19th century

The 19th century is a one-hundred year period of time that spans the years 1800 to 1899. In film, storylines that take place during the 19th century can usually be broken down into several subgenres.

Stories set in 19th century England are generally referred to as the Victorian-era, when the British monarchy was ruled by Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. The stories take place after the Industrial Revolution and often involved the internecine struggles of class warfare between the English aristocracy and the working class. It is also the era that gave birth to the practice of using deductive reasoning to solve crimes, as exemplified by the character of Sherlock Holmes, classically played by Basil Rathbone and more recently by Robert Downey, Jr. in a series of summer blockbusters. It is also the time of Jack the Ripper, who stalked the gas-lit corridors of London's East End in the Whitechapel district, murdering prostitutes in the autumn of 1888. The Jack the Ripper murders were not the only movie-worthy curiosity taking place at this time. Director David Lynch chronicled the tragic story of Joseph "John" Merrick, who became known as the Elephant Man. The horror genre in particular has carved out it's own niche in 19th century British culture, with stories of ambitious scientists transforming into hedonistic madmen and gentleman vampires buying up churchyards in Purfleet while seducing young women.

Across the proverbial pond in the United States, the 19th century serves as the backdrop to films of the Western genre. It also includes films about the struggles and inhumanity of slavery in America and how it ultimately led to a Civil War, dividing the nation between the pro-slavery South who fought for states' rights and the abolitionist North who championed the belief that a house divided could not stand. Following the timeline of the Civil War is the era of the Cowboy. Rugged manly men with big hats, bigger mustaches and even bigger guns. Men who yearned for nothing more than the company of a pleasing woman, the thrill of a game of Faro, camping out under the stars with a harmonica, and of course, the occasional shoot-out. Some of these individuals strove to be a little bit more however, even to the point of donning a black mask, taking up a partnership with an Indian kemosabe and riding forth with a revolver of silver bullets in the name of justice. Masked justice doesn't always require a white hat however. Sometimes the hat is black and may even be accompanied by a matching cape. Such was the case of a certain mustached "bandito" from California. No one ever had to inquire "Who was that masked man?" when he was around, for he signed his name in the stylish three-stroke sword swipe that legend recalls as the Mark of Zorro.

1853

 * The events of the 1920 silent film version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde take place during this year.

1861

 * April: The Battle of Fort Sumter leads to the secession of South Carolina from the Union, which signals the beginning of the American Civil War.

1865

 * President Abraham Lincoln is assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. This has been chronicled in many films over the years such as 2012's Lincoln. However, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter presents an alternate theory as to how these events may have played out.

1887

 * The events of the 2003 comedy Shanghai Knights take place during this year.

1888

 * The unidentified madmen that has come to be known as Jack the Ripper murders at least five prostitutes in London's East End. His legend has become the basis of many films over the years.


 * Many of the events from David Lynch's The Elephant Man take place during this year. The film also chronicles the events leading up to the death of John Merrick in 1890.

1893

 * The events of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula take place during this year. Although the novel itself is published in 1897, many film adaptations of the novel keep the timeline relatively close to this year.