Georges Méliès
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.
A Trip to the Moon
as Professor Barbenfouillis / The MoonProfessor Barbenfouillis and five of his colleagues from the Academy of Astronomy travel to the...
Movie page
The Impossible Voyage
as MabouloffUsing every known means of transportation, several savants from the Geographic Society undertake...
Movie page
Cinderella
as The Gnome of the Clock / The Swiss at the Entrance to the ChurchA fairy godmother magically turns Cinderella's rags to a beautiful dress, and a pumpkin into a...
Movie page
The Vanishing Lady
as MagicianGeorges Méliès makes a woman disappear, then reappear.
Movie page
The Four Troublesome Heads
as ConjurerOne of the greatest of black art pictures. The conjurer appears before the audience, with his...
Movie page
The Man with the Rubber Head
as The Chemist / The India Rubber HeadA chemist carries out a bizarre experiment with his own head.
Movie page
Playing Cards
as Un joueur de cartesThree friends are playing cards in a beer garden. One of them orders drinks. The waitress comes...
Movie page
The Astronomer's Dream
as AstronomerAn astronomer has a terrifying dream.
Movie page
A Nightmare
as ManA man has a fantastical nightmare involving, among other things, a grinning malevolent moon.
Movie page
The Haunted Castle
as MephistophelesIn a medieval castle, a dark magician thought to be Mephistopheles conjures up a series of...
Movie page
The One-Man Band
as All the members of the orchestraA band-leader has arranged seven chairs for the members of his band. When he sits down in the...
Movie page
The Extraordinary Voyage
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)An account of the extraordinary life of film pioneer Georges Méliès (1861-1938) and the amazing...
Movie page
A Terrible Night
as L'homme qui essaie de dormirA man tries to get a good night's sleep, but is disturbed by a giant spider that leaps onto his...
Movie page
The Kingdom of the Fairies
as Prince Bel-AzorAt the royal court, a prince is presenting the princess whom he is pledged to marry when a witch...
Movie page
The Infernal Cauldron
as DevilA green-skinned demon places a woman and two courtiers into a flaming cauldron.
Movie page
The Hilarious Posters
as The Bill PosterA wall full of advertising posters comes to life.
Movie page
The Melomaniac
as uncreditedThe leader of a marching band demonstrates an unusual way of writing music.
Movie page
The Bewitched Inn
as The TravelerA weary traveler stops at an inn along the way to get a good night's sleep, but his rest is...
Movie page
Joan of Arc
as Père de JeanneA divinely inspired peasant woman becomes an army captain for France and then is martyred after...
Movie page
The Conjurer
as MagicianA film from Méliès has him playing a magician who does a few tricks including making a woman...
Movie page
The Mermaid
as uncreditedA magician conjures up a mermaid while fishing.
Movie page
The Devil in a Convent
as The DevilA priest is officiating at a convent, when suddenly he is transformed into the devil, who...
Movie page
The Temptation of St. Anthony
as uncreditedSt. Anthony is tempted by visions of women, including one that is transformed from the image of...
Movie page
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
as uncreditedThe film, a parody of the novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, follows a...
Movie page
Bluebeard
as Barbe-bleueA young woman becomes the eighth wife of the wealthy Bluebeard, whose first seven wives have...
Movie page
The Haunted Castle
as uncreditedA man has an encounter with several spooky apparitions in a castle that is evidently owned by...
Movie page
The Diabolic Tenant
as Le locataire diaboliqueA man rents an apartment and furnishes it in remarkable fashion.
Movie page
The Méliès Mystery
as Self (archive footage)A documentary that details the process of restoring 270 of the 520 lost films of pioneering...
Movie page
Going to Bed Under Difficulties
as The ManA man takes off his clothes in preparation for bed, only for new clothes to spontaneously...
Movie page
The Black Imp
as uncreditedA traveler at an inn is harassed by a mischievous devil in his room.
