Tunneling the Channel (1907)
"Le tunnel sous La Manche ou Le cauchemar franco-anglais" (original title)

Director:

Georges Méliès

Stars:

Fernande Albany, Jeanne d'Alcy, Georges Méliès

Cast

Credited cast:
Fernande Albany
Jeanne d'Alcy
Georges Méliès

Storyline

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Genres:

Short | Adventure | Fantasy

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Details

Country:

France

Also Known As:

Tunneling the English Channel

Company Credits

Production Co:

Star-Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

23 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Paul Merton's Weird and Wonderful World of Early Cinema (2010)

User Reviews

Magical Little Film

Tunneling the Channel (1907)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

aka Le Tunnel sous la Manche ou le cauchemar anglo-français

This fourteen-minute film is the perfect example of the saying "The Magic of Melies." The French president and the English king have a meeting and then that night they both dream about building a tunnel to connect their beloved homes. We then see how the tunnel would be built and the final outcome of such an adventure. TUNNELING THE CHANNEL is a perfect film to show someone unfamiliar with what the French master could do because it's just so entertaining and the level of imagination going on will keep a smile on your face from start to finish. I think some of the greatest moments happen when we see the tunnel once it's finished and we get to see how it's going to be used. I really enjoyed the little touches that Melies brought to the picture including the fish in the water above the tunnel. I also really liked the special effects and especially the one at the very end, which I won't mention so that I don't give the surprise away. The film starts off in B&W but turns over to the hand tint and it's quite beautiful and very effective.