Film Info

Released on :

1909

Language :

Silent

Country :

France

Type :

Short Films

Format :

Stop Motion

Color :

Black and White

Directed by :

Émile Cohl

Produced by :

Gaumont Film Company

Les Locataires d'à-côté (1909)

One of the first films to use split-screen technology

Les locataires d'à-côté (Next Door Neighbors) is a silent short comedy film released in 1909 using both live action and stop motion animation. The film is directed by French caricaturist Émile Cohl.

The story in brief:

The film shows some funny incidents happening between a young and an elderly couples who are neighbors residing in adjacent apartments. While the young couple are having a cosy time the elderly couple plans to spy on them by drilling a hole in the comon wall between their rooms. The young couple realise their intention and plays a trick. The young man casts some magic and when the old man tries to peek through the hole he could only see some dolls moving on their own or some cartoons looking at him. Same thing happens when the old lady peeks through the hole. Even they have dusts coming from the other side of the wall or water falling inside their room. Annoyed with the whole incident the old couple calls the landlord but when the landlord peeks through the hole he could see the young couple. So he is not convinced by the old couple's words and leaves. Watch the film to see what happens after the landlord leaves.