Wow. What a clear window into another time. I wish that could’ve had sound.
Look on the right in the other video list, there’s a post earthquake video on a cable car following the same path.
Here’s another thread on the video, that I’m posting, not to point out that it’s another duplicate, but because it has some good links.
Around halfway through the ‘Berkeley’ link, two people get off the cable car and start a scuffle with someone who won’t get out of its path.
I hate to be pedantic, but this is not a video…it’s a film.
There is a difference, and it’s a difference worth preserving.
The word “video” didn’t even exist until 1935.
I hate to be tongue-in-cheek pedantic, but is it not a film now in video form?
The most amazing thing about this video is that it is in slow motion. You can see several people clearly running, but running at a walking pace. There is a horse clearly galloping at 3:35
I’d say it’s roughly 1/2 to 2/3 speed of reality, which makes the people standing in the tracks and the car practically grazing the camera towards the end of the film even crazier.
I need to download it and adjust it to real time, so the running people are actually running.
I read somewhere they were actors use to spice up an otherwise uneventful video film.
We’re looking at streaming video of something that was originally shot on film. What it is not is “video taken from the front of a cable car in 1906.”
That would be like saying “West End Blues” is “a CD recorded by Louis Armstrong and the Hot Five in 1928.”
Well, I wasn’t sure who or what you were responding to, seeing as the word “video” was used about a dozen times throughout.
While doing local research that covered the year 1903 I was amazed at how many people got mowed down by interurbans. They were certainly faster than the cable car in the video which was moving just above walking speed.
cool video
I’m not sure, either, to whom you’re ascribing “was used,” but the term “video” has been used liberally in this thread by many posters as well as the OP.
In the world of broadcasting, where I spent many years, “film” and “video” were two distinctive entities – different technologies, and different results when using them.
Using the term “video” in close proximity to something that was made in 1906 just doesn’t make sense.
Now back to your regularly scheduled program. (It is a very cool film!)
Video Shmideo, Film Shmilm, who cares?
If I had called it a film someone probably would have complained that what we’re looking at is actually a video.
It’s a video made from a film that was originally filmed from the front of a cable car. Do I have to try to fit all of that into the subject line?
Holy crap! That is amazing. Thanks for sharing, I wish I’d caught it the first time around!
The first time around?! in 1906? 
I had no intent to offend, and I don’t now. It’s not a big deal, and I never intended it to be.
I just think that precision in language is a good thing. It can never be wrong to use the correct word. Judging from a couple of concurrent threads, though, I feel as if I’m in an increasing minority these days.
“Originally filmed” would have worked perfectly, in fact! In any case, I’m glad you posted the link…I enjoyed the film.
I guess Google StreetView really wasn’t all that revolutionary.
There’s an option in Google Earth where you can see historic aerial photos. Be very cool if they do the same thing with street view where available.
Neat video. The thing that really stuck out to me everyone* is dressed in black and there are no* women!
*Slight exaggeration. Get over it.
This video is truly amazing! Thanks so much to everyone who’s shared it as I’m another who missed previous threads on it. Not much to add except what others have already said. Everyone appears to be so very well dressed and in dark suits.
And the traffic! Around the 4:20 mark a pedestrian nearly gets hit by a car before dodging out of the way. And he doesn’t even turn around to look at the car!
davidm, that whole bit with Jay Anway made me wonder if he was at all involved in the making of the film. His car shows up five or six times throughout the trip, and at several points he can be clearly seen pulling over and waiting for the cable car to pass, or crossing the street to turn around.