Video Time Machine

July 5, 2011 12:25 AM

Hop in the Video Time Machine and scroll to any year: from 1860 (the first recorded sound) to the present day to experience video and audio from that time period: most of it iconic, some forgotten, and others entirely random. Results can be filtered for music, sports, movies, current events and more.

Previously, but significantly improved and expanded over the last year; also now associated with an app that duplicates the site's functionality.

posted by Bora Horza Gobuchul (8 comments total)

On the surface, something like this is pretty cool.
But,it's horribly thin on any sort of background on the clips (as in, there isn't any background beyond their titles.) and, it's not very well researched. For instance, the 1863 clip purporting to be an actual motion picture of Confederate soldiers marching (years before Muybridge!) is actually a heavily-doctored hoax taken from this video of a contemporary re-enactment.

Still, it's fun to browse.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:24 AM on July 5, 2011 [5 favorites]

Funnily enough I don't watch TV now, but I can't get enough of TV from 1987. Ah, memories.
posted by AndrewKemendo at 4:54 AM on July 5, 2011

Thanks Thorzdad, that that explains why the 1863 Confederate army was so chubby.
posted by bonobothegreat at 5:53 AM on July 5, 2011

Double.
posted by hermitosis at 6:14 AM on July 5, 2011

Oh sorry, did not see your "more inside."
posted by hermitosis at 6:14 AM on July 5, 2011

Thanks for saving me 99 cents!
posted by eric1halfb at 7:18 AM on July 5, 2011

Re: ...1860 (the first recorded sound) - See also Phonoautograph
posted by y2karl at 9:41 AM on July 5, 2011

Well. Needs more Charles-Émile Reynaud.
posted by droplet at 1:53 PM on July 5, 2011