin (Léontine Becomes an Errand Girl) (France 1910)
Les Ficelles de Léontine (Léontine Pulls the Strings) (France 1910)
La pile électrique de Léontine (Léontine’s Battery) (France 1910)
Léontine en vacances (Léontine on Vacation) (France 1910)
Léontine en apprentissage (Léontine’s Apprenticeship) (France 1910)
Rosalie et Léontine vont au théâtre (Rosalie and Léontine Go to the Theater) (France 1911)
Ventilateur breveté (The New Air Fan) (France 1911)
Léontine enfant terrible (Léontine, the Troublemaker) (France 1911)
Le bateau de Léontine (Léontine’s Boat) (France 1911)
Un ravalement précipité (A Hasty Renovation) (France 1911)
Léontine s’envole (Léontine Gets Carried Away) (France 1911)
Les malices de Léontine (Léontine’s Pranks) (France 1912)
Léontine garde la maison (Léontine Keeps House) (France 1912)
Amour et musique (Love and Music) (France 1911)
La peur des ombres (Fear of Shadows) (France 1911)
LEA
Lea sui pattini (Lea on Rollerskates) (Italy 1911)
Riposo festivo (A Lively Day Off) (Italy 1912)
Lea bambola (Lea as a Doll) (Italy 1913)
CATASTROPHE IN THE KITCHEN
Victoire a ses nerfs (Victoire is on Her Last Nerve) (France 1907)
The Finish of Mr. Fresh (US 1899)
The Dairymaid’s Revenge (US 1899)
La grève des bonnes (The Maids’ Strike) (France 1906)
La grève des nourrices: An Introduction by Maggie Hennefeld (2022)
La grève des nourrices (The Nursemaids’ Strike) (France 1907)
La ruse de Miss Plumcake (Miss Plumcake’s Ruse) (France 1911)
Her First Biscuits (US 1909)
How Bridget Served the Salad Undressed (US 1898)
Nora’s 4th of July (US 1901)
How Bridget Made the Fire (US 1900)
The Finish of Bridget McKeen (US 1901)
Mary Jane’s Mishap (UK 1903)
CATASTROPHE BEYOND THE KITCHEN
Laughing Gas: An Introduction by Kyla Wazana Tompkins (2022)
Laughing Gas (US 1907)
Madame fait du sport (Madame is Athletic) (France 1908)
Les femmes cochers (The Coachwomen) (France 1907)
Fille de bain indiscrète (The Indiscreet Bathroom Maid) (France 1902)
Eugénie, redresse-toi! (Eugénie, Stand Up Straight!) (France 1911)
A Bad (K)night (US 1899)
Le ménage Dranem (The Dranems) (France 1912)
Le Rembrandt de la rue Lepic (The Rembrandt in Rue Lepic) (France 1911)
Mixed Babies (US 1908)
Rivalinder (Female Rivals) (Denmark 1906)
Mannekängen (The Mannequin) (fragments) (Sweden 1913)
DISC 2: QUEENS OF DESTRUCTION
Little Chrysia: An Introduction by Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi (2022)
Cunégonde trop curieuse (Cunégonde is Too Curious) (France 1912)
Cunégonde ramoneur (Cunégonde the Chimney Sweep) (France 1912)
Cunégonde femme cochère (Cunégonde the Coachwoman) (France 1913)
Cunégonde femme du monde (Cunégonde is a Woman of the World) (France 1912)
Cunégonde femme crampon (Cunégonde the Nasty Woman) (France 1912)
Cunégonde aime son maître (Cunégonde Loves Her Employer) (France 1912)
Cunégonde jalouse (Cunégonde is Jealous) (France 1912)
Cunégonde membre de la SPA (Cunégonde is a Member of the SPCA) (France 1912)