Movie page
The Pillar of Fire
as uncreditedA devil wearing bat-like wings and brandishing a trident dances around a giant pot, conjuring...
Movie page
The Christmas Dream
as BeggarThe entire story of Christmastide is here depicted. The scene opens in a large boudoir of an...
Movie page
The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon
as Professor of AstronomyIn this film, Méliès concocts a combination fairy- and morality tale about the foolishness of...
Movie page
The Magician
as Le SculpteurIn this scene is shown a magician behind an ordinary table, upon which he suddenly and...
Movie page
The Mysterious Knight
as Le chevalier mystèreA knight performs several magic tricks with a disembodied head materialized from a chalkboard...
Movie page
The Monster
as uncreditedAn Egyptian prince has lost his beloved wife and he has sought a dervish who dwells at the base...
Movie page
The Infernal Cakewalk
as DevilPluto, having seen the earth, comes back home amazed at the success of that well-known dance,...
Movie page
The Conquest of the Pole
as Le professeur MabouloffA science fantasy film that deals with an extraordinary race to the north pole by rival parties...
Movie page
Gulliver's Travels Among the Lilliputians and the Giants
as GulliverGeorges Méliès' adaptation of Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" is most distinguished,...
Movie page
The Fat and Lean Wrestling Match
as WrestlerA series of fantastical wrestling matches.
Movie page
The Merry Frolics of Satan
as SatanTwo travellers are tormented by Satan from inn to inn and eventually experience a buggy ride...
Movie page
The Witch
as The Fairy CarabosseA penniless troubadour consults witch Carabosse about his future, but offends her by paying with...
Movie page
Between Calais and Dover
as The Man in the Checked SuitA rocky sea voyage as reenacted by Georges Méliès.
Movie page
The Dreyfus Affair
as Fernand LaboriThe first movie ever censored for political reasons. The title refers to the then...
Movie page
The Human Fly
as The Hindoo MagicianThis is a moving picture that moves. Positively the greatest magical picture ever offered. A...
Movie page
Jupiter's Thunderballs
as uncreditedWith godly entrapments, Zeus appears on the horizon, engages Hermes as an audience, and tries to...
Movie page
The Untamable Whiskers
as Man with whiskersThe background of this picture represents a scene along the beautiful river Seine in Paris. A...
Movie page
The Treasures of Satan
as uncreditedThe setting of this fantastic scene represents the hall of an old chateau in which a miser has...
Movie page
The Mysterious Portrait
as L'illusionisteA magician produces a living portrait of himself.
Movie page
The Palace of the Arabian Nights
as The Sorcerer Khalafar (uncredited)A poor but honest man wins great wealth, and the hand of a beautiful princess, after facing a...
Movie page
The Famous Box Trick
as The MagicianA magician performs a series of magic tricks involving a boy and a box.
Movie page
The Devil and the Statue
as uncreditedAt the beginning of the scene Romeo in his gondola sings to Juliet a sentimental song, then goes...
Movie page
A Fantastical Meal
as The ManA family sits down to enjoy a meal that ends up being fraught with complications.
Movie page
The Magic Lantern
as uncreditedTwo impish clowns construct a magic lantern. They prop it up at an angle, and use it to project...
Movie page
The Magic Book
as The MagicianCharacters from a large magic book come to life.
Movie page
Tunneling the English Channel
as uncreditedThe plot follows King Edward VII and President Armand Fallières dreaming of building a tunnel...
Movie page
The Prince of Magicians
as ExcelsiorA magician does tricks with the aid of his assistant, the Human Pump.
Movie page
Whimsical Illusions
as The MagicianIn this hand-colored short, a magician and his assistant do a series of magic tricks, including...
Movie page
The Cook in Trouble
as uncreditedA cook has his hands full with three mischievous devils, who pop in and out of his kitchen.
Movie page
The Dwarf and the Giant
as uncreditedA magician explores two halves of his self: The Dwarf and the Giant.
