Phil remembers Georges Méliès: The First Wizard of Cinema-November 29, 2011

After seeing Martin Scorsese's brilliant new film HUGO 3D this past Sunday, I started to think that some of you out there may not be familiar with the films of Georges Méliès, let alone who he was. For those who read my review of the film, I only hinted as to who this extraordinary man was and how movies today would not look the same hadn't been for is imagination and sense of wonder. So for tonight, I thought it would be nice to pay homage by giving a brief biography about one of cinema's most important filmmakers ever. So ladies and gentlemen, here is the true story of Georges Méliès: The First Wizard of Cinema!

Georges Méliès (Dec. 8, 1861-Jan. 21, 1938)

Méliès was born in Paris, France on December 8, 1861, where his family manufactured shoes. Later on in life he became a professional stage magician and was performing shows at the Theatre Robert-Houdin, which he bought in 1888. But fate stepped in when in on December 28, 1895, when Méliès saw the Lumière Brothers' films and soon fell in love with the movies. He originally tried to buy a camera from the Lumières but they refused to sell him one. As a result, he bought a projector from Robert W. Paul (a successful engineer) as well as a Bioscope camera. Soon, he was off making moving pictures.

His first films, like the Lumières, were actuality films (called actualités) which he added to the program at his theatre. Years later these films would became known as documentaries. He later filmed scenes of himself doing magic tricks. Then one day he accidentally discovered that he could use stop-motion photography to render trick visual effects, such as making objects disappear or change in size with a puff of smoke. Méliès was also the first to use techniques such as fade-ins, fade-outs, and dissolves to create some of the first real narrative films. He was also the first to use split screen and double exposure in his films as well. Also by accident, Méliès also created the world's first 3D camera While trying to figure out how to make sure that his US films weren't stolen before the release of his European copy, he devised a camera that would hold two reels of film that would shoot the image simultaneously; one reel is the "right eye" and the other the "left eye." When these images overlaped on another, they would become what we call a 3D image. If you don't believe me, read my review of the Méliès program I attended at the Motion Picture Academy back in September. The link in near the bottom.

Still from A TRIP TO THE MOON (1902)

Between 1896-1914, Méliès made over 500 films, but only one of those films still stands the test of time and is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential films ever made. In 1902, Méliès made the film A TRIP TO THE MOON (Le Voyage dans la Lune), which included the famous image of a rocket hitting the eye of the man in the moon. The film became the foundation for future science fiction films as well as fantasy films. However, by 1913, the first World War brought an end to the innocence of his films. Many solders had seen the horrors of war, and Méliès' films of fantasy and make believe seemed childlike. Unable to change with the times, the Theatre Robert-Houdin was closed in 1914 as a result of World War I, which forced his film company into bankruptcy. Not realizing just how important his films were, he let the French Army seized most of this stock to be melted down into boot heels during World War I. Many of the other films were sold to be recycled into new film. As a result, all of his films appeared to be lost forever along with him as well.

After being driven out of business, Méliès became a toy salesman at the Montparnasse Station in Paris and was completely forgotten. Fortunately, the French surrealist movement in the 1920s brought about a rediscovery of his surviving films, and the acknowledgment of his contributions to the art and the industry of motion pictures. Eventually, this led to his being awarded the Legion of Honor in 1931. He was also given a rent free apartment where he spent the remaining years of his life. Georges Méliès passed away on January 21, 1938, and was buried in the Pere Lachaise Cementary.

The Georges Méliès 5-Disc DVD Boxset (2008)

Seventy-three years after his death, Méliès is still talked about and his films are still being shown and being rediscovered by a whole new generation of film fans and lovers. Over the years many of his films thought to have been lost were being unearthed and preserved. In 2008, film historian David Shepard along with Eric Lange produced the unprecedented and comprehensive five disc DVD boxset entitled Georges Méliès: First Wizard of Cinema (1896-1913) released by Flicker Alley. The boxset contained 173 rare and original films thought to have been lost. Upon the release of this DVD set, several more of Méliès' films were discovered, prompting Flicker Alley to release Georges Méliès Encore: New Discoveries (1896-1911). It contained 26 new and rare films on a single DVD. But the surprises weren't over yet.

In 2010, a rare, hand colored print of A TRIP TO THE MOON was discovered in a film vault in Barcelona, Spain. French film historian and archivist Serge Bromberg acquired the film but the print was in very poor condition. As a result, Bromberg's company Lobster Films, along with Groupama Gan Foundation for Cinema and the Technicolor Foundation for Cinema Heritage, plus with the aid of Tom Burton at Technicolor’s laboratories in Los Angeles, California, launched the most complex and ambitious restoration project in the history of cinema. In the course of one year, they were able to restore Méliès' film in time for its premiere at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, with a recorded soundtrack done by the French band Air. During my vacation in Los Angeles back in September, I attended the special program entitled "A TRIP TO THE MOON AND OTHER TRAVELS THROUGH TIME, COLOR, AND SPACE" at the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Science, where they had a special screening of the film, along with other important silent films (including the previously mentioned Méliès 3D films). For those of you who didn't get a chance to read my review of this special occasion the first time around, please click here to read about it.

