Georges Méliès

A group of astronomers go on an expedition to the moon. (imdb)

Using every known means of transportation, several savants from the Geographic Society undertake a journey... (imdb)

A chemist in his laboratory places upon a table his own head, alive; then fixing upon his head a rubber tube with a pair of bellows, he begins to blow with all his might. Immediately the head increases in size and continues to enlarge until it becomes truly colossal while making faces... (imdb)

French film pioneer Georges Méliès began his career as a filmmaker in 1896, just a few months after watching motion pictures for the first time in his life. Being a stage magician himself, he quickly noticed the enormous potential the new invention had as a form of entertainment, and immediately after the show made an offer to buy the Lumières' Cinématographe. The brothers refused, but that didn't stop Méliès, who decided to make his own devises based on the brother's work and the Bioscope camera... (IMDB Comments)

One of the greatest of black art pictures. The conjurer appears before the audience, with his head in its proper place. He then removes his head, and throwing it in the air, it appears on the table opposite another head, and both detached heads sing in unison. The conjurer then removes it a third time.(imdb)

A band-leader has arranged seven chairs for the members of his band. When he sits down in the first chair, a cymbal player appears in the same chair, then rises and sits in the next chair. As the cymbal player sits down, a drummer appears in the second chair, and then likewise moves on to the third chair. In this way, an entire band is soon formed, and is then ready to perform. (imdb)

Scientists from all over the world are meeting to discuss the best way to reach the North Pole. Professor Maboul demonstrates for them the innovative equipment that he has designed for the purpose. When everything is ready, Maboul and several other scientists depart for the pole. Their trip will prove to be even more eventful than expected. (imdb)

A marching band appears, and the band-leader prepares to give them the music for the song he wants them to play. He has prepared a large staff above their heads, and he now creates notes by making duplicates of his own head, placing them on the staff, and completing the notes with sticks and other implements taken from the band members. When he has finished, the players attempt to perform the music that has been written in such an unusual fashion. (imdb)

A man carrying a carpetbag comes to see the concierge of an apartment building, and is shown an unfurnished room that is available. He agrees to rent it, and opens up his bag so that he can begin to move in. The bag contains an astonishing variety of furnishings and decorations, and soon he and his family have settled in. All is well until the day comes when the rent is due. (imdb)

Two impish clowns construct a magic lantern. They prop it up at an angle, and use it to project pictures onto a wall. When the picture show ends, they open up the lantern to reveal a group of dancing girls inside - and this is only the first of the indications that this lantern really is magical. (imdb)

An imp cavorts in the empty bedroom of an inn. It hides in the bureau as the innkeeper and his family escort an important guest into the room. As the guest places his coat in the bureau, the imp pops out and begins to chase the man around the room. Bedlam ensues, with the room soon in disarray. By the time the innkeeper comes to investigate, the imp is again hidden, and the blame falls on the guest. Soon, the imp has the room to itself again. (imdb)

Two demons throw helpless captives into a boiling cauldron, and then try to summon forth their spirits. (imdb)

An extremely lean man and an extremely fat man are engaged in a wrestling match. (imdb)

An Egyptian prince has lost his beloved wife and he has sought a dervish who dwells at the base of the sphinx. The prince promises him a vast fortune if the dervish will only give him the opportunity of gazing once more upon the features of his wife. The dervish accepts the offer. He brings in from a neighboring tomb the receptacle containing the remains of the princess... (imdb)

A bat flies into an ancient castle and transforms itself into Mephistopheles himself. Producing a cauldron, Mephistopheles conjures up a young girl and various supernatural creatures, one of which brandishes a crucifix in an effort to force the devil-vampire to vanish. (imdb)

The film is a short reconstruction, using miniature models, of a recent historical event: the eruption on 8 May 1902 of Mount Pelée, which destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre, Martinique.

An astronomer of age, wealth, and erudition conducts classes in his home. His students are not always respectful, and he suffers their pranks and high jinks. Then, at noon, everything darkens and the astronomer hurries upstairs to his telescope. It is an eclipse of the sun, and through his glass, he sees a female moon coming toward a masculine sun, flirting as they move closer to what becomes a consummation. (imdb)

In a public place in Constantinople at the corner of a bazaar, the executioner is seated upon a stone and is resting from his daily labors while eating a crust of bread. Suddenly there come running into the place a lot of Turkish men and women preceding some Turkish policemen, who drag along four prisoners in chains. The policemen shut up the four prisoners in the pillory. (imdb)

A magician (played by Melies) brings an assistant into his room where various tricks are pulled.

