Le voyage dans la lune
Tags: psychedelic, satire

Plot synopsis:
At a meeting of the Astronomic Club, its president, Professor Barbenfouillis, proposes a trip to the Moon. After addressing some dissent, five other brave astronomers: Nostradamus, Alcofrisbas, Omega, Micromegas, and Parafaragaramus agree to the plan. They build a space capsule in the shape of a bullet, and a huge cannon to shoot it into space. The astronomers embark and their capsule is fired from the cannon with the help of "marines" (most of whom are played by a bevy of young women in sailors' outfits). The Man in the Moon watches the capsule as it approaches, and it hits him in the eye.Landing safely on the Moon, the astronomers get out of the capsule (without the need of space suits) and watch the Earth rise in the distance. Exhausted by their journey, they unroll their blankets and sleep. As they sleep, a comet passes, the Big Dipper appears with human faces peering out of each star, old Saturn leans out of a window in his ringed planet, and Phoebe, goddess of the Moon, appears seated in a crescent-moon swing. Phoebe causes a snowfall that awakens the astronomers, and they seek shelter in a cavern where they discover giant mushrooms. One astronomer opens his umbrella; it promptly takes root and turns into a giant mushroom itself.At this point, a Selenite (an insectoid alien inhabitant of the Moon, named after one of the Greek moon goddesses, Selene) appears, but it is killed easily by an astronomer, as the creatures explode if they are hit with force. More Selenites appear and it becomes increasingly difficult for the astronomers to destroy them as they are surrounded. The Selenites capture the six astronomers and take them to the palace of their king. An astronomer lifts the Selenite King off his throne and throws him to the ground, causing him to explode.The astronomers run back to their capsule while continuing to hit the pursuing Selenites, and five get inside. The sixth astronomer, Barbenfouillis himself, uses a rope to tip the capsule over a ledge on the Moon and into space. A Selenite tries to seize the capsule at the last minute. Astronomer, capsule, and Selenite fall through space and land in an ocean on Earth, where they are rescued by a ship and towed ashore.The final sequence depicts a celebratory parade in honor of the travelers' return, including a display of the captive Selenite and the unveiling of a commemorative statue bearing the motto "Labor omnia vincit".

Review: Influenced by the works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, as well as Adolphe Dennery's adaptation of those pieces, the story is about a gang of astronomers, who, launched from a cannon onto the Moon, encounter explosive aliens (or "Selenites", as Méliès called them).Méliès used the stop-motion (or substitution-splice) 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.
As one of the first films of the science fiction genre, "Le Voyage Dans la Lune" (or "A Trip to the Moon") is revered as the greatest achievement of stage magician and film pioneer Georges Méliès and one of the most important movies ever done.
Written and directed by Méliès himself, "Le Voyage Dans la Lune" is a wonderful visual fantasy that shows Méliès' imagination at its wildest form, and how with limited resources and lots of creativity he managed to make a film like nothing the world had ever seen before."A Trip to the Moon" is loosely based on the books "From the Earth to the Moon" by Jules Verne, and "The First Men in the Moon" by H.
After arriving to the Moon in their bullet-shaped spaceship (it was launched by a giant cannon), they discover the Selenites, the people from the Moon; and as their presence is unwelcome, the group of astronomers will have to fight for their survival.With a runtime of barely 14 minutes, "Le Voyage Dans la Lune" is an awe-inspiring ride of fantasy, adventure and magic that more than 100 years after its release, still captures the imagination with its wonderfully crafted visuals and its charming comedy.
The now iconic image of the Man in the Moon being hit in the eye by the spaceship is only one of the many amazing scenes that the genius of Méliès crafted with great imagination.Director D.W. Griffith said about Méliès, "I owe him everything" and Charles Chaplin called him "the alchemist of light" and both men were absolutely right in their remarks.
"Token" is important there, as this surely isn't the first film we could call sci-fi--even Trip to the Moon director/writer/producer/star/production designer/etc.
