Century Film Project

This is a rare Kinetoscope which was shot “on location,” perhaps because the antics of Venezuelan tightrope walker Juan Caicedo were simply too grandiose for the cramped conditions of the “Black Maria.” At any rate, it stands out simply by being out-of-doors. Caicedo bounces on his slackly-strung tightrope, almost as though it were a trampoline, managing a flip and alternates landing on his feet with a sitting position (ouch!). Perhaps because of the frame-rate, the picture seems slowed down, giving the sense of a low-gravity performance. In other ways, such as composition and content, it is similar to other performances by circus performers that we have seen in from the studio.

Director: WKL Dickson

Camera: William Heise

Run Time: 35 secs

You can watch it for free: here (with music) or here (no music)