Assignment 1: Film Essay
Question: Is Melies A Trip to the Moon (1902) a modern, or a primitive
film?
1902 was the year that sparked the beginning of a new era for film
by none other than Georges Méliès as he released
his classic “le voyage dans la lune, or more commonly know as ‘A trip to the
moon’. In the eyes of Allissa Wilkinson, the film industry owes a “debt of Gratitude”
to Méliès for his influence in the start of
science fiction films and the use of special effects. (Wilkinson,
2018)
as this led the way for many more voyager films that are still being made to
this date. So, do this make his film from 1902 a modern film or that of a
primitive one?
To begin with, for its time, Méliès had
created a very broad film, opening the film industry as we know it. The film “A
trip to the moon” explored cinema in the eyes of creating a reality rather than
simply displaying reality like “Lumiere” who was in fact discovering film at
the same time. Both had very different visions of the film industry with
Lumiere only seeing it last a year where as Méliès believed
it was the start of much more as it allowed people to create their own reality
as a source of entertainment. This then pushed towards the idea for a trip to
the moon as this was the start of a large science fiction era, with his film
being “partly inspired by Jules Verne” (Wilkinson, 2018) .
During the 20th century was the time for “burgeoning
scientific exploration” (Wilkinson, 2018) where mankind was looking at the future
of science and travel. This is where Méliès got his
ideas for starting to explore these paths of travel through the power of
editing and personally I believe this is what makes his film much more modern
than primitive.
The word Primitive looks at a more
ancient start, something that is related to the start of an evolution. In some
aspects it can be seen that “a trip to the moon” is some what primitive due to
it beginning the life cycle of voyager style films. It’s a film that is at the
beginning of this style allowing newer films to evolve and look beyond the
reaches of simply traveling to the moon to more new era times we have films
that follow this route of “sci-fi” adventures going beyond the reaches of mars
and simply moon traveling to even looking at time differentiated planets in the
likes of “interstellar”. It follows the same plot lines –
1. “(Planning the
Trip. Appointing the Explorers and Servants. Farewell.
2.
The Workshops Constructing the Projectile.
3.
The Foundries. The Chimney-stack. The Casting of the Monster Gun/Cannon.
4.
The Astronomers-Scientists Enter the Shell.
5.
Loading the Gun.
6.
The Monster Gun. March Past the Gunners. Fire!!! Saluting the Flag.
7.
The Flight Through Space. Approaching the Moon.
8.
Landing Right in the Moon’s Eye!!!
9.
Flight of the Rocket Shell into the Moon. Appearance of the Earth From
the Moon.
10.
The Plain of Craters. Volcanic Eruption.
11.
The Dream of ‘Stars’ (the Bolies, the Great Bear, Phoebus, the Twin
Stars, Saturn).
12.
The Snowstorm.
13.
40 Degrees Below Zero. Descent Into a Lunar Crater.
14.
In the Interior of the Moon. The Giant Mushroom Grotto.
15.
Encounter and Fight with the Selenites.
16.
Taken Prisoners!!
17.
The Kingdom of the Moon. The Selenite Army.
18.
The Flight or Escape.
19.
Wild Pursuit.
20.
The Astronomers Find the Shell Again. Departure from the Moon in the
Rocket.
21.
The Rocket’s Vertical Drop into Space.
22.
Splashing into the Open Sea.
23.
Submerged At the Bottom of the Ocean.
24.
The Rescue. Return to Port and Land.
25.
Great Fetes and Celebrations.
26.
Crowning and Decorating the Heroes of the Trip.
27.
Procession of Marines and Fire Brigade. Triumphal March Past.
28.
Erection of the Commemorative Statue by the Mayor and Council.
29.
Public Rejoicings.)”
New sci-fi exploration films such as interstellar
still follow this exact traditional style but with only a few variations. So
this does in some way push it more towards a primitive style in the sense that
“A trip to the moon” set the path for evolving new sci-fi films, but this is
still open to some controversy.
On the other hand, this film can still be seen as a
modern style genre film despite its age and lack of length, it has all the
context of a modern style sci-fi film just more to the point. Modern is the
term used for something that is of relevance to present and recent time and as
sci-fi films are more ‘timeless’ that anything, they don’t really have a
specific year to classify them as modern in any state of relevance, but I
personally believe that this doesn’t stop “a trip to the moon” being a modern
style film. We as people class anything advanced in technology to be of our new
modern era and as Méliès film follows all the traditions of every
sci-fi film that you are likely to find on TV and in Cinema, it still falls
under the category as a modern style film if that’s what we see new Sci-fi
films as. Méliès pathed the way for science fiction films and, as stated
before, the majority of sci-fi films you’ll find follow the traditional style
that he lay out, from the beginning, middle, plot line and end. In my own
personal opinion, I find this a modern film as, if it was compared to the likes
“Martian”, “interstellar” or even “gravity” – a film that slightly strays away
from the conventions – “a trip to the moon” has all the modern aspects of these
films same story lines, just adjusted for a clearer understanding. Therefore, I
believe that Méliès films can still be classed as a modern Era film as it is in
a sense ‘timeless’.
Despite my own opinions it would seem that as Méliès
work is continued to be used as a large source of influence it seems the films
itself can be classed as something much more primitive as it is still
revolutionising the entertainment industry as we know it, Nexus studios have
used this same story to display a “new bourgeoning cinematic style of
technology” (Wilkinson, 2018)
as they looked into that of 360 degree video and virtual reality whilst
making calls back to Méliès styles of film having multiple exposures and
disappearing objects among the characters as they make their way “back to the
moon” showing a reference to Méliès classic. Due to this “a trip to the moon”
can be seen as more of a primitive film despite my own opinions as his early
film has set a place for the way we view cinema in a new light as we play back
on this film to make away for new cinema, and thanks to Méliès sci-fi films as
we know it have come further by using new styles of technology to further
envelope us into this world of creativity and entertainment.
Word limit exceeded due
to citations, accurate word count – 932 words.
Bibliography
North, D., 2010. Word Press. [Online]
Available at: https://drnorth.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/a-trip-to-the-moon-le-voyage-dans-la-lune/
[Accessed 9 december 2018].
Available at: https://drnorth.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/a-trip-to-the-moon-le-voyage-dans-la-lune/
[Accessed 9 december 2018].
Wilkinson, A., 2018. How
Georges Méliès’ films are still influencing cinema, more than 100 years later.
[Online]
Available at: https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/5/3/17311222/georges-melies-google-doodle-trip-moon-conquest-pole-effects
Available at: https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/5/3/17311222/georges-melies-google-doodle-trip-moon-conquest-pole-effects