Georges Méliès is more than just a filmmaker, he is an icon. A hero to some, others see him as a pioneer. But what is not disputed is this: now and forever more, Georges Méliès will simply be remembered as the first wizard of cinema!

The Georges Méliès: First Wizard of Cinema (1896-1913) 5-Disc DVD Boxset and the Georges Méliès Encore: New Discoveries (1896-1911) single disc are currently available on the Flicker Alley website. To purchase copies, visit their website at www.flickeralley.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees HUGO 3D at the Camera 7 Pruneyard-November 27, 2011

Whenever someone mentions the name Martin Scorsese, a thousand thoughts and images run through my mind. He is an American treasure, one of the most talented, beloved, and respected directors of the last half of the 20th century. His film have enriched all our lives, and we have been privileged to see his films. For the second film I saw today at the Camera 7 Pruneyard, I went and saw Scorsese's new film HUGO 3D, based on the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by author Brian Selznick.

Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)

Set in 1930s Paris, the film follows a young boy named Hugo (Asa Butterfield), whose master clockmaker father (Jude Law) died in a fire and thus is dragged off by his uncle, an alcoholic watchmaker who is responsible for maintaining all the clocks in a Paris train station. After his uncle disappears, Hugo steals gadgets and tools to fix the only thing left by his father: a broken automaton—a mechanical man that his father was restoring, which may also solve the mystery of his death. But one day Hugo is caught stealing tools from by a toy store owner named Méliès (Ben Kingsley), who takes away Hugo's blueprints for the automaton. By coincidence, Hugo befriends Méliès' adventurous goddaughter Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz), who helps him with his automaton. But by investigating the origin of the automaton, they both discover a startling secret: that Isabelle's godfather is none other than Georges Méliès, forgotten French film pioneer of silent cinema!

The film is Scorese's love letter to both his passion of films (is this case silent films) and his idol, the great Georges Méliès. In the scene where Hugo and Isabelle sneak into a theatre to watch Harold Lloyd's 1923 silent film classic SAFETY LAST, my heart went a flutter. For those people in the audience, young and old, who have never seen a silent film before, here was Scorsese's opportunity to expose people to this long, lost art form. When Hugo gets the automaton to work (thanks to the key that Isabelle wears as a necklace), it draws an image that he saw in a film with his father. This leads the children to the library to learn more about the cinema. They look through a film book which has pictures and, in a beautiful montage, Scorsese has images form some of the most important silent films ever to have graced the screen. From D.W. Griffith's 1916 film INTOLERANCE to Charlie Chaplin 1921 film THE KID, the audience is given a visual treat, a treat that hopefully inspires them to see and learn more about the wonderful world of silent films.

The image that the automaton drew was from one of the most iconic image ever in cinema history. In 1902, Méliès directed the film A TRIP TO THE MOON, one of the most important and influential films ever made! Now I have seen this film several times in my life, and I can honestly say that every time I watch it, I am just amazed by it. It was one of the first films to tell a story; containing a plot to put it more scholastically. A group of astronomers create a rocket that sends them to the moon. The image of the moon's face with a rocket in its eye is THE most recognized image ever! Whether or not you have seen the film, you have defiantly seen this image! Scorsese pays homage to Méliès in the film, citing him as cinema's first true innovator, pioneer, and artist.

HUGO 3D is Scorsese's most personal film to date; a marvelous family film that also pays tribute to films and filmmakers of the past. The film truly is Scorsese's best movie ever, and for this film lover, it is wonderful gem to watch. Please go see this amazing film with your family, your friends, or even by yourself, and share it with others! Six out of five stars here people!!

HUGO 3D is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including the Camera Cinemas here in the South Bay. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil goes Hollywood, Part 3: Phil attends the A TRIP TO THE MOON IN COLOR program at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences-Sept. 6, 2011

The Academy of Motion Picture building

Hello again and welcome back to my film adventures throughout Hollywood! Last night's journey took me to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences where they were having a fantastic program: A TRIP TO THE MOON IN COLOR & OTHER TRAVELS THROUGH TIME, COLOR & SPACE. Now I have always wanted to see a film program at the Academy, and with this extraordinary event, I could not pass up. So I drove out to Beverly Hills to witness this special screening of lost films!

