Georges Méliès

DirectorActorProducerWriter

Georges Méliès (December 9, 1861 - January 21, 1938), full name Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès, was a French illusionist and filmmaker famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest days of cinema. One of the first filmmakers to use multiple exposures, time-lapse photography, tracking shots, dissolves, and hand-painted color in his work, Méliès pioneered effects that would define cinematic special effects for decades to come. A prolific innovator in the use of special effects, Méliès accidentally discovered the substitution stop trick in 1896, a method of creating seamless disappearing and/or appearing effects used throughout both films and television for decades to come. Because of his ability to seemingly manipulate and transform reality through cinematography, Méliès is sometimes referred to as the first "Cinemagician". Two of his best-known films are A Trip to the Moon (1902) and The Impossible Voyage (1904). Both stories involve strange, surreal voyages, somewhat in the style of Jules Verne, and are considered among the most important early science fiction films, though their approach is closer to fantasy. Méliès was also an early pioneer of horror cinema, which can be traced back to his Le Manoir du diable (1896). In early 1909 Méliès stopped making films to protest Thomas Edison's Motion Pictures Parents Company monopoly, and presided over the first meeting of the International Filmmakers Congress in Paris. Further financial hardships created by his opposition to Edison and diminishing influence, Méliès disappeared from public life. By the mid-1920s he made a meager living as a candy and toy salesma in Paris, with the assistance of funds collected by other filmmakers. Although he was recognized for his contributions in cinema, Méliès spent most of his later years in poverty before being accepted into La Maison du Retraite du Cinéma, the film industry's retirement home in Orly.

09-12-1861

Birthday

Sagittarius

Zodiac Sign

Genres

137

Total Films

조르주 멜리에스, Marie Georges Jean Méliès, ジョルジュ・メリエス, マリー・ジョルジュ・ジャン・メリエス

Also known as (male)

Paris, France

Place of Birth

09-12-1861

Birthday

Sagittarius

Zodiac Sign

Genres

137

Total Films

Also Known As (male)

Paris, France

Place of Birth

Popular works

Media

Creative career

actor

137 Works

producer

36 Works

director

389 Works

writer

25 Works

other

34 Works

A Collection of Silent Films, Given Sound

A compellation of many silent films from all over the world, given music and sound design.

0.0

Year:

2025

Alcoléa & cie Documentary

Upon a visit to UVM's Lane Series in the Spring of 2022, Jean-Francois Alcolea offered to conduct a workshop to UVM film students and others on his piece, "Right in the Eye". A group of students from FTS 141 Video Production, teamed up to document the day and Jean-Francios' magical performance. They all left with a smile.

0.0

Year:

2024

Méliès: Tales of Terror

A compilation of three short trick films by Georges Méliès: El melómano (1903) (The Melomaniac aka The Music Lover)(1903), El monstruo (1903) (The Monster) (1903) and El verdugo turco (1904) (The Terrible Turkish Executioner) (1904).

0.0

Year:

2021

The Méliès Mystery

A documentary that details the process of restoring 270 of the 520 lost films of pioneering director Georges Méliès, all orchestrated by a Franco-American collaboration between Lobster Films, the National Film Center, and the Library of Congress.

6.8

Year:

2021

Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese

Part documentary, part concert film, part fever dream, this film captures the troubled spirit of America in 1975 and the joyous music that Dylan performed during the fall of that year.

7.1

Year:

2019

El hombre que quiso ser Segundo

The extraordinary life of cinema pioneer Segundo de Chomón.

6.0

Year:

2014

The Cinemagician, Georges Méliès

A look back at the life, style and influences of the famed filmmaker Georges Méliès and an examination of his role in the story of "Hugo."

0.0

Year:

2012

The Extraordinary Voyage

An account of the extraordinary life of film pioneer Georges Méliès (1861-1938) and the amazing story of the copy in color of his masterpiece “A Trip to the Moon” (1902), unexpectedly found in Spain and restored thanks to the heroic efforts of a group of true cinema lovers.

7.8

Year:

2011

Méliès' Magic Show

Méliès' granddaughter presents an exploration of his work, showcasing 15 of his best known films.

0.0

Year:

1997

Cinematógrafo 1900

4.5

Year:

1979

Violons d'Ingres

Shows hobbies of people who do an ordinary job in the day. Made for New York Fair.