But this is the first widely known and accepted sci-fi film, with a significant length, and it has the important distinction of a pithy, well-told story, which Méliès based on Jules Verne's De la Terre à la Lune (From the Earth to the Moon), first published in 1865, and parts of H.G. Wells' The First Men in the Moon, first published in 1901.
Thus, he made rapid advances in production design, literary content, special effects and further developed an early form of editing, providing a bridge between the early shorts, which were purely mise-en-scène, to a more modern form of montage.A Trip to the Moon's scenes, with their elaborate production design, complete with backdrops painted by Méliès, are still constructed in a way similar to Thomas Edison's The Barbershop (1894), or the Lumière Brothers' Baignade en mer (1895)--that is, with complex, layered, contrapuntal motion playing out before a static camera, which represents the audience's point of view as they watch the action unfold on a "stage".
George Melies's `A Trip to the Moon' welcomes a change in film making of the twentieth century.
George Melies's `A Trip to the Moon' welcomes a change in film making of the twentieth century.
Still used today, Melies's special effects, small models, painted backgrounds, weird makeup and costumes were just some of the important things used in the movie `A Trip to the Moon.'For the filmmaker Melies, the use of stop action photography played an important role in `A Trip to the Moon.'  He specialized in making objects vanish or change by stopping and restarting his camera.
Nowadays we have a bunch of options before choosing a movie, from realistic dinosaurs to computer generated images and from mind throttling actions to terrifying stunts, we have them all but in this era of technology nobody can ignore the true genius of George Melies, as I had seen 'A Trip to The Moon' I was amazed that what he had done in 1902 with all his limitations.
The film is an embodiment of cinematic revolution coming only eight years after the Edison shorts, which had been dazzling when first released, it made all other films look ordinary and unimaginative in the face of the abounding creativity that the film demonstrates.The special effects are mind-blowing when taken in the context of the era in which it was released and the tight, structured narrative provides amusement and enjoyment for fans today, over 100 years after the film's release.
They even feature this movie on the famous HBO series "From the earth to the Moon" complete with an archieve interview of one of the person involved, I forget his name, but all fans of the wonderful film, should catch the last part of that series, they show how in great detail how the film was made and all the troubles they went through.In all, anyone can enjoy this, who knows?
Full of imaginative uses of editing and photography and inspired by the works of Jules Verne, the film contains one of the most recognizable images in motion picture history: the sleek, steel-riveted rocket ship jutting out from one of the eye sockets of an expressive man in the moon.
From a technical standpoint, the special effects set a standard for its time.Anyone interested in the origin of film should make it a point to view this classic film that is one of the first complete stories, and an entertaining piece of cinematic history..
One comical moment shined when the explorers were loaded into a spaceship shaped like a bullet, and were shot into the "moon's eye," through a giant size cannon.I agree with the user: Snow Leopard's review in the films entertaining and historical value.
But because this film came WAY before moon landing existed, it's still incredibly intriguing seeing how people thought space travel might be like then.
Looking through some of the reviews, others have stated the same sentiment, but nevertheless, I cannot think of a better term to describe this, it really is magical.I was aware of the famous still of the moon before I had actually seen this movie, but had no idea where it came from and it ended up being years before I would stumble upon this.
A Trip to the Moon is the most famous movie by Georges Méliès, who made over hundred films, mostly in theatrical manner, and is pioneer of special effects.
These desires were translated in George Méliès' 'Le Voyage Dans La Lune', and that - added to the fact that it was the first science fiction movie ever made, and the first film with a proper plot and storyline – was what made the film a tremendous success with the public.
The story about a group of astronomers that travel to the moon in a rocket ship, explore its surface and return to earth with a captive lunar inhabitant fascinated the audience, for it was something never done before in entertainment history, and because it captured the spirit of innovation, of technological advance, and of discovery of the time.This is what made the film so relevant at that time, and what contributed to maintaining its relevance throughout the years.
The scene where the spacecraft lands on the moon is legendary, and deserves to be!The movie is just a prime example of the best of cinema back when film was still an art in development, and the people behind the scenes really were writing the language of film-making in the process of making the actual motion pictures.10/10!.
