A Trip to the Moon

director: Georges Méliès

original title: Le voyage dans la Lune

country: France

year: 1902

running time: 13 min.

synopsis

This undoubtedly most famous film by Georges Méliès is now available in its ultimate colourised version. It is a precise mise-en-scene for its time, with hints of editing, the inclusion of vertical movement and an unprecedented variety of settings. And, last but not least, it reflects the trends of the time. Méliès admitted that he was inspired to make the film by Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon, and the Selenites were borrowed from the novel by H.G. Wells. This is no longer a theatrical performance as in his previous films, but is inspired by Jacques Offenbach's comic opera of 1875. At the same time, it is the quintessential cinema of attractions – there is not even a hint of character psychology, and the viewer's attention is to be focused only on the effects and the swelling visual scenes.

biography

Georges Méliès (1861-1938) is one of the first independent film directors whose work crystalised the early film genres. He worked on fantasy scenes, adaptations of literary works, fairy tales, as well as socio-critical and political films. His documentary filmmaking is less well known, as a lot of it has not been preserved.

more about film

director:

Georges Méliès

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