Le Voyage dans la Lune

Introduction
It is believed that Le Voyage dans la Lune (1902), directed by Georges Melies, is based upon a pair of novels, From the Earth to the Moon (1865), by Jules Verne, and First Men in the Moon (1901), by H. G. Wells, both of whom are revered as pioneers of the science-fiction genre. Alongside directing the film, George Melies also wrote the script, featured as the lead character, but was also the set and costume designer, production photographer, and producer. Working on and producing over 500 short films, Melies has pioneered many various techniques and special effects, including double exposure and the use of dissolve and fade, as well as pioneering film editing. Commonly referred to as the first sciencefiction film, Le Voyage dans la Lune appears to possess many characteristics, such as intrepid scientists, a futuristic space voyage, and aliens from a far-off world, which would later become incorporated into many sciencefiction films. It was an extremely popular film at the time of its release and has become the best known fantasy film by Georges Melies, of which the most famous scene, when the shell crashes into the pie-face, smack into the right eye of the Man in the Moon, has inspired numerous parodies. Apart from inspiring many parodies, the film has had a great influence in film and video, which is most obvious from a music video for the song Tonight, Tonight, by The Smashing Pumpkins.

Analysis
The film is often interpreted as making a mockery of the scientific community of the time, suggesting that the plot is a light-hearted satire, which I feel is evident through the actions of the characters, especially during the opening scene, where the main character is comically ridiculed by his fellow scientists for suggesting and planning a trip to the surface of the moon. Another aspect of the opening sequence that supports this theory is the elaborate costumes of the characters, as they have been overdramatized, resembling the long gowns and pointed hats of wizards, rather than scientists, suggesting that the situation is nothing more than fantasy and would never truly become achievable. The combination of

the two aspects seems to imply that, at the time, scientists are seen as nothing more than fantasizers, unable to achieve any real success, forced to imagine the outcomes rather than experience them. Other sections that support the satirical nature of the film include the appearance of the face of the moon, portrayed with the actual face of a man, which may be a direct pun towards the use of the word face when referring to part of the moon. During this section of the film, the light-hearted suggestion towards the mockery is represented by having the shell land in the eye of the moons face in a rather comical fashion. Although the film pokes fun at the scientists and science in general, I found that several aspects of the film were more feasible at the time, than they are now. For example, to use an enormous cannon to launch yourself to the moon would seem a ridiculous and futile method, but in 1902, air travel was just beginning to be explored, and aeroplanes and space shuttles had not been invented. There have been great scientific discoveries since the film was made that proves the method in the film would not work, but in the era it was created, these facts were unknown, allowing there to be a great speculation and imaginative thinking about how someone could get to the moon.

Conclusion
If the film were to be shown to a modern audience, Im sure that many people would ridicule it, but it is outdated, displaying a basic understanding of narrative in film production and, due to the progression of technology, outdating the techniques and content of the film, The film is no more than a series of amusing shots, each a scene unto itself. The shots tell a story, but not in the manner to which we are accustomed. I found that there was no variation in camera angles, utilizing a single, stationary long shot of each scene, making them feel separate from each other, with only the narrative connecting each scene. Due to this, I found it fairly difficult to watch, with only the actions of the characters attracting my attention. Though aspects of the film may seem outdated, there is much evidence of the influences it has had on the science-fiction genre since 1902, with many films almost imitating certain scenarios. An example of such an influence is obvious, during a scene where the scientists enter an underground cave, bustling with fungi in the shape of mushrooms, which seems to have become synonymous with many other science-fiction landscapes. Alongside the mushroom-shaped fungi, another aspect that has become synonymous with science-fiction is the encounters between man and alien species from other worlds, but where the creatures of La Voyage dans la Lune resemble small green people, the species of modern science-fiction have become greatly varied, from deadly microbes, to gigantic beasts that can destroy worlds.

Illustration List
Figure 1: Le Voyage dans la Lune Poster. http://cinemajustforfun.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/le-voyage-dans-la-lune-trip-to-moonby.html Figure 2: Le Voyage dans la Lune Still. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JDaOOw0MEE&feature=player_embedded#!

Bibliography
Articles
Dancyger, Ken (2002). The Technique of Film and Video Editing: History, Theory, and Practice. New York: Focal Press, 2002.

Websites
Dirks, Tim (Unknown). Film Site Movie Review: Voyage Dans La Lune (A Trip to the Moon) (1902). http://www.filmsite.org/voya.html (03/10/2012). Unknown (2012). A Trip to the Moon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_voyage_dans_la_lune (03/10/2012).