The Einstein Theory of Relativity: a 1923 Silent Animated Film

The Einstein Theory of Relativity is a 20 minute silent black and white animated film. It was produced in 1923 by the Fleischer Studios, best known for their Betty Boop cartoons.

The film aims to explain Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity to anyone willing to invest 20 minutes in watching the movie. Though it is almost a hundred years old, its simple but ingenious animation is very effective in demystifying Einstein’s theory without the need of advanced physics or mathematics.

The movie starts by examining the meaning behind the term relativity and how it relates to the general theory. It then proceeds to demonstrate how things such as motion, direction, size, speed and time are all relative to the observer’s point of view or the general frame of reference.

In fact, all measurement is relative and space is bent…