On top of it lies the fact that this 12 minutes long film was released in 1902 which may indicate just how influential it has been to later film-makers.The story itself is based on the famous and genre-defining science fiction story "From the Earth to the Moon" ("De la terre à la lune", 1865) by French author Jules Verne (1828-1905).
On the moon, however, trouble stirs as the newly arrived explorers may not be alone.A lot of effort has been put into it, making use of a team of acrobats, well made costumes, great designs and visual effects all contribute to an experience that some would find difficult to believe has been produced at the start of the 20th century.The film can be enjoyed by people of all age groups and as one of the truly pioneering works of fictional film-making it's a must-see for film lovers..
Georges Melies' 'A Trip to the Moon' is considered the first Sci-Fi film by some, and some say it's just a fantasy.
And not only - it is science-fiction action film, because how else could you view the fight scene between scientists and the Selenites.Georges Melies was a pioneer of narrative filmmaking.
A lovely short, that even the technical difficulties of its time can't stop the viewer from escaping to the fantasy world that Georges Méliès has so beautifully crafted.The aesthetic of the film is truly mesmerizing, especially in the hand-colored version.
Any movie buff should of watched Georges Méliès's 1902 cinematic classic, A Trip to the Moon.
Originally called Voyage dans la Lune, this film was made in 1902 and is considered to be the first actual film made - of course the definition of film is up to you as the first ever motion picture was back in 1878 - but this is a movie specifically shot to entertain an audience, it had a plot, characters and special effects.The story consists of a group of astronomers (who seem to resemble wizards) who travel to the moon and then meet alien beings.
I think A Trip To the Moon just shows us how far we've come in the last century; just over 100 years of cinema and we have CGI, 3D, motion-capture, fantastic concepts that really did seem alien in 1902.
A Trip to the Moon is widely regarded as a landmark film in the origins of cinema and showcased the fantasy elements of storytelling and special effects.The film was written and directed by Georges Méliès, assisted by his brother Gaston.
The film has elaborate production designs, animation and truly innovative special effects especially the iconic scene of the rocket landing in the moon's eye.It was a very popular short at the time and has been imitated countless times or paid home to especially in a popular music video by the band Smashing Pumpkins in the 1990s..
The way events are sequenced and the parts of the tale that the filmmaker chose to portray on the screen, with all the costumes, running characters, smoke, 2 shots of the same event (landing on the moon), and the marvelous sets; a trip to moon is a film that entertains and creates awe.The effects created leave us thinking about the tricks adopted and how can we do something so simple yet fascinating with just a camera, some space in-front of it, and some people, because at the end of the day its about communicating and sharing stories.
Using that standard, Georges Lumiere made a brilliant film, which, in many ways, is certainly much more charming than a lot of today's sci- fi blockbusters.It's a simple and very fast paced (even frenetic) story that begins with a group of astronomers gathering to devise a way to travel to the moon, continues through the building of the rocket ship and the entry of the explorers into it, continues with their flight to an exploration of the moon and finishes with their triumphant return home - all in less than 15 minutes.The sets and costumes are wonderful.
110 Years Later...Not Bad. Before This, All Film Was Experimental, With Shorts Like "Roundhay Garden Scene" Or "Traffic Crossing Leeds Bridge" This Is Not News To Anyone, Even Those Who Only Know Film As "A Way To Be Entertained".Enter George Méliès, A French Magician Who Saw The Ability To "Make Magic" Through Film.Now Because Of What Little People Knew Of Astronomy Back Then I Will Lay Off The Obvious Plot holes Like "The Moon Doesn't Have A Breathable Atmosphere" Because Back Then They Didn't Know.
But watching this with it's release year in mind, it's actually fascinating that they managed to conceive a story like this into a 14 minute film that wraps up like it does and moves along at a good pace.The imagination and special effects in this are really quite cool.
This movie has such a good look to it, and the special effects are good for the time, including a very impressive shot where the moon gets closer and closer until the space shuttle hits the "face" of the moon which uses an actual human face.
Often cited as the first example of a film in the Science Fiction genre, Le Voyage dans la Lune (1902) (English: A Trip to the Moon), is nothing short of impressive considering the elementary state of film-making at the beginning of its history.
