In some of his earlier films, Georges Melies used jump-cutting and/or freeze-framing to propel the action and/or change the scene. In this film, A Nightmare, Melies continues using the jump-cut technique, but he now combines this with changing the backdrops in each successive scene. A man has a nightmare, dreams of a clown, etc. until the moon itself is upon the man and trying to take a bite out of him. The moon is hopelessly made out of some cardboard or other such material flexing around from the way it's hung, but the film shows man interacting with his dreams and then returns him to reality at the end. Melies has begun film's fascination with fantasy and perhaps science fiction as well. *** of 4 stars.
Review of A Nightmare