0.0

Year:

1939

Gala Méliès

Lost in the streets of Paris, Georges Méliès is looking everywhere for the Salle Pleyel. On the wall he sees an enormous Gala poster bearing his picture. He dives head first into the poster.

0.0

Year:

1929

The Knight of the Snow

One of the last films Georges Méliès made. By now, he was under contract for his former rival Pathé, where he made a few of his most lavish productions, including this one. Here, Méliès performed in front of the camera as the Devil […]. His incarnation of Satan this time is a sprightly antagonist who kidnaps a princess by locking her in a cage and taking off through the sky in a dragon-pulled carriage. […]

5.8

Year:

1912

The Conquest of the Pole

A science fantasy film that deals with an extraordinary race to the north pole by rival parties of balloonists. Based on the novel "The Adventures of Captain Hatteras" by Jules Verne.

6.3

Year:

1912

The Diabolical Church Window

Here we have an old scholar/alchemist brooding over a book, challenged by the devil, and going through the familiar sorcery to create a woman by throwing pieces of clothing against a stain-glass church window, like a jigsaw puzzle (and later in reverse). The woman also multiplies herself five-fold so as to match a similar paravent.

5.5

Year:

1911

Whimsical Illusions

In this hand-colored short, a magician and his assistant do a series of magic tricks, including making potted plants appear, among others. Melies played the magician, and the actor Manuel played his assistant.

6.1

Year:

1909

Fortune Favors the Brave

A young boy's adventure takes him to the domain of the Genie of the Cathedral Bell, where he finds a fortune to enrich his family. The film is currently presumed lost.

0.0

Year:

1909

The Diabolic Tenant

A man rents an apartment and furnishes it in remarkable fashion.

6.8

Year:

1909

The Doctor's Secret

Doctors blow to pieces a patient in a hydrotherapy machine and re-assemble him.

5.2

Year:

1909

Tribulations; or, The Misfortunes of a Cobbler

The Merchant, the Farrier, and the Roman accompany a mysterious woman into a magical cave full of terrors and wonders.

5.5

Year:

1908

Long Distance Wireless Photography

Into a photography studio full of large fantastic machines steps an elderly couple. The bearded proprietor explains the equipment and gives them a demonstration: he starts machines whirring, and projects a painting of three women onto a large screen; suddenly the women begin to move. The customers are impressed. First the women sits in the special seat: she's projected onto the screen, and her good nature comes out in the laughing image. Then it's the man's turn, but the machine discloses a vastly different nature in him. Will his reaction threaten our proprietor's inventions?

5.3

Year:

1908

The Indian Sorcerer

A sorcerer turns a small egg into a bigger one and keeps repeating this trick until the egg is large enough to do other things including delivering children.

5.3

Year:

1908

Satan in Prison

The title is vital, since the bulk of the action consists of a well-dressed man magically producing a series of items to furnish a bare room, culminating in his summoning up a charming lady to share his meal. Hearing the guards approaching, the man reverses the process, ending with a bare room when the two men enter.

5.5

Year:

1907

Good Glue Sticks

A peddler of "the best glue" sets up his outdoor stall. A crowd gathers for a demonstration. As he gives his pitch, two observant cops decide drive off his customers and close him down, much to his fury. He seeks revenge as they sit on a park bench.

4.9

Year:

1907

Tunneling the English Channel

The plot follows King Edward VII and President Armand Fallières dreaming of building a tunnel under the English Channel.

6.4

Year:

1907

The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon

In this film, Méliès concocts a combination fairy- and morality tale about the foolishness of trying to look too deeply into the workings of an unstable and inscrutable universe. At a medieval school, an old astronomer begins to teach a class of young men, all armed with telescopes, about the art of scrutinising an imminent eclipse. When a mechanical clock strikes twelve, all the young men rush to the windows and fix their telescopes on the heavens.

6.1

Year:

1907

Ali Barbouyou and Ali Bouf, In Oil

The opening title card explains that a painter has just finished his work when his assistant comes in and accidentally drinks varnish. The film then picks up as the painter goes haywire and sends the assistant into the painting.

5.5

Year:

1907

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

The film, a parody of the novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, follows a fisherman, Yves, who dreams of traveling by submarine to the bottom of the ocean, where he encounters both realistic and fanciful sea creatures, including a chorus of naiads played by dancers from the Théâtre du Châtelet. Méliès's design for the film includes cut-out sea animals patterned after Alphonse de Neuville's illustrations for Verne's novel.