Movie page
The Brahmin and the Butterfly
as The brahminA man attempts to engender a transformation of a giant worm into a butterfly.
Movie page
The Magician's Cavern
as uncreditedA very enthusiastic magician performs several tricks.
Movie page
Robinson Crusoe
as Robinson CrusoéGeorges Méliès adaptation of Robinson Crusoe, the first film adaptation of the story. Filmed in...
Movie page
Extraordinary Illusions
as uncreditedPioneer filmmaker Georges Méliès performs his cine-magic act.
Movie page
The Inventor Crazybrains and His Wonderful Airship
as uncreditedAn inventor dreams that his newly designed airship takes flight.
Movie page
Ali Barbouyou and Ali Bouf, In Oil
as Ali BarbouyouThe opening title card explains that a painter has just finished his work when his assistant...
Movie page
Apparitions
as uncreditedAlone in his room at an inn, a lustful old man is haunted by spirits.
Movie page
Pygmalion and Galatea
as PygmalionShowing Pygmalion at work in his studio on the statue of Galatea, who, on being completed, comes...
Movie page
El hombre que quiso ser Segundo
as Self (archive footage)The extraordinary life of cinema pioneer Segundo de Chomón.
Movie page
The Clockmaker's Dream
as uncreditedA weary clock-maker dozes off in a chair. While he is asleep, three women suddenly appear in the...
Movie page
A Collection of Silent Films, Given Sound
as The Gnome of the Clock, a halberdierA compellation of many silent films from all over the world, given music and sound design.
Movie page
Good Glue Sticks
as uncreditedA peddler of "the best glue" sets up his outdoor stall. A crowd gathers for a demonstration. As...
Movie page
The Cinemagician, Georges Méliès
as Self (archive footage)A look back at the life, style and influences of the famed filmmaker Georges Méliès and an...
Movie page
Naval Combat in Greece
as The CaptainAn officer calls his sailors to the deck. They assemble around the canon while the officer scans...
Movie page
Tchin-Chao, the Chinese Conjurer
as uncreditedA Chinese conjurer stands next to a table, it becomes two tables. A fan becomes a parasol,...
Movie page
An Impossible Balancing Feat
as uncreditedA magician along with three doppelgangers perform an elaborate balancing act.
Movie page
The Christmas Angel
as The Rag-and-Bone Man / Beggar on Crutches / Coal SellerA poor family in a rundown house where snow falls through the broken roof, there's no coal to...
Movie page
Tit for Tat
as uncreditedGeorges Melies the magician. Melies removes his own head, puts it in a glass box on a stool,...
Movie page
The Mysterious Box
as uncreditedAs scene as pleasing as incomprehensible. A juggler summons two chairs, which come to the stage...
Movie page
The Oracle of Delphi
as uncreditedA box of valued jewels is placed inside the tomb of Delphi. A thief breaks into the tomb and...
Movie page
The Mystical Flame
as uncreditedA juggler enters upon the scene, picks up a skull, throws it into the air, catches it in his...
Movie page
The Terrible Turkish Executioner
as uncreditedIn a public place in Constantinople at the corner of a bazaar, the executioner is seated upon a...
Movie page
The Prolific Magical Egg
as uncreditedA human skeleton is placed upon a table by an attendant. When the attendant leaves the room the...
Movie page
The Triple Conjurer and the Living Head
as ConjurerA conjurer (along with two duplicates) conjure up (and then cause to vanish) a beautiful woman...
Movie page
Misfortune Never Comes Alone
as LamplighterThe scene takes place in front of a barrack, where a young soldier is on duty --most laughable...
Movie page
Hat of Many Surprises
as uncreditedA magician's hat offers many surprises.
Movie page
The Devilish Plank
as uncreditedA magic trick is performed with a long plank with two pots built into it, both with holes in the...
Movie page
Bob Kick, the Mischievous Kid
as uncreditedA boy is led into the frame by two nursemaids who give him a big ball to play with. For the...