As well as advancing techniques in areas such as production design, special effects, and early editing, the film pioneer took cinema to new heights when he recognized the storytelling ability of the medium.Indeed, Le Voyage dans la Lune illustrates in 8-14 minutes (depending on the fps) what it would take a modern film of the same plot and premise an hour and a half to show.
Either way, Le Voyage dans la Lune is a spectacular practice in special effects, with a simple, but engaging story and fantastical mise-en-scene that adds up to an extremely entertaining experience.Recommended to both Science Fiction and Fantasy film enthusiasts who wish to see the origins of their beloved genre in film.
Georges Melies' short film, "A Trip to the Moon" is the birth, the quintessential first born, of the sci-fi genre.
With amazing special effects, imaginative characters, and a story that loomed with eerie darkness, Melies proudly created a film that everyone, with no exceptions, would try to mimic through the next century and beyond of cinema.
Without continuity editing and other types of shots movies would not make any sense.His mastery of entertainment on the screen and behind the camera along with his brilliant knack for writing is what makes Le Voyage dans la lune (The Voyage to the Moon) such a timeless treasure.In this film you see Méliès pull out his whole bag of tricks using highly decorated sets and costumes along with great editing and excellent performances for a silent film.
As one of the first science-fiction movies ever created, A Trip to the Moon enthralled both French and American audiences alike with special effects and cinematography ahead of its time.
A Trip to the Moon, directed by Georges Méliès, is one of the first science fiction films ever made.
George Melies' A Trip to the Moon is a short but insightful film on the manner in which technology was viewed in the early 1900s.
George Melies creates the first action film and the first sci-fi film with his production of A Trip to the Moon.
Based on Jules Verne's De la Terre à la Lune, the film sees a group of astronomers travel to the moon inside a large bullet fired from a huge cannon; once safely on the moon's surface, the scientists explore the terrain and discover a strange race of creatures called the Selenites (portrayed by acrobats from the Folies-Bergere).I feel like something of a philistine for not absolutely adoring Méliès' A Trip To The Moon: it's an undeniably important work in terms of furthering the art of movie-making, introducing such techniques as cuts and fades, but this classic of fantastical cinema made far less of an impact on me than I expected it to.
Watching it today, it looks very quaint (no closeups or medium closeups and carried forth like a stage play) but the sets are amazing for their time and who hasn't seen the iconic shot of the rocket in the Moon's eye??
(*Note*) - Due to A Trip To The Moon's age, I have cut it a lot of slack with my 6-star rating.Released in 1902 - This novel, hand-tinted, Sci-Fi short (now 113 years old) has got to be one of the most technically innovative films produced up to that time in movie-making history.For its day, this film's special effects are really quite impressive and entertaining.
From pioneer filmmaker Georges Méliès and inspired by Jules Verne, it's the story of a group of astronomers who launch themselves to the moon on a rocket.
However, because film has existed only in the relatively recent past, and also because at some point all projected motion pictures have left behind their original camera negative, we can fairly definitively create a full appreciation of the history of cinema.Georges Méliès' A Trip To The Moon cannot, however, claim to be the first ever piece of film to be shot, with that particular honour going to a 1888 feature, Roundhay Garden Scene.
By the time he produced A Trip To The Moon, he had been creating special effects based on his experience as a magician, for six years.
Le Voyage Dans La Lune (A Trip To The Moon) is an early experimental film produced in 1902 by film pioneer Georges Melies.
While George Melie's film only runs 14 minutes, projected at 16 frames per second, which was the standard frame rate at the time, the uses of innovative animation and special effects was ground-breaking.
i think this movie is fun to watch because this movie was filmed before people really knew what the moon actually was like .
Georges Méliès's trip to the moon is a marvelous film that has Jules Verne and fantasy written all over it.
Georges Méliès was a revolutionary in film, and "A Trip to the Moon" is the quintessential example of his pioneering work.
Overall, Georges Méliès short film, "A Trip to the Moon", was a film that sticks with us today because it was far ahead of its time.