Thanks to the success of Martin Scorsese's Hugo (2011), everyone is now familiar with Le Voyage dans la lune or A Trip to the Moon (1902), Georges Melies' pioneering masterpiece. The innovative special effects and animation Melies was able to accomplish is truly an amazing feat, and deserves to be appreciated. History was not always so kind to the film, however. The film was very well-received upon it's release 110 years ago (naturally, because films of any kind were new and rare), but interest in Melies faded after World War I, and so did interest in preserving his films. When Melies made a movie, he usually made two versions: one black and white, the other a hand-tinted color version. The black and white one survived relatively well, but the color version was thought to be lost forever... until a sole copy was found in a French barn in 1993. The film was so badly deteriorated, it was not fully restored and re-released until 2011. It remains one of the most important films ever made.
At a meeting of Astronomers, a proposal to travel to the moon is made. After some dissent, several volunteers step forward...
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| A Trip to the Moon. 1902. Georges Melies |
A vessel is constructed, made in the shape of a bullet...
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| A Trip to the Moon. 1902. Georges Melies |
The scientist board the board the ship, and it is then fired out of a giant cannon...
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| A Trip to the Moon. 1902. Georges Melies |
pointed directly at the face of the moon...
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| A Trip to the Moon. 1902. Georges Melies |
The Earthlings arrive safely and rest well under starry skies...
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| A Trip to the Moon. 1902. Georges Melies |
But the peacefulness of their visit is disrupted when they are attacked by space men. They must escape and find a way to return to Earth...
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| A Trip to the Moon. 1902. Georges Melies |
The restored color version of "A Trip to the Moon"
