Film History: First Submission

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 20^th 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.)”

(North, 2010)

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].

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