It has been over one hundred years since Georges Melies first began making movies. He was a true pioneer in every sense of the word. He invented his own camera and projector and built his own studio so that he could have complete control over what he was doing. His use of nudity in 1897 created a scandal and some of his films had very unhappy endings. I bring this up only to illustrate the old French proverb “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
Of the hundreds of films that he made it’s the trick films as he called them that he is best remembered for. It was in these that Melies developed the art of special effects. Double exposures, dissolves, and stop motion animation were used and refined to create films that even today are truly astounding. Even people who aren’t film buffs are familiar with his 1902 A TRIP TO THE MOON (which is not included in this anthology. It’s in LANDMARKS OF EARLY FILM, VOLUME 1). The shot of the rocket hitting the Moon in the eye is one of the most famous in film history.
What makes this collection so valuable are the 15 short films presented in virtually mint condition that allow us to sample the genius of Melies 100 years later. While they are all fascinating and entertaining, there is a block of four in a row beginning with TCHIN-CHAO, THE CHINESE CONJURER through THE LIVING PLAYING CARDS that show off Melies at his best. There is even a short documentary GEORGE MELIES: CINEMA MAGICIAN that gives a brief look at his life and work.
I would have left the documentary at the end of the presentation as on the VHS edition. This not only puts the credits where they belong but doesn’t give away the secrets until after the shorts are finished. The musical accompaniment by Alexander Rannie is ideal and enhances the magic of these enchanting films. They may be over 100 years old but true magic remains timeless. There have been many Melies releases since this one but LANDMARKS is still worth seeing.
The Capsule Critic 