at Internet Archive
This is the earliest film I've seen that is more than slightly entertaining, or amusing (I've seen many early films, by the way). It's better than Georges Méliès' other surviving films because it has something of a story, without the tableau vivant style becoming as boring as in his other films. Of course, wacky humour and trick shots help, but that's in his other films, too. Influenced by the works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, as well as Adolphe Dennery's adaptation of those works, the story is about a gang of astronomers, who, launched from a cannon onto the Moon, encounter explosive aliens (or "Selenites").Méliès used the stop-motion effect and arising smoke for explosive characters in many of his films--same with superimpositions, animated miniatures and placing a fish tank in front of the camera. Additionally, his set designs were the best of the day. I easily forget it's all done within a cramped studio. Moving props are in many of his films, too, but this is one of the few that I've seen where the prop is pulled towards the camera, creating the famous rocket kissing the moon's eye gag. The following shot is a temporal replay of that action from a different perspective. It works here, but Edwin S. Porter would make the mistake of adopting the technique for 'Life of an American Fireman,' which was reedited later, leading many to believe it was a landmark in narrative editing. The "30 tableaux," as Méliès called it, is linked by dissolves.Méliès made it known that his goal was to push cinéma towards resembling theatre. The only benefit of that goal was that it resulted in longer films, making one-reel the standard length. Given this, it's rather odd that Méliès was one of the first filmmakers to achieve effects specific to film (i.e. incapable of being produced in theatre, or other artistic media). I'm of course referring to trick-shots.Numerous early shorts are blatant imitations of Méliès' films, but they usually weren't as funny or imaginative. 'Voyage to the Moon' represents the height of his career; his work would soon diminish under the hectic schedule set by the Motion Picture Patents Company, and he would eventually end up burning his own films. Watch Jacques Meny's documentary 'La Magie Méliès' (1997) for a good telling of his life and films.(Note: This is one of four films that I've commented on because they're landmarks of early narrative development in film history. The others are 'As Seen Through a Telescope,' 'The Great Train Robbery' and 'Rescued by Rover.')
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