The program was produced by the Academy's own Randy Haberkamp and hosted by French film historian Serge Bromberg and Tom Burton, the head of the Preservation Department at Technicolor. Bromberg is also the owner of Lobster Films, which his films are released through Flicker Alley, home to some of the greatest silent films of all time! The program was held inside of the Samuel Goldwyn Theater at the Academy. There were numerous short films shown last night (which Bromberg also provided musical accompaniment), so let's get this show underway!

A TRIP DOWN MARKET STREET - Miles Brothers (1906): I mentioned the importance of this film in my Essanay Earthquake blog, so please feel free to read about it here.

SAN FRANCISCO APRES LA CATASTROPHE - Pathe (1906): A two minute short French film about the destruction of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake.

METAMORPHOSES DU PAPILLON - Pathe (1904): Another French short film that chronicles the transformation from a caterpillar into a butterfly. Also, the film was in color, hand painted one frame at a time.

THE ACROBATIC FLY - Charles Urban (1910): I saw this film this past July at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Read about it here.

LA PEINE DU TALION - Pathe (1906): Directed by Gaston Velle, it told the story of a butterfly catcher who is put on trial by the other insects of the woods: French dancers dress up as butterflies and grasshoppers, and is also a hand painted film.

FLIRT EN CHEMIN DE FER - Pathe (1902): A one minute short French film about a man who wants to make love to his wife on a train, then they go through a tunnel real quick, and they're interupted by the conductor. Talk about a quickie!!

APRES LE BAL - Melies (1897): Directed by George Melies, the film is a one minute short about a woman who comes home from a ball, gets undressed, and gets watered down by her maid. Quite titillating!

GWALIOR - Pathe (1907): A hand colored short documentary about the town of Gwalior, India. A fantastic and rare film!

JOY OF LIVING - (1934): Directed by Hector Hopkins and Anthony Gross, it was an amazing animated short film that you just have to see to believe. Breathtaking!

LA DONNA E MOBILE/ALS WIE SO TRUGERISCH - (1907): An early attempt of a sound film, the film has just some guy lip syncing to an actual recording of a famous opera singer. The performance was hilarious, but a rare film to see!

LES KIRIKIS - Pathe (1907): Directed by Segundo de Chomon, this was the funniest film I have ever seen! It has a family of actors pretending to be an Asian acrobatic family, and all their routines are performed on the floor with the camera right above them, but the film is shown in reverse to create the "acrobatics." Also worth noting, Bromberg had his sister hand paint each frame of the film!

BUNZLI SYSTEM - (1900): For the life of me, I'm drawing a blank on this film. Sorry, I'll get back to this one later. lol

The next batch of films were made by George Melies, who wanting to release his films simultaneously in America and Europe to beat the bootleggers, created a camera that could hold two reels of film so he could shoot his films for both markets. Not realizing it, Melies accidentally created 3D! So the these films were shown in 3D, the glasses provided by the Academy.

LA CHAUDRON INFERNAL - (1903): A hand painted film that features a demon throwing several woman into his cauldron, but their ghosts haunt him so he dives into his own cauldron.

L'ORACLE DE DEPLPHES - (1903): A short film that takes place in Egypt. A thief breaks into the tomb of Delphi to steal some valuable jewels, only to get caught by the ghost of Delphi himself, who places a curse upon the thief.

LA CORNUE INFERNALE - (1906): A wizard falls asleep and then a snake emerges and becomes a jester, a spider, and a woman that haunts the wizard in his sleep.

After all the shorts, it was time for the main attraction. The colorized version of A TRIP TO THE MOON (1902) was thought to have never existed, but a chance meeting between Bromberg and the Barcelona Film Archives worked out a deal and Bromberg got to have the film. Unfortunately, it was already too far gone to save. So to try to get the information on the frames, they sped up the deteriorating process and slowly started to peel the film, and using digital cameras, took hi-def pictures of each frame of the film, all 13,471 frames!! After the entire film was photographed, they were taken to Tom Burton and his team spent about a year restoring this long, lost George Melies film!

A week after the restoration was completed, the film made its debut as the opening film at this year's Cannes Film Festival, where it received a glorious ovation. They showed the film twice last night: the first time with a recoded score done by the rock band Air, and again with Bromberg on the piano and Randy Hamberkamp providing the narration. After the second screening, Burton hosted a powerpoint presentation on how they restored the film in astounding detail.

Inside the Goldwyn Theater

This was such a great experience for me! I never thought that I would see a film program at the Academy and I hope to to this again next time I come back here! If you would like to know about upcoming programs at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, visit their website at http://www.oscars.org/index.html

If you are a fan George Melies, Flicker Alley has released the magnificent GEORGE MELIES: FIRST WIZARD OF CINEMA (1896-1913) boxset that is a must own. To purchase a copy, visit their website at http://www.flickeralley.com/index.html

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!