I am pretty confused. While IMDb lists this film as being directed by Segundo de Chomón, clearly the film "La Danse du Feu" that I saw starred Georges Méliès--and Méliès always directed himself. When I looked on Méliès' list of films on IMDb, there was no "La Danse du Feu". However, I do think this IS the Méliès film because OFTEN IMDb's credits on very early French films are filled with mistakes--or at least they disagree with other sources (such as various film preservation societies). I think this is because the records from this time are often sketchy and contradictory.
I saw this film in a screening room at the German Film Museum in Frankfurt--so I don't know how you'll get to see it unless you head to Germany.
The film, like many of Méliès' films, stars him as a conjurer--excellent casting considering in his pre-film days he was a magician. Using his conjuring powers, he creates lady dancers. It's rather interesting, however, that the dancer featured in this one is doing a variation on the famous "Serpentine Dance"--a rare case where Méliès is ripping off another person's work instead of the other way around (he was copied a lot by lesser directors). Worth seeing but certainly not among the director's best.
I saw this film in a screening room at the German Film Museum in Frankfurt--so I don't know how you'll get to see it unless you head to Germany.
The film, like many of Méliès' films, stars him as a conjurer--excellent casting considering in his pre-film days he was a magician. Using his conjuring powers, he creates lady dancers. It's rather interesting, however, that the dancer featured in this one is doing a variation on the famous "Serpentine Dance"--a rare case where Méliès is ripping off another person's work instead of the other way around (he was copied a lot by lesser directors). Worth seeing but certainly not among the director's best.