Gisèle a manqué le train (Gisèle Missed Her Train) (France 1912)
Zoé a la main malheureuse (Zoé the Unfortunate Housemaid) (France 1913)
Zoé et le parapluie miraculeux (Zoé and the Miraculous Umbrella) (France 1913)
ROSALIE
Rosalie et son phonographe (Rosalie and Her Phonograph) (France 1911)
Rosalie emménage (Rosalie Moves In) (France 1911)
Rosalie a la maladie du sommeil (Rosalie Has Sleeping Sickness) (France 1911)
Rosalie et ses meubles fidèles (Rosalie and Her Faithful Furniture) (France 1911)
Little Moritz demande Rosalie en mariage (Little Moritz Wants to Marry Rosalie) (France 1911)
Little Moritz enlève Rosalie (Little Moritz Runs Away With Rosalie) (France 1911)
C’est la faute à Rosalie (It’s Rosalie’s Fault!) (France 1912)
PÉTRONILLE
Le singe de Pétronille (Pétronille’s Monkey) (France 1913)
Pétronille gagne le grand steeple (Pétronille Wins the Grand Steeple Chase) (France 1913)
Patouillard a une femme jalouse (Patouillard Has a Jealous Wife) (France 1912)
Gavroche à Luna-Park (Gavroche at Luna Park) (France 1912)
Le désespoir de Pétronille (Pétronille’s Despair) (France 1914)
TYRANNY AT HOME
La fureur de Mme Plumette (Madame Plumette’s Fury) (France 1912)
Fatty and Minnie-He-Haw: An Introduction by Arigon Starr (2022)
Fatty and Minnie-He-Haw (US 1914)
Daisy Doodad’s Dial (UK 1914)
Hypnotizing the Hypnotist (US 1911)
Tilly’s Party (UK 1911)
Marie est trop obéissante (Marie is Too Obedient) (France 1912)
Onésime et la toilette de mademoiselle Badinois (Onésime and Mademoiselle Badinois’ Outfit) (France 1912)
Non! Tu ne sortiras pas sans moi (No! You’re Not Going Anywhere Without Me) (France 1911)
Lucky Jim (US 1909)
Nellie, the Beautiful Housemaid (fragment) (US 1908)
DISC 3: GENDER REBELS
The Girl Spy Films: An Introduction by Laura Horak and Jane M. Gaines (2022)
The Girl Spy: An Incident of the Civil War (US 1909)
The Further Adventures of the Girl Spy (US 1910)
The Girl Spy Before Vicksburg (US 1910)
EDNA “BILLY” FOSTER
Edna “Billy” Foster: An Introduction by Susan Stryker (2022)
A Country Cupid (US 1911)
The Adventures of Billy (US 1911)
A Terrible Discovery (US 1911)
The Baby and the Stork (US 1912)
GENDER FRONTIERS
The Red Girl and the Child: An Introduction by Liza Black (2022)
The Red Girl and the Child (US 1910)
An Up-to-Date Squ*w: An Introduction by TJ Cuthand (2022)
An Up-to-Date Squ*w (US 1911)
The Death Mask (US 1914)
A Range Romance: An Introduction by Laura Horak (2022)
A Range Romance (US 1911)
Making a Man of Her (US 1912)
The Planter’s Wife (US 1908)
Dollars and Sense (US 1916)
Rowdy Ann (US 1919)
The Night Rider (US 1920)
DISC 4: FEMALE TRICKSTERS
DON’T BELIEVE YOUR EYES
The Boy Detective (US 1908)
Pranks (US 1909)
Taming a Husband (US 1910)
Amour et science (Love and Science) (France 1912)
Mr. Smith, Barber (US 1912)
ROMANCE IN DISGUISE
The Snowbird (US 1916)
Phil for Short (US 1919)
TOPSY-TURVY GENDER MADNESS
She’s a Prince (US 1926)
What’s the World Coming To? (US 1926)
Bonus Features:
“What Is a Nasty Woman?”
