what was the first ever movie sequel?

[zombie no.one]

...and by that I specifically mean a sequel that was *directly related* to the original in some way or another, as opposed to an Abbot + Costello/Laurel + Hardy/Carry On... type sequel which was just another film of a similar nature 'involving' the main players...

was it The Godfather Part 2? - that's the best I can come up with.

[SPazzo]

The first official sequel was Fall of a Nation (1916), the sequel to Birth of a Nation (1915).

According to Wikipedia, the first movie sequel to use "2" in it's name was The French Connection 2.  The Godfather Part 2 was the first to use "Part 2" in it's name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequel
http://www.faqs.org/qa/qa-18406.html

[zombie no.one]

The first official sequel was Fall of a Nation (1916), the sequel to Birth of a Nation (1915).

According to Wikipedia, the first movie sequel to use "2" in it's name was The French Connection 2.  The Godfather Part 2 was the first to use "Part 2" in it's name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequel
http://www.faqs.org/qa/qa-18406.html

french connection 2, good call. forgot about that. karma!

as for those other two early 1900's ones, their names make them sound like documentaries. were they actually 'film's in the true sense? - can't be bothered to trog thru all that wikipedia stuff, lol

[SPazzo]

Well, the Birth of a Nation can be seen here:  http://www.archive.org/details/dw_griffith_birth_of_a_nation  (Public Domain).

It isn't so much a documentary as it is a docudrama of the American Civil War, with some pretty racist undertones.  Here is the plot summery from IMDb:

The Civil War divides friends and destroys families, but that's nothing compared to the anarchy in the black-ruled South after the war.

And then a still from the movie:


Yeah...    (Don't shoot the messenger, by the way).

[zombie no.one]

And then a still from the movie:


Yeah...    (Don't shoot the messenger, by the way).

lordy...even Tarantino couldn't think up that kind of s**t, lol

[Saucerman]

Paul Wegener's DER GOLEM (1921) is actually the third film in a trilogy, and a prequel to the original DER GOLEM.  The original film and the first sequel, THE GOLEM AND THE DANCING GIRL, have since been lost.  

That's the earliest scifi/fantasy/horror sequel I've been able to find.  

[SkullBat308]

What a good question! I never thought about it.

[akiratubo]

Paul Wegener's DER GOLEM (1921) is actually the third film in a trilogy, and a prequel to the original DER GOLEM.  The original film and the first sequel, THE GOLEM AND THE DANCING GIRL, have since been lost.  

That's the earliest scifi/fantasy/horror sequel I've been able to find.  

Do you know what I would give to see Der Golem?  It might not be the first monster rampage set to film but as far as I've been able to determine it's the first one that's a real "movie", as we understand the term.  Earlier ones had been shorts.

[zombie no.one]

Paul Wegener's DER GOLEM (1921) is actually the third film in a trilogy, and a prequel to the original DER GOLEM.  The original film and the first sequel, THE GOLEM AND THE DANCING GIRL, have since been lost.  

That's the earliest scifi/fantasy/horror sequel I've been able to find.  

so I take it 2 of those films in that trilogy had the same title? never heard of them, unsurprisingly enough...very interesting all the same, thanks

[Saucerman]

Paul Wegener's DER GOLEM (1921) is actually the third film in a trilogy, and a prequel to the original DER GOLEM.  The original film and the first sequel, THE GOLEM AND THE DANCING GIRL, have since been lost.  

That's the earliest scifi/fantasy/horror sequel I've been able to find.  

so I take it 2 of those films in that trilogy had the same title? never heard of them, unsurprisingly enough...very interesting all the same, thanks

Technically, the one that survived to the present is "The Golem: How He Came Into the World" which I can never remember the full German for, and am too lazy to look it up at the moment.

[The Burgomaster]

Let's not forget:

* FATHER OF THE BRIDE (1950) / FATHER'S LITTLE DIVIDEND (1951)

[Raffine]

Paul Wegener's DER GOLEM (1921) is actually the third film in a trilogy, and a prequel to the original DER GOLEM.  The original film and the first sequel, THE GOLEM AND THE DANCING GIRL, have since been lost.  

That's the earliest scifi/fantasy/horror sequel I've been able to find.  

so I take it 2 of those films in that trilogy had the same title? never heard of them, unsurprisingly enough...very interesting all the same, thanks

Technically, the one that survived to the present is "The Golem: How He Came Into the World" which I can never remember the full German for, and am too lazy to look it up at the moment.

THE GOLEM AND THE DANCING GIRL sounds like a real hoot. According to what I've read it was a comedy(!) in which a 'dancing girl' (sometimes translated as a prostitute) falls for Wegener's Golem character after seeing the first film. Wegener, playing himself, find out somehow and decides to make a play for the girl - so he puts on his Golem get up to seduce her, or scare her, or something.  

Fritz Lang made a sound sequel THE TESTAMENT OF DR. MABUSE (1932) to his silent DR. MABUSE: THE GAMBLER (1922). Since Saucerman isn't looking up original German titles neither am I!  

Both DRACULA (1931) and FRANKENSTEIN (1931) had sequels (DRACULA'S DAUGHTER and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN) in which the action takes up moments after the ending of the original films.

I can't think of other sequels in which the action picks up immediately from the previous film. Well, I guess HALLOWEEN.

[schmendrik]

...and by that I specifically mean a sequel that was *directly related* to the original in some way or another, as opposed to an Abbot + Costello/Laurel + Hardy/Carry On... type sequel which was just another film of a similar nature 'involving' the main players...

Well, that probably rules out the "Thin Man" sequels (1930s) where William Powell and Myrna Loy kept reprising their characters as not-quite retired detective married to rich girl.

I'm trying to think of any other examples of a similar vintage that I personally know of but failing. The Father of the Bride/Father's Little Dividend example might be the oldest talkie example.

French Connection 2 as the first one with "2" in the title sounds about right. Also in the 70s we have "Oliver's Story", a terrible film nobody liked which was a sequel to the very popular "Love Story". That might be about the last time a sequel DIDN'T have a "2" in it.

[schmendrik]

Both DRACULA (1931) and FRANKENSTEIN (1931) had sequels (DRACULA'S DAUGHTER and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN) in which the action takes up moments after the ending of the original films.

(Head slap). BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. An obvious one. Can't believe I didn't think of that one.

[Trevor]

Nice topic. 

In South Africa, it was almost certainly King Solomon's Mines (1918) followed by Allan Quatermaine (1919).

The first is still in existence and the second is unfortunately lost.