This week in history: 23rd – 29th December

A projector called the cinematographe is being shown.

image via sechtl-vosecek.ucw.cz/

The 28th December marks the anniversary of the very first screening of a commercial movie. The film, was created by French brothers Louis and Auguste Lumiere, who had earlier developed a camera projector called the “Cinematographe”, premièred at the Grand Cafe, Paris in 1985. The event featured ten short films, including their first film, “Sortie des Usines Lumière à Lyon” (Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory).

This week in also saw the premiere of one of the scariest films of all time, The Exorcist, opened its doors to audiences for the first time in (Dec 23) 1973.

The Exorcist also shares its release date with the 1993 film Philadelphia. The film, which has been reviewed some critics as ground breaking due to its focus on AIDs which had not yet been seen by audiences, starred Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. Philadelphia highlights and questions misconceptions about homosexuality and the disease.

If you have any more fun, interesting or just plain silly facts from this week in history, please tweet us at @inside_film