Movie page
The Doctor's Secret
as uncreditedDoctors blow to pieces a patient in a hydrotherapy machine and re-assemble him.
Movie page
The Ballet Master's Dream
as uncreditedIt's late in the evening, and the ballet master's bed has been prepared for him. But he cannot...
Movie page
The Wonderful Living Fan
as uncreditedAs a conjurer awaits an audience, a procession announces the arrival of a royal representative,...
Movie page
Long Distance Wireless Photography
as uncreditedInto a photography studio full of large fantastic machines steps an elderly couple. The bearded...
Movie page
The Wandering Jew
as uncreditedA Jew who mocked Jesus on the cross is visited by a devil and an angel.
Movie page
Faust in the Underworld
as MephistopholesThe German legend of a scholar's unholy pact with the Devil would have been very familiar to...
Movie page
The Marvellous Wreath
as MusketeerA magician performs tricks with a marvelous wreath.
Movie page
Alcofribas, The Master Magician
as uncreditedTwo men in a cave perform magic.
Movie page
The Mysterious Retort
as uncreditedA wizard sleeps at a table in his well-appointed sitting room. From a drawer in the table, a...
Movie page
Conjuring
as HimselfThe film reproduces a magic act Méliès performed at his Paris theater-of-illusions, the Théâtre...
Movie page
The Artist and the Dummy
as ArtisteA very simple gag film as a young lady substitutes herself for a dummy in order to play a...
Movie page
Rip's Dream
as Rip Van WinkleThe Melies version of the old Rip Van Winkle tale.
Movie page
A Desperate Crime
as uncreditedA man is murdered and the killer brought to justice by guillotine. This film is partly lost.
Movie page
A Mesmerian Experiment
as uncreditedA magician creates a troupe of dancers out of thin air.
Movie page
Satan in Prison
as SatanThe title is vital, since the bulk of the action consists of a well-dressed man magically...
Movie page
The Wizard, the Prince and the Good Fairy
as PrinceA prince gets the help of a fairy to aid in his conflict with a wizard.
Movie page
The Knight of the Snow
as DevilOne of the last films Georges Méliès made. By now, he was under contract for his former rival...
Movie page
The Fugitive Apparitions
as uncreditedA magician makes a woman appear and disappear.
Movie page
A Moonlight Serenade
as uncreditedPierrot goes to the house of his love to serenade her, but her father kicks him out. Soon the...
Movie page
Cleopatra's Tomb
as un profanateur de la tombe de CléopâtreA man digging inside an Egyptian tomb chops up a mummy, then resurrects the woman inside it....
Movie page
The Diabolical Church Window
as uncreditedHere we have an old scholar/alchemist brooding over a book, challenged by the devil, and going...
Movie page
Tribulations; or, The Misfortunes of a Cobbler
as The RomanThe Merchant, the Farrier, and the Roman accompany a mysterious woman into a magical cave full...
Movie page
Every Man His Own Cigar Lighter
as uncreditedOnly 8 surviving seconds of a man getting great pleasure from smoking a cigar.
Movie page
A Roadside Inn
as Drunk TravelerThe staff of an inn play a cruel trick on a guest.
Movie page
A Midnight Episode
as The Sleeping Man (uncredited)A sleeping apartment of a friend who retires for the night. The rays of the moon are shining...
Movie page
The Triple Headed Lady
as uncreditedA conjuror appears to demonstrate a lady with three heads.
Movie page
A Wager Between Two Magicians, or, Jealous of Myself
as The Magician / The Double
Violons d'Ingres
as Himself (archive footage)Shows hobbies of people who do an ordinary job in the day. Made for New York Fair.
Movie page
Méliès: Tales of Terror
as The MelomaniacA compilation of three short trick films by Georges Méliès: El melómano (1903) (The Melomaniac...
Movie page
Gala Méliès
as HimselfLost in the streets of Paris, Georges Méliès is looking everywhere for the Salle Pleyel. On the...
Movie page