Nicola Owen

Georges Melies

Georges melies (1861-1938) was one of the most important pioneers of early cinema. A successful magician and owner of the Theatre Robert-Houdin in Paris.





A career in cinema was not an option when Melies was born in Paris in 1861, though from an early age he had a strong interest in the arts. He later developed an interest in stage conjure after seeing the work of Maskelyne and cooke. He later took over his father’s business after his retirement and was able to raise enough money to buy the famous Theatre Robert-houdin when it was put up for sale in 1888.
“The 200-seat theatre was equipped with all manner of mechanical contraptions that were used in the illusions. Georges refurbished the theatre and opened it's doors to the public in the Autumn of 1888 with a production called La Stroubaika Persane.”

Cinema technology at this time was just developing and Melies became very interested in this subject, Melies studied various mechanisms and then using his knowledge and other people’s inventions he had some cinema equipment custom made.

Melies first attempt at making films were straightforward cityscapes but he then began to capture magic acts and illusions from the stage of his theatre. By 1896, Melies was using his knowledge of both stage magic and the mechanics of motion pictures to produce his first ‘trick’ films. These short films were cleverly produced; they relied on multiple exposures to create the illusion of people and objects morphing from one form to another or disappearing and re-appearing.




Melies best known film A Trip to the Moon (1902) was one of the most elaborate of his trick films. Melies produced this after he had spent years experimenting with what could be done inside a camera with special effects and multiple exposures.

These technique melies used to create hundreds of short films, some of which still impress audiences today like
Le Voyage dans la lune from 1902.

Melies continued to produce films at a fast pace, but his filmmaking style did not progress. His scenes continued in the same style, using just single shots, they were complex shots, involving a lot of special effect work but he never really looked beyond this.

Sadly, Melies career did not end well, once the novelty of his films wore off, he had to abandon film production in 1912, he then resumed his pre-film career, converting his studio back into a variety theatre. The French have always taken cinema seriously as an art form, and Melies substantial contribution was recognized in the late 1920s.

Melies was not a filmmaker; he was in truth, a film magician. "a conjuror who experimented with films, but who was more concerned with how the film reflected his concept for the tricks involved than the evolution of the new art form. As a filmmaker, Melies may have stopped producing films by 1903. But as a magician, he continued to create dazzling presentations of cinematic marvel."

posted by monkeynic @ 11:11 am