5.2

Year:

1907

The Witch

A penniless troubadour consults witch Carabosse about his future, but offends her by paying with a bag of sand. He evades the witch's revenge, and saves the beautiful princess.

6.2

Year:

1906

The Mysterious Retort

A wizard sleeps at a table in his well-appointed sitting room. From a drawer in the table, a snake appears.

5.4

Year:

1906

The Merry Frolics of Satan

Two travellers are tormented by Satan from inn to inn and eventually experience a buggy ride through the heavens courtesy of the Devil before he takes one of them down to Hell and roasts him on a spit.

6.4

Year:

1906

A Desperate Crime

A man is murdered and the killer brought to justice by guillotine. This film is partly lost.

6.4

Year:

1906

A Roadside Inn

The staff of an inn play a cruel trick on a guest.

5.7

Year:

1906

The Hilarious Posters

A wall full of advertising posters comes to life.

6.0

Year:

1906

The Inventor Crazybrains and His Wonderful Airship

An inventor dreams that his newly designed airship takes flight.

5.7

Year:

1905

Rip's Dream

The Melies version of the old Rip Van Winkle tale.

5.8

Year:

1905

Ulysses and the Giant Polyphemus

An early horror treatment of the hero's encounter with the one-eyed man-eating Cyclops.

5.5

Year:

1905

The Palace of the Arabian Nights

A poor but honest man wins great wealth, and the hand of a beautiful princess, after facing a series of exciting trials in the tunnels and catacombs of ancient Araby. Guided by the mysterious Khalafar, the troupe (alongside him go some cowardly scholars) encounter skeletons, fire-breathing lizards, and mirages on their journey through the lower world.

5.6

Year:

1905

A Mesmerian Experiment

A magician creates a troupe of dancers out of thin air.

5.1

Year:

1905

The Lilliputian Minuet

The film, of which only fragments are known to survive, features Méliès as a magician making playing-card figures come to life in miniature.

4.4

Year:

1905

The Black Imp

A traveler at an inn is harassed by a mischievous devil in his room.

6.5

Year:

1905

The Living Playing Cards

6.4

Year:

1905

The Christmas Angel

A poor family in a rundown house where snow falls through the broken roof, there's no coal to heat the pathetic little stove, mother is sick, father sends daughter out to beg. Rejected by other beggars, the girl collapses in the snow…

5.5

Year:

1904

The Firefall

A magic show.

4.5

Year:

1904

The Wandering Jew

A Jew who mocked Jesus on the cross is visited by a devil and an angel.

4.6

Year:

1904

The Impossible Voyage

Using every known means of transportation, several savants from the Geographic Society undertake a journey through the Alps to the Sun which finishes under the sea.

7.2

Year:

1904

The Mermaid

A magician conjures up a mermaid while fishing.

5.6

Year:

1904

The Devilish Plank

A magic trick is performed with a long plank with two pots built into it, both with holes in the bottom. Pretty girls are part of the magic.

4.5

Year:

1904

The Cook in Trouble

A cook has his hands full with three mischievous devils, who pop in and out of his kitchen.

5.2

Year:

1904

The Wonderful Living Fan

As a conjurer awaits an audience, a procession announces the arrival of a royal representative, carried in a sedan chair, to see him. The conjurer then has a large box brought in. It is opened, revealing a very large folding fan. When the fan is spread out, the designs on it begin to change and move. And this is far from the last of the surprises that the conjurer has in store.

5.1

Year:

1904

Tchin-Chao, the Chinese Conjurer

A Chinese conjurer stands next to a table, it becomes two tables. A fan becomes a parasol, lanterns appear and disappear. The conjurer spins the open parasol in front of himself, and a dog leaps out from behind it. The dog becomes a woman, then a masked man appears. The conjurer sits them each on a box a few feet apart: suddenly the woman and man have changed places. The disappearing and the transfers continue in front of a simple backdrop.

4.8

Year:

1904

The Clockmaker's Dream

A weary clock-maker dozes off in a chair. While he is asleep, three women suddenly appear in the midst of his shop. They proceed to show the sleeping clock-maker some new kinds of clocks that they know how to make.

