A Trip to the Moon (1902)

A group of astronomers go on an expedition to the Moon.

Director:

Georges Méliès (uncredited)

Stars:

Georges Méliès, Victor André, Bleuette Bernon

1 win.

Cast

Uncredited cast:
Victor André	...	Astronomer (uncredited)
Bleuette Bernon	...	Lady in the Moon (uncredited)
Brunnet	...	Astronomer (uncredited)
Jehanne d'Alcy	...	Secretary / Star / Rocket Attendant (uncredited)
Henri Delannoy	...	Captain of the Rocket (uncredited)
Delpierre	...	Astronomer (uncredited)
Farjaux	...	Astronomer (uncredited)
Kelm	...	Astronomer (uncredited)
François Lallement	...	Officer of the Marines (uncredited)
Jules-Eugène Legris	...	Parade Leader (uncredited)
Georges Méliès	...	Prof. Barbenfouillis / The Moon (uncredited)

Storyline

A group of men travel to the moon by being shot in a capsule from a giant cannon. They are captured by moon-men, escape, and return to the earth.

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Plot Keywords:

astronomer | alien | satire | monster | asteroid | 

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Genres:

Short | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

4 October 1902 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Trip to Mars

Filming Locations:

Méliès Studios, Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis, France

Box Office

Budget:

FRF 30,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Star-Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

13 min 14 min 8 min 16 min 16 min (restored color)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Color (hand-colored) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When A Trip to the Moon was made, film actors performed anonymously and no credits were given; the practice of supplying opening and closing credits in films was a later innovation. Nonetheless, the following cast details can be reconstructed from available evidence:

Georges Méliès as Professor Barbenfouillis. Méliès, a pioneering French film-maker and magician now generally regarded as the first person to recognize the potential of narrative film, had already achieved considerable success with his film versions of Cinderella (1899) and Joan of Arc (1900). His extensive involvement in all of his films as director, producer, writer, designer, technician, publicist, editor, and often actor makes him one of the first cinematic auteurs.nSpeaking about his work late in life, Méliès commented: "The greatest difficulty in realizing my own ideas forced me to sometimes play the leading role in my films ... I was a star without knowing I was one, since the term did not yet exist." All told, Méliès took an acting role in at least 300 of his 520 films.

Bleuette Bernon as Phoebe (the woman on the crescent moon). Méliès discovered Bernon in the 1890s, when she was performing as a singer at the cabaret L'Enfer. She also appeared in his 1899 adaption of Cinderella . François Lallement as the officer of the marines. Lallement was one of the salaried camera operators for the Star Film Company. Henri Delannoy as the captain of the rocket.

Jules-Eugène Legris as the parade leader. Legris was a magician who performed at Méliès's theater of stage illusions, the Théâtre Robert-Houdin in Paris.

Victor André, Delpierre, Farjaux, Kelm, and Brunnet as the astronomers. André worked at the Théâtre de Cluny; the others were singers in French music halls.

Ballet of the Théâtre du Châtelet as stars and as cannon attendants.

Acrobats of the Folies Bergère as Selenites.

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Goofs

When the umbrella is growing in the mushroom garden, you can see the edge of the first Selenite, off camera to the right, waiting for his cue to enter the scene. May not be visible in all versions of the film.

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Alternate Versions

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) showed a 12-minute, narrated version of this film, with a musical score. The narration was in English with a French accent, but easily understood.

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Connections

Featured in Sneak Previews: Take 2: Invasion of the Outer Space Movies (1980)

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Soundtracks

Retour Sur Terre
(2011 Version)
Written by Jean-Benoît Dunckel and Nicolas Godin
Performed by Jean-Benoît Dunckel and Nicolas Godin (as Air)

User Reviews

A Wonderful Historical Treasure

This is a wonderful historical treasure, made with care and skill by one of the masters of early motion pictures. It is also entertaining to watch, in addition to its historical value, since it is loaded with creative ideas both in the story and in the way it was made.

While many of the techniques that Méliès used are now considered outdated, almost of them still hold up well as you watch it. It's fascinating to see the ways that he used his amazing imagination to solve some of the technical challenges, in order to produce the effects that he wanted.

It's equally fascinating to see the conception of space travel (mostly based on Jules Verne). It may have scientific flaws that are known to later generations, and it is sometimes stylized, but it shows marvelous inventiveness. It's no wonder that this is one of the best-remembered films from cinema's earliest years.