A Trip to the Moon is an almost 12 minute long video that was made in 1902 by the innovative George Meliés. Not only was he distinguished because of his "impossible" acts on film, but also because of his sophisticated films that include magic, drama, science fiction, history and many more. He was actually the first one to integrate animation into a short film. This created great variety in his films and made more people interested in this emerging technology and knowledge.
A Trip to the Moon is about astronomers who plan to travel to the moon. Many astronomers assemble, and the president explains the details about his plans of a trip to the moon using a bullet-like ship. This idea is approved by most of the astronomers, but one of them opposes it. They argue for a while, the president throwing things at the disagreeing man. After they all calm down, they all agree to go with the president's plan. Five other astronomers divide to accompany him. They gat their traveling suits and are ready for the journey.
After the ones in charge fired the canon, we can see how it approximates the moon. The interesting thing is that the moon has a face! The bullet actually ends up impacting the eye of the moon. The moon can be seen groaning and arguing about the intrusion. After the astronomers got out of the bullet, they celebrated their success and admired the new and unknown landscape. The enormous bullet can be seen being constructed, and the astronomers prepare themselves for the departure by entering in the oversized bullet. The large canon is loaded (with the astronomers inside the bullet) and is fired. After experimenting the new surroundings, they fall asleep. Then seven stars with woman faces appear, wondering why the men were intruding. The astronomers begin to dream about starts, comets and planets. While they are sleeping, snow begins to fall on them, and they are awakened by the sudden cold. Looking for a warm place, the astronomers decide to enter inside a crater. When they enter, they discovered that inside were different types of giant mushrooms. One of the men takes out his umbrella to compare it with the size of the mushrooms, but the object suddenly turns to a mushroom! After this unexplainable scene, strange beings begin to come out of the mushrooms. These creatures are the inhabitants of the moon. Surprised by the intrusion of their territory by the astronomers, the creatures started to attack them. The men tried to defend themselves, hitting the strange beings, which broke onto countless pieces when they received a hard impact. In the end, the astronomers were captured and sent to the castle of the king of the inhabitants of the moon. However, one of the astronomers grabs the king and throws him to the floor, breaking him into small little pieces. After this, the astronomers run away and head to the giant bullet. While the other astronomers get inside the bullet, the president attaches himself to it with a string, and pulls the bullet towards the edge of the moon. The bullet then falls off the edge of the moon and fall into the sea. Fortunately, the bullet begins to float and is picked up by a steamboat. The film ends with the astronomers celebrating their journey while they are taking to the shore.
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I must admit that I found this film extremely funny. In addition to the story being really interesting and creative, but the performance itself made the film even more entertaining. I laughed so hard when the president started to throw objects at the opposing astronomer! The gestures and expressions of the performers where also very unexpected and funny, making the spectator continue to watch the film. I found very interesting how the "traveling suits" were actually normal traveling clothes used to go from one city to the other a log time ago. I must say that I loved the idea of making the moon with a face of its own. Not only was it creative, but it also made the story more animated and out-of-the-box. The same thing goes with the stars with woman faces. I find the idea of the mushrooms a bit odd, yet it was very interesting and unexpected how the astronomer's umbrella turned into one of them. The idea of the inhabitants of the moon breaking into little pieces when struck hard enough was very surprising for me. However, it gave the film a more animated feeling.
I really liked this film in general. It shows us how this new technology of using a camera with multiple frames per less than a second and then join them can create such a fluid and interesting media of performance, ideas and creativity.
Have a good day!
Sincerely,
Michelle
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