5.0

Year:

1904

The Untamable Whiskers

The background of this picture represents a scene along the beautiful river Seine in Paris. A gentleman enters, and taking a blackboard from the side of the picture, he draws on it a sketch of a novelist. Then, standing in the centre, he causes the living features of his sketch to appear in the place of his own, which is utterly devoid of whiskers. The change is made so mysteriously that the eye cannot notice it until one sees quite another person in the place of the first. Again another sketch is shown on the board, this one being that of a miser; then an English cockney; a comic character; a French policeman, and last of all, the grinning visage of Mephistopheles. It is almost impossible to give this film a more definite description; suffice it to say that it is something entirely new in motion pictures and is sure to please. (Méliès Catalog)

6.2

Year:

1904

The Fugitive Apparitions

A magician makes a woman appear and disappear.

4.8

Year:

1904

Every Man His Own Cigar Lighter

Only 8 surviving seconds of a man getting great pleasure from smoking a cigar.

4.6

Year:

1904

A Wager Between Two Magicians, or, Jealous of Myself

A performing magician divides into two people. The doubles then take turns doing tricks before merging back into one man.

6.0

Year:

1904

Tit for Tat

Georges Melies the magician. Melies removes his own head, puts it in a glass box on a stool, then grows another one. Melies lights up a cigarette and blows smoke at his old head. The head gets payback by levitating above Melies and spewing water on him.

5.7

Year:

1904

A Moonlight Serenade

Pierrot goes to the house of his love to serenade her, but her father kicks him out. Soon the moon and its goddess Diana come towards the man and offers him something better.

5.2

Year:

1903

The Terrible Turkish Executioner

In a public place in Constantinople at the corner of a bazaar, the executioner is seated upon a stone and is resting from his daily labors while eating a crust of bread. Suddenly there come running into the place a lot of Turkish men and women preceding some Turkish policemen, who drag along four prisoners in chains. The policemen shut up the four prisoners in the pillory. Their four heads stick up through the huge plank, which is provided with four openings. One of the policemen urges the executioner to decapitate the prisoners. He accordingly seizes a mighty sabre and cuts off by a single stroke the four heads, which roll upon the ground.

6.1

Year:

1903

Faust in the Underworld

The German legend of a scholar's unholy pact with the Devil would have been very familiar to most moviegoers (at least European ones), so Georges Méliès' early cinematic treatment likely got away with simply offering a fancifully illustrated late episode without the earlier narrative context (however, spoken narration provides some of the latter in this restored print). Tempted by Mephistopheles with all kinds of dancing and ethereal babes, Faust is at first excited and then terrified by the sight of various demons and monsters. The painted-set designers really went hog wild on this one, depicting the (sometimes sexy) torments of subterranean Hell with in bold terms (even when ballerinas prance in the foreground). (Dennis Harvey, Fandor)

5.9

Year:

1903

The Ballet Master's Dream

It's late in the evening, and the ballet master's bed has been prepared for him. But he cannot take his mind off of his work, and instead of going to sleep he paces the floor and tries out dance steps. Finally, he goes to bed and falls asleep, but ballet dominates even his dreams. He sees two dancers who seem to come right into his room as they perform, and that's just the beginning.

5.5

Year:

1903

The Magic Lantern

Two impish clowns construct a magic lantern. They prop it up at an angle, and use it to project pictures onto a wall. When the picture show ends, they open up the lantern to reveal a group of dancing girls inside - and this is only the first of the indications that this lantern really is magical.

5.9

Year:

1903

Alcofribas, The Master Magician

Two men in a cave perform magic.

5.0

Year:

1903

Extraordinary Illusions

Pioneer filmmaker Georges Méliès performs his cine-magic act.

6.1

Year:

1903

Bob Kick, the Mischievous Kid

A boy is led into the frame by two nursemaids who give him a big ball to play with. For the remainder of the film heads appear and disappear, stage props blow up and turn into other objects or people, and finally Bob Kick disappears.

4.6

Year:

1903

Jupiter's Thunderballs

With godly entrapments, Zeus appears on the horizon, engages Hermes as an audience, and tries to throw some thunderbolts. They fizzle. Hephaestus tries to make some repairs but succeeds only in heating the bolts and burning Zeus's hands. Zeus conjures nine muses, but do their incantations help? He dismisses them as well as a visiting Pan, and his fits of pique become counter-productive. Can he get his powers back?

5.2

Year:

1903

Apparitions

Alone in his room at an inn, a lustful old man is haunted by spirits.

5.4

Year:

1903

The Infernal Cauldron

A green-skinned demon places a woman and two courtiers into a flaming cauldron.

