The Two Impish Girls [Les Deux Espiègles] (1878)
Director: Émile Reynaud
France (formerly French Republic)
1878
Since the emergence of the internet, videos featuring cats have become synonymous with viral culture. If we try to trace their first appearance in the history of film, a case can be made for Émile Reynaud’s proto-animation strip “The Two Impish Girls” (1878). The focus on the two children is equally shared with, if not outweighed by, that on the cat being thrown in a blanket. The animal’s complex movements in the air gave Reynaud ample opportunity to experiment with different drawing techniques that would enhance the spectacle of a praxinoscope exhibition. Landing on its four paws, the cat established itself as a leading character in cinematic entertainment.
