Robinson Crusoe – 1902

This version of Robinson Crusoe, by the immortal Georges Méliès, was made 1902. This 12 and a half minute hand-coloured nitrate print was rediscovered and restored in 2011. The original film was 15 mins, previously only a short clip had survived. This is gold. It smashes the Pierce Brosnan/Tom Hanks versions, and all episodes of Survivor and the lamentable m-o-r of Desert Island Disks, redeeming Robinson (the colonial adventurer) for the ages, clearly it was always meant as satire (alas, Friday is still played for cheap racist laughs though).