6.3

Year:

1903

The Kingdom of the Fairies

At the royal court, a prince is presenting the princess whom he is pledged to marry when a witch suddenly appears. Though driven off, the witch soon returns, summons some of her servants, and carries off the princess. A rescue party is quickly organized, but the unfortunate captive has been taken to a strange, forbidding realm, from where it will be impossible to rescue her without some special help.

6.9

Year:

1903

The Monster

An Egyptian prince has lost his beloved wife and he has sought a dervish who dwells at the base of the sphinx.

6.0

Year:

1903

The Melomaniac

The leader of a marching band demonstrates an unusual way of writing music.

6.6

Year:

1903

The Oracle of Delphi

A box of valued jewels is placed inside the tomb of Delphi. A thief breaks into the tomb and steals it, but soon the ghost of Delphi appears and puts a curse on him.

5.4

Year:

1903

The Mystical Flame

A juggler enters upon the scene, picks up a skull, throws it into the air, catches it in his hands, where it is transformed into a handkerchief. The handkerchief, after being twirled about a wand, is changed to a napkin, and afterward to a tablecloth. Out of the table cloth comes a servant.

4.8

Year:

1903

The Mysterious Box

As scene as pleasing as incomprehensible. A juggler summons two chairs, which come to the stage jumping and twirling around. Across the back of these chairs the operator places a sheet of glass on which he lays a box about four inches high. He then takes a table cover, with his servant's help, rolls it up and from the centre emerges a lady, beautifully dressed. At the juggler's order she jumps in the box, in which she completely disappears.

5.5

Year:

1903

The Infernal Cakewalk

Pluto, having seen the earth, comes back home amazed at the success of that well-known dance, the "cake-walk." He has brought back with him two noted well-known dancers, who start their favorite dance amidst the flames.

5.6

Year:

1903

Misfortune Never Comes Alone

The scene takes place in front of a barrack, where a young soldier is on duty --most laughable and comical

5.5

Year:

1903

Beelzebub's Daughters

Beelzebub, making fire on the tips of his fingers, develops a large blaze, from which three girls emerge, who commence a dance in the heart of the flames, while two devils shake burning torches; all disappear. This scene is the first of its kind and is quite magical in its effect.

0.0

Year:

1903

The Marvellous Wreath

A magician performs tricks with a marvelous wreath.

4.8

Year:

1903

The Enchanted Basket

A farmer calls on a juggler to see a few of his best tricks. The juggler has brought a bouquet of flowers, from which he takes out a charming and beautiful girl. The farmer, enraptured, attempts to kiss the beauty, and in trying to do so he only catches a devil, who beats him unmercifully and finally bursts into a thousand pieces. The juggler asks the farmer if his cares for any more exhibitions, but the poor fellow runs away in great terror.

0.0

Year:

1903

Robinson Crusoe

Georges Méliès adaptation of Robinson Crusoe, the first film adaptation of the story. Filmed in black & white, Méliès would then paint the film by hand to colour it. Originally a 15 minute film, twelve and a half minutes of painted film have been found and have been restored.

5.5

Year:

1902

Gulliver's Travels Among the Lilliputians and the Giants

Georges Méliès' adaptation of Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" is most distinguished, today, for being a color film of the classic story. Color was rare in 1902 (and many years after) as non-tinted color has to be hand painted on the film; this was an arduous task. Also notable is the film's short running time of approximately five minutes. Much of the original work is not covered, but viewers were expected to be familiar with the story, and enjoy the filmed highlights. There are a couple of scenes missing; according to contemporary reports, Gulliver's shipwreck was certainly included. You can do a lot in a few minutes, as Mr. Méliès includes a re-make of his own "Une partie de cartes" (1896), which already looked like something previously covered by the Lumière Brothers.

6.1

Year:

1902

Sure Cure for Indigestion

In this film, we show the interior of a doctor's office. A patient enters, and judging from the expression on his face, he is in great pain. The doctor tells him that he is troubled with acute indigestion, and immediately places him upon the operating table. He begins his treatment by cutting off the patient's arms and legs with a huge saw. After removing these members, he takes a large knife and makes an incision in the unfortunate's stomach large enough to put his arm in. He then removes such things as bottles, knives and forks, lamps and other articles of furniture from the patient's body ...

6.0

Year:

1902

An Impossible Balancing Feat

A magician along with three doppelgangers perform an elaborate balancing act.

