8

The movie Hardcore Henry claims to be the "the world’s first fully first-person action movie", that is, it is entirely shot from the protagonists first person point of view (POV).

But I don't think this is the first time a movie has been shot entirely from a first person POV. So what was the first movie shot from a first person POV?

Improve this question
8
  • 2
    From 1934: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Firebird_(1934_film)
    – Decypher
    Apr 7, 2016 at 13:58
  • @Decypher I've not seen the movie, but the Wikipedia page suggests that only some of it (i.e. the murder scene) is shot in the first person.
    – Anthony Grist
    Apr 7, 2016 at 14:39
  • 2
    Maybe you should add 'entirely' to the question title and the last sentence, it would be more clear.
    – Chanandler Bong
    Apr 7, 2016 at 15:09
  • @Gandalf The question is about POV not about whether you get t see the protagonist So being themselves in a mirror doesn't invalidate the POV.
    – matt_black
    Apr 7, 2016 at 23:11
  • Below find the movie I originally saw circa 1965 on TV. It struck me for the POV, but that is about all.
    – Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_
    Apr 8, 2016 at 1:15

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
13

Lady in the Lake (1947) was a film noir shot entirely in the first person POV, with the exception of 2 scenes where the protagonist broke the fourth wall to address the audience directly.

Taken from the Raymond Chandler novel of the same name, it was adapted to the screen and directed by Robert Montgomery, who also "starred" as the character Phillip Marlowe.

Wiki: "MGM promoted the film with the claim that it was the first of its kind and the most revolutionary style of film since the introduction of the talkies".

I couldn't find another, similarly filmed movie to refute that claim. As many people complained when this movie came out, that it was distracting POV, it has never been a popular film technique. It's rather more successful in "Shooter" video games.

enter image description here

Improve this answer
3
  • A good example (and I have seen it). But was it first and are there other examples?
    – matt_black
    Apr 8, 2016 at 19:31
  • It's not a really successful form of filming. Most people find it distracting, so I guess it wasn't used much, unless you count those "Blair Witch" rip-offs.
    – Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_
    Apr 8, 2016 at 19:38
  • Things like Blair Witch are hand-held camera POV not, strictly, individual persons's eye POV. That's a subtle distinction.
    – matt_black
    Sep 10, 2016 at 23:30

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .