| The Cavalier's Dream | |
| Producer: | Vitagraph Studios |
| Distributor: | Edison Studios |
| Runtime: | 1 minute |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
The Cavalier's Dream is an 1898 American silent horror trick film. While the film is sometimes credited to director Edwin S. Porter, this is an error.[1]
A cavalier sits asleep at a bare table; an old witch enters, raps three times, then disappears; the cavalier sees the table spread for a sumptuous repast. Mephistopheles appears, then the old witch, who suddenly shapeshifts into a beautiful young girl. By the end of the film, the cavalier is surrounded by a dancing ring of hooded figures, who are urged on by Mephistopheles. The dancers vanish, and in the final moments, the cavalier wakes up from his dream.[2] The changes and magical appearances are startling and instantaneous.[3]