Trip to the Moon

I was so excited to receive this assignment to investigate and look into Melies's "Trip to the Moon".

Having seen Hugo, which I absolutely love and adore, I had a bit of a background knowledge on the story of George Melies's movies and how he revolutionized the film industry. He provided a creative mind that no one had even contemplated working with  - his films were literally "something out of a dream". From the way he envisioned his works, to the manner in which he thought up ways to bring them to life, he was incredible. And, seeing as he started his whole career as a magician, it's no wonder he was able to think in a new perspective and to think of new ideas that would change the way everyone thought.

The idea of traveling to the moon is brought up in this 12 minute short film. There is a group of astronomers who try to think up ideas of how to get to the moon, and after much debate, they decide the best possible way is to place themselves in a rocket - in the shape of a bullet - and literally shoot themselves to the moon. It's only as they're in the process of reaching the moon do we know that the moon has a face, and feelings. The bullet rocket ends up shooting into the moon's eye, hurting and upsetting the moon in the process.

As the men exit to explore the moon, they find themselves confronted by truly strange experiences, such as giant mushrooms, transformations, and weird creatures that certainly do not want them there. These creatures capture the astronomers and take them to their leader, who ends up being shattered to bits by one of the astronomers. Fleeing for their lives, the astronomers try to escape, only for the leader to attempt and foil their escape by tampering with their bullet rocket. However, despite it all, the astronomers survive and are found and carried away by a steamboat that finds them in the ocean, and they share their delight in their experience.

I watched Hugo the other night, and am completely in love with it and the history it aims to tell its viewers. This story, along with George Melies, are the main focus of the history that is revealed and explored in the movie, and I for one will keep re-watching it to see if there's any more details I can pick up on. 

Film and its origins and progression have always been an interest of mine.