"The Triple-Headed Lady" is one of a couple Georges Méliès films that were recently made available through YouTube since their identification in 2015. Located among a collection of films of Frank Brinton's in Washington, Iowa, over thirty years had passed before Serge Bromberg identified the complete or nearly-complete print, another recovered film from an era of destroyed works. While nothing exceptional on its own, every bit counts, and any film or history buff will be glad to know of these two new resurfaces of films by the great French cinemagician ("The Wonderful Rose Tree", a less interesting film, being the other).
This brief one-minute trick film, which further makes use of the 'head' motif in Méliès's oeuvre, is set up like many of the trick films: a magician performing impossible stunts courtesy of special effects. It begins with the filmmaker himself as the magician creating the titular lady with three heads, an image that is admittedly very primitively done in terms of effects, so probably among the less impressive illusions considering the rough technique. However, the tricks get much better as the heads are removed and put by themselves, then magically attached to bodies of more women. This and other effects are some impressive illusions are on display, all performed within less than one minute with fairly good execution. A further example of the director's creativity, and one of the better Méliès trick films from around that period of time.
This brief one-minute trick film, which further makes use of the 'head' motif in Méliès's oeuvre, is set up like many of the trick films: a magician performing impossible stunts courtesy of special effects. It begins with the filmmaker himself as the magician creating the titular lady with three heads, an image that is admittedly very primitively done in terms of effects, so probably among the less impressive illusions considering the rough technique. However, the tricks get much better as the heads are removed and put by themselves, then magically attached to bodies of more women. This and other effects are some impressive illusions are on display, all performed within less than one minute with fairly good execution. A further example of the director's creativity, and one of the better Méliès trick films from around that period of time.
