I personally credit French magician Georges Méliès as one of the founding fathers of film. Le Voyage Dans La Lune was certainly the first film of its kind.
In 1902 a film of its length was an almost unheard of achievment. While the Lumieres created early cinema going experiences, their films are short, very short. Films such as Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory and the famous Arrival of a train Were not longer than a minute. Not only that but they did not possess a single quality of today’s cinema, other than being a moving picture. There was no plot and no narrative.
It was Méliès who used to new technology to advance his own work as a magician, realising he would be able to convey images and illusions that would be impossible on the stage. Thus born was arguably the first science fiction of all time.
The film is estimated to have cost up to 30,000 francs and was shot almost entirely in Méliès’ studio, utilizing elaborate special effects and pyrotechnics. The film boasts effects that put most other films to shame for many years, although the increased ticket price would turn off many of the audiences.
Méliès’ career further suffered when well known historical piece of shit Thomas Edison pirated the film and made a fortune from American audiences.
Facing financial ruin Méliès would give up filmmaking and instead run Candy store with his wife. Most copies of A Trip to the Moon were lost and the most fundamental piece of cinema would not be rediscovered until the 1990’s.
Its an incredibly important piece to me, films are one of the most unifying and fulfilling parts of this otherwise miserable world we live in, regardless of preferences in genre, director or actors. We wouldn’t have any of it, were it not for this genius film.
So take 15 minutes out of your time and watch it here.
(If it helps, the film was hand painted).
T H E N A I V E F I L M M A K E R 