The Apparition (1903) User Reviews

A strange little tale from Georges Méliès

[wmorrow59 · 6/10 · 20 April 2002]

Here's a tongue-in-cheek ghost story from French pioneer Georges Méliès, a curious tale of a lecherous old man at an inn who is menaced by an enchanted candlestick. As the film begins the old man arrives at his room for the night. Almost immediately, he makes a clumsy pass at the chambermaid, who rebuffs him. After he is left alone his candle begins to glide back and forth on the table, then it grows large and menaces him. (And I guess someone could write an essay about the symbolism ...) A ghostly, seductive girl appears and dances for him, but when he tries to embrace her she turns into a hideous crone. The story builds to a comic climax just before it ends.

The narrative is simple and easy to follow without the help of title cards. This film is brief but engaging, like a simple story told at a campfire. It's not as spectacular as some of the other Méliès films I've seen, but effective. When the ghost appears and reveals her true form there is a nice "shimmer" effect. Plus, the punchline is amusing.

A hunted room.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 10 September 2020]

"Le Revenant" is set at an inn. An old man is preparing for bed and is assisted by the maid. Before retiring, he sits down to read...but the candle on the table keeps moving across the table...as if possessed. Later, the candle changes into a HUGE one and the same sort of trickery continues throughout the film.

Haunted rooms are not that unusual for Georges Méliès and this film is enjoyable but also a bit familiar. Worth seeing if you are a fan but not exactly his best stuff...though the ghost was an amazing camera trick for 1903! And, for that trick alone, I'm adding a few points to my vote.

Apparition, The

[Michael_Elliott · 29 April 2008]

Apparition, The (1903)

*** (out of 4)

aka Revenant, Le

An old man goes to a hotel room where he's soon haunted by spirits. This film certainly isn't an original one for the director who previous made several films that deal with a person going into a hotel room and being haunted. This one manges to remain entertaining due in large part to some very funny sequences. The start of the film has the old man trying to read the newspaper but the spirits keep moving his candle to where he can't read. At one point they accidentally set the paper on fire and the old man's reaction is very funny. The second half of the three-minute film deals with the old man being haunted by the spirit itself and again more laughs follow. The special effects here are also very good especially the scenes with the old man running through the spirits.