Commentary: Back to the Moon
A magnificent tribute to Georges Méliès, precursor of dreamlike cinema and special effects.
A real pleasure for admirers of Georges Méliès, but also for those who do not yet know his work, to find or discover in each object, character or setting of the short film, a detail or a reference to the world of Georges Méliès and in particular to the science fiction film A Trip to the Moon.
À propos de Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès, both magician and director, began by creating illusion shows and in 1888 purchased the Robert Houdin Theater, previously owned by Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805-1871), father of modern magic and considered one of the greatest conjurers of all time (and not Harry Houdini (1874-1926) whose best trick consisted of escaping of a trunk filled with water, closed and chained).
In 1895, during a cinema screening, he discovered the possibilities of the Lumière brothers' new invention and very quickly used it to create a visual universe that was poetic, fantastic and humorous.
His experience as an illusionist quickly led him to create tricks with cinematographic film such as the collage of part of the image, the superimposition by filming twice on the same film (by filming a setting first time, then a second time on the same film rewound a character on a black background, the result allowing the character to be integrated into a chosen place in the setting).
Avant-garde and precursor of special effects, his work, between science fiction and poetry, still influences many contemporary artists and filmmakers today.