Video introduction to the collection, featuring series curators Laura Horak, Maggie Hennefeld, Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi, and music supervisor Dana Reason
Eleven short documentaries focused on specific films and performers, including interviews with Liza Black, TJ Cuthand, Maggie Hennefeld, Laura Horak, Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi, Dana Reason, Arigon Starr, Susan Stryker, and Kyla Wazana Tompkins
114-page Booklet (Blu-ray only)
QR code featuring access to online booklet with essays, interviews, photos, and detailed film notes
Audio commentaries for select films by:
Jennifer Bean (University of Washington), Liza Black, Enrique Moreno Ceballos (Festival Internacional de Cine Silente México), Liz Clarke (Brock University), Bryony Dixon (British Film Institute), Jane Gaines (Columbia University), Rosa María Licea Garibay (Festival Internacional de Cine Silente México), Joanna Hearne (University of Oklahoma), Maggie Hennefeld (University of Minnesota), Laura Horak (Carleton University), Pamela Hutchinson (Silent London), Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi (Eye Filmmuseum), Mariann Lewinsky (Cineteca di Bologna), Katharina Loew (University of Massachusetts Boston), Cecilia Ramírez Morales (Festival Internacional de Cine Silente México), Ana Belén Recoder (Festival Internacional de Cine Silente México), Lluvia Soto Rodríguez (Festival Internacional de Cine Silente México), Aurore Spiers (University of Chicago), Shelley Stamp (University of California, Santa Cruz), Alejandra Calleja Toxqui (Festival Internacional de Cine Silente México), Kristen Anderson Wagner (University of Southern California), Laetitia Vigneron (Festival Internacional de Cine Silente México), and Yiman Wang (University of California, Santa Cruz)
Composers and Performers:
Alicia Svigals, Amy Denio, Annelise Zamula, Ayi Solomon, Bill Noertker, Camila Cortina Bello, Carolina Hengstenberg, Carolyn Swartz, Catherine Lee, Christina Rusnak, Coco Bender, Dana Reason, Daniel Muschinsky, Dave Mihaly, David Borgo, Dianthe (Dee) Spencer, Don Ross, Dreamland Faces (Karen Majewicz, Andy McCormick, Julie Johnson, Gail Olszewski, Ryan Billig, Elaine Evans, Rachel Rogness, Philip Potyondy, Chris Hepola, and Christa Schneider), Edmar Colon, Eliot Britton, Elizabeth (Liz) Magnes, Elizabeth-Jane Baldry, Ellen Weller, Esin Aydingoz, Eunice Martins, Fabio Rojas, Frank Bockius, Gay Pearson, Gerson Lazo-Quiroga, Gonca Feride Varol, Guenter Buchwald, Harold Charon, Indiana University Orchestra (Daniel Whitworth, Tyler Readinger, Miriam Tung, Calvin Sall, Allison Dettloff, Clara Manzano, Yoav Hayut, Achille Vocat, John Heo, Em Singleton, Ilina Ilieva, Thomas Shaw, Eion Lyons, Teresa Labuda, and Gus Brown), Ivanna Cuesta Gonzalez, Jan Michael Looking Wolf Reibach, Jana King, Jane Gardner, John Lockwood, Jose Ignacio Santo Aquino, José María Serralde Ruiz, Karl Soukoup, Kevin Harris, Kinnie Starr, Kristor Brødsgaard, Leslie Dukes, Libby Meyer, Lillian Henley, Lorena Ruiz Trejo, María Fernanda García Solar, Mark Weaver, Martha Mooke, Meg Morley, Michael Dessen, Nadia Citlali Cano Castañeda, Naomi Greena Nakanishi, Nate Hubbard, Niclas Compagno, Peter Valsamis, Phil McGowan, Renée C. Baker, Renée T. Coulombe, Roella Oloro, Santiago Bertel, Sara Ontaneda, Sean Sonderegger, Steven Montecucco, Terri Lyne Carrington, Tracy McMullen, Veronica Leahy, Violin/Noir (Rebecca Sabine and Aaron Ramsey), Yael Acher “KAT” Modiano.
Participating Archives:
EYE Filmmuseum, Library of Congress, Jérome Seydoux Pathé Foundation, GP Archives, British Film Institute, Blackhawk Films, George Eastman Museum, Library and Archives Canada, National Library of Norway, Swedish Film Institute, San Francisco Silent Film Festival, Museum of Modern Art, Harvard Film Archive, Princeton University Library