5.7

Year:

1902

The Human Fly

This is a moving picture that moves. Positively the greatest magical picture ever offered. A Hindoo magician appears and dances for the entertainment of six pretty maidens. Then, to the astonishment of all, he runs up the wall, dances and turns handsprings in mid-air, introducing many tricks that are entirely new in animated photography. The most puzzling of all the mystical series. (Star Film Catalog)

5.9

Year:

1902

The Treasures of Satan

The setting of this fantastic scene represents the hall of an old chateau in which a miser has locked up seven large bags containing his wealth. Satan, who has made his way into the chateau, puts the seven bags in a strong box, and makes with his hands some cabalistic motions. The miser comes into the hall and is greatly astonished to find his fortune missing. He opens the coffer and immediately the bags leap out. He gathers them up and puts them back into the coffer. When he opens it again he finds that they have been transformed into seven young girls, who rush out and chase after him, beating him unmercifully. They shut him up in the coffer from which his gold has vanished. The miser pushes open the lid of the coffer, and to his profound despair finds that both young girls and money have disappeared. (This view is most sensational in its mysterious scenes.) (Star Film Catalog)

5.1

Year:

1902

A Trip to the Moon

Professor Barbenfouillis and five of his colleagues from the Academy of Astronomy travel to the Moon aboard a rocket propelled by a giant cannon. Once on the lunar surface, the bold explorers face the many perils hidden in the caves of the mysterious planet.

7.9

Year:

1902

The Prolific Magical Egg

A human skeleton is placed upon a table by an attendant. When the attendant leaves the room the skeleton begins kicking his legs and throwing his arms about and suddenly turns into a magician. The magician produces an egg, performing several sleight-of-hand tricks, and places it upon the table with the small end downward. He then crudely draws a human face upon the shell, and the egg immediately begins growing larger and larger until it reaches the size of a normal head.

6.0

Year:

1902

The Dwarf and the Giant

A magician explores two halves of his self: The Dwarf and the Giant.

5.7

Year:

1901

The Devil and the Statue

At the beginning of the scene Romeo in his gondola sings to Juliet a sentimental song, then goes away. Hardly has he departed when the colonnade falls to pieces, disclosing the devil. Juliet, frightened, runs to the window and calls Romeo. The latter attempts to enter and protect his fiancée, but at a gesture from the devil the window is instantly covered with a grating and Romeo makes frantic efforts to break it. The devil begins to dance a wild dance before Juliet, who is beside herself from terror. The devil gradually becomes the size of a giant (a novel effect). Juliet implores the statue of Madonna, which becomes animated, descends from its pedestal, and stretching out its arms orders the devil to disappear. (Méliès Catalog)

5.3

Year:

1901

The Man with the Rubber Head

A chemist carries out a bizarre experiment with his own head.

7.2

Year:

1901

Hat of Many Surprises

A magician's hat offers many surprises.

5.8

Year:

1901

Bluebeard

A young woman becomes the eighth wife of the wealthy Bluebeard, whose first seven wives have died under mysterious circumstances.

6.2

Year:

1901

The Prince of Magicians

A magician does tricks with the aid of his assistant, the Human Pump.

6.3

Year:

1901

The Temple of the Sun

A high nobleman finds himself in the Temple of the Sun, where he meets Mascarille, who proposes himself as a juggler. After extracting from the nobleman's nose several playing cards, Mascarille enlarges these cards and transforms them into the flags of all nations. From these flags he extricates a group of beauties. The nobleman begins to pay court to the ladies. Instantly the group disappears and the lord finds himself face to face with an animated Sun, who starts in a grotesque dance. The Sun is changed to a pumpkin. Then the devil appears, replaces the head of the lord with the pumpkin and drives him away with an enormous candlestick, which sends out flames and smoke.

0.0

Year:

1901

A Maiden's Paradise

In a wizard's cavern, a series of magic tricks are performed..

0.0

Year:

1901

The Magician's Cavern

A very enthusiastic magician performs several tricks.

6.0

Year:

1901

The Triple Headed Lady

A conjuror appears to demonstrate a lady with three heads.

5.2

Year:

1901

The Brahmin and the Butterfly

A man attempts to engender a transformation of a giant worm into a butterfly.

5.5

Year:

1901

The Christmas Dream

The entire story of Christmastide is here depicted. The scene opens in a large boudoir of an apparently wealthy man's home. His children, assisted by their governess, are about to retire. Before lying down they hang up their stockings on the edge of the bed. The picture changes and night appears. We see the housetops of the town and angels are flying about depositing packages in each of the chimneys. (Edison Catalog)

5.5

Year:

1900

Joan of Arc

A divinely inspired peasant woman becomes an army captain for France and then is martyred after she is captured.

6.9

Year:

1900

The Artist and the Dummy

A very simple gag film as a young lady substitutes herself for a dummy in order to play a practical joke on an artist.

4.5

Year:

1900

Going to Bed Under Difficulties

A man takes off his clothes in preparation for bed, only for new clothes to spontaneously generate, leading to comical consternation.

6.5

Year:

1900

The Triple Conjurer and the Living Head

A conjurer (along with two duplicates) conjure up (and then cause to vanish) a beautiful woman head-first.

5.8

Year:

1900

The One-Man Band

A band-leader has arranged seven chairs for the members of his band. When he sits down in the first chair, a cymbal player appears in the same chair, then rises and sits in the next chair. As the cymbal player sits down, a drummer appears in the second chair, and then likewise moves on to the third chair. In this way, an entire band is soon formed, and is then ready to perform.

6.8

Year:

1900

The Fat and Lean Wrestling Match

A series of fantastical wrestling matches.

6.6

Year:

1900

The Wizard, the Prince and the Good Fairy

A prince gets the help of a fairy to aid in his conflict with a wizard.

5.1

Year:

1900

A Fantastical Meal

A family sits down to enjoy a meal that ends up being fraught with complications.

6.2

Year:

1900

The Magic Book

Characters from a large magic book come to life.

6.2

Year:

1900

Up-to-Date Spiritualism

In this subject a "comique eccentric" enters the drawing room inhabited by spirits. He tries to take off his coat and hat, but these garments return to his head and shoulders as soon as he takes them off. The chairs, his umbrella, his hat, etc., fly away in different directions and by various methods. (Star Film Catalog)

5.7

Year:

1900

The Dreyfus Affair

The first movie ever censored for political reasons. The title refers to the then contemporaneous Dreyfus affair in which a Jewish military officer was falsely convicted of treason, and it was alleged that he was framed due to anti-semitism.

5.7

Year:

1899

Cinderella

A fairy godmother magically turns Cinderella's rags to a beautiful dress, and a pumpkin into a coach. Cinderella goes to the ball, where she meets the Prince - but will she remember to leave before the magic runs out? Méliès based the art direction on engravings by Gustave Doré. First known example of a fairy-tale adapted to film, and the first film to use dissolves to go from one scene to another.

6.2

Year:

1899

Summoning the Spirits

A bearded man hangs up a wreath and, like any good magician, waves his hands inside of it and under it to show us it's only a wreath…

5.2

Year:

1899

The Human Pyramid

Méliès appears as a court jester (a “triboulet” in French). He pulls 18th century noblemen out of a trunk and arranges them on a pyramid-shaped stage. Next, he transforms the gentlemen into fancy ladies.

5.2

Year:

1899

An Up-to-Date Conjurer

A film from Méliès has him playing a magician who does a few tricks including making a woman disappear.

6.3

Year:

1899

A Midnight Episode

A sleeping apartment of a friend who retires for the night. The rays of the moon are shining upon the bed through the window. He is suddenly awakened by a bug of gigantic proportions crawling over him. This he attacks and destroys, but before again retiring he notices three more climbing up the wall. He lights the candle and applies the flame to each, causing them to explode with fine smoke effect. After this slaughter he retires in contentment and soon sleeps the sleep of the just. A very funny subject.

3.5

Year:

1899

The Devil in a Convent

A priest is officiating at a convent, when suddenly he is transformed into the devil, who frightens away the nuns and turns the place into pandemonium.

6.2

Year:

1899

The Mysterious Portrait

A magician produces a living portrait of himself.

6.0

Year:

1899

The Pillar of Fire

A devil wearing bat-like wings and brandishing a trident dances around a giant pot, conjuring forth flame from his trident to lit a fire beneath the pot. After the devil works the fire with bellows, an angelic woman emerges from the pot. The devil and the pot vanish as the woman performs a dance, waving about her diaphanous sleeves until she conjures forth another fire, then she rises amongst the smoke into the air.

5.9

Year:

1899

Cleopatra's Tomb

A man digging inside an Egyptian tomb chops up a mummy, then resurrects the woman inside it. This film is presumably lost.

1.7

Year:

1899

The Mysterious Knight

A knight performs several magic tricks with a disembodied head materialized from a chalkboard drawing.

6.2

Year:

1899

The Four Troublesome Heads

One of the greatest of black art pictures. The conjurer appears before the audience, with his head in its proper place. He then removes his head, and throwing it in the air, it appears on the table opposite another head, and both detached heads sing in unison. The conjurer then removes it a third time. You then see all three of his heads, which are exact duplicates, upon the table at one time, while the conjurer again stands before the audience with his head perfectly intact, singing in unison with the three heads upon the table. He closes the picture by bowing himself from the stage.

7.1

Year:

1898

Pygmalion and Galatea

Showing Pygmalion at work in his studio on the statue of Galatea, who, on being completed, comes to life. He attempts to clasp her to his arms, when the bust leaves the body and crossing the room mocks at him standing with the lower portion of her body in his hands. Further startling illusions are seen in this most beautiful picture.

4.8

Year:

1898

The Temptation of St. Anthony

St. Anthony is tempted by visions of women, including one that is transformed from the image of Jesus Christ Himself!

5.8

Year:

1898

The Famous Box Trick

A magician performs a series of magic tricks involving a boy and a box.

6.1

Year:

1898

The Magician

In this scene is shown a magician behind an ordinary table, upon which he suddenly and mysteriously causes to appear a large box, into which he leaps. The sides of the box fall to the ground, but instead of containing the magician a lively clown steps forth who further mystifies the audience by causing the box to disappear, and in its place is seen a fully laid table with a smoking dinner, to which the clown applies himself. The table, however, suddenly disappears much to the astonishment of the clown, who is confronted by the magician in the garb of Mephistopheles. This he suddenly changes to that of a sculptor, and in the background is seen a pedestal with the bust of a young lady, which comes to life as the sculptor applies the mallet and chisel.

6.2

Year:

1898

The Astronomer's Dream

An astronomer has a terrifying dream.

6.9

Year:

1898

Faust and Marguerite

Mephistopheles demands that Faust kill Marguerite.

3.9

Year:

1897

Naval Combat in Greece

An officer calls his sailors to the deck. They assemble around the canon while the officer scans the horizon. They all turn in the direction of the camera to look in the distance. At the same time the ship is hit! This scene is a filmed reconstruction of the 1897 Greek-Turkish war.

5.3

Year:

1897

Between Calais and Dover

A rocky sea voyage as reenacted by Georges Méliès.

5.4

Year:

1897

The Bewitched Inn

A weary traveler stops at an inn along the way to get a good night's sleep, but his rest is interrupted by odd happenings when he gets to his room--beds vanishing and re-appearing, candles exploding, pants flying through the air and his shoes walking away by themselves.

6.2

Year:

1897

The Haunted Castle

A man has an encounter with several spooky apparitions in a castle that is evidently owned by the Devil.

5.7

Year:

1897

A Nightmare

A man has a fantastical nightmare involving, among other things, a grinning malevolent moon.

6.0

Year:

1896

The Haunted Castle

In a medieval castle, a dark magician thought to be Mephistopheles conjures up a series of bizarre creatures and events in order to torment a pair of interloping cavaliers.

6.4

Year:

1896

Conjuring

The film reproduces a magic act Méliès performed at his Paris theater-of-illusions, the Théâtre Robert-Houdin. Conjuring is notable as Méliès's second film, and as his first to move beyond the actuality film genre pioneered by the Lumière brothers and experiment with using the camera to capture a theatrical magic act. (Later in 1896, with his discovery of the substitution splice technique, Méliès was able to begin augmenting his theatrical illusions with new special effects unique to film.) Conjuring can thus be seen as Méliès's first foray into the world of fiction film. The film was released by Méliès's Star Film Company and numbered 2 in its catalogues.

5.3

Year:

1896

The Vanishing Lady

Georges Méliès makes a woman disappear, then reappear.

6.2

Year:

1896

Playing Cards

Three friends are playing cards in a beer garden. One of them orders drinks. The waitress comes back with a bottle of wine and three glasses on a tray. The man serves his friends. They clink glasses and drink. Then the man asks for a newspaper. He reads a funny story in it and the three friends burst out laughing while the waitress merely smiles.

4.9

Year:

1896

A Terrible Night

A man tries to get a good night's sleep, but is disturbed by a giant spider that leaps onto his bed, and a battle ensues in hilarious comic fashion.

5.1

Year:

1896