King Edward VII and President Falliéres dream of a Channel Tunnel and some curious consequences of building it. (BFI)

Lord Bluebeard is looking for a woman to become his eighth wife, as his first seven wives have all passed away. His great wealth persuades one father to give his daughter's hand to him. She reluctantly marries him, and after a lavish wedding feast she begins her new life in his castle. One day as Bluebeard is going away on a journey, he warns his wife never to go into a certain room. When her curiosity finally gets the best of her, she realizes that she has placed herself in great danger. (imdb)

A Chinese conjurer stands next to a table, it becomes two tables. A fan becomes a parasol, lanterns appear and disappear. The conjurer spins the open parasol in front of himself, and a dog leaps out from behind it. The dog becomes a woman, then a second woman appears. The conjurer sits them each on a box a few feet apart: suddenly the women have changed places. The disappearing and the transfers continue in front of a simple backdrop. (imdb)

A cook has his hands full with three mischievous devils, who pop in and out of his kitchen. (imdb)

A wall full of advertising posters comes to life. (imdb)

Condemned to roam the earth by Christ on whom he spat during his ascent to Golgotha, Issac Laquedem, a Jewish cobbler, walks, trips, gets up, falls and then tries to sleep. In his dream he relives the episode that sent him into exile. After successively meeting the devil and an angel he continues to walk the earth with the elements raging around him. (www.europafilmtreasures.eu)

A man stands at a chalk board and draws himself. Then, as the chalk drawing changes, the man himself goes through a series of transformations: he's bald, then he's an old bearded man, then he's mustachioed with pork-chop sideburns. The hair keeps changing as does the man's affect: aged with white hair, comic, Napoleonic, and, finally, devilish. (imdb)

As a conjurer awaits an audience, a procession announces the arrival of a royal representative, carried in a sedan chair, to see him. The conjurer then has a large box brought in. It is opened, revealing a very large folding fan. When the fan is spread out, the designs on it begin to change and move. And this is far from the last of the surprises that the conjurer has in store. (imdb)

A man in a silk top hat stands in front of an empty aquarium. He pours water into his hat and goes fishing, hooking a small one. He becomes a hobo and catches more and more fish from the hat. Then he starts pulling out rabbits. The backdrop becomes the sea, and a mermaid appears. She flirts and beguiles us. The mermaid becomes a woman who leaves the sea and joins the magician, who becomes Neptune. (imdb)

A bearded magician holds up a large playing card and makes it larger. He tears up a card of a queen, burns the torn bits, and a life-size Queen of Hearts card appears; then, it becomes alive. The magician puts her back into the card. The same thing happens with the King of Clubs: the card becomes alive. The king removes his costume, and there's something very familiar about him. (imdb)

A man stands in front of a backdrop painted with a nature scene. From a fan, he conjures a costume, then a woman appears inside it. An assistant carries in a mannequin; they dress her and she suddenly comes alive. The magic continues: footmen bring in a sedan chair. He covers two seated women with scarves; when he removes the scarves, the women have traded places. The women, the magician, his assistant, and the footmen continue to appear and disappear, changing places and costumes... (imdb)

A combination gambling den and bawdy house is set up so that croupiers, patrons, prostitutes, and the owner can quickly change it all into a mercantile establishment when the cops stage a raid. The women become shop girls and customers, the men become clerks and shoppers. The craps table becomes a long counter. The police do raid the joint, and the nearly-instantaneous conversion into a dry goods store covers all the evidence. The police leave in dismay and disgust. But will they be back? (imdb)

A wizard sleeps at a table in his well-appointed sitting room. From a drawer in the table, a snake appears. The snake begins a series of transformations: he becomes a jester, a spider, and a woman. Each approaches the wizard as he sleeps. Each also works its magic on a glass vial on the wizard's table. Soon the vial has grown in size and is full of a bubbling liquid. The wizard wakes, the vial explodes. Who emerges victorious from the spells and dreams? (imdb)

A peddler of "the best glue" sets up his outdoor stall. A crowd gathers for a demonstration. As he gives his pitch, two observant cops decide drive off his customers and close him down, much to his fury. He seeks revenge as they sit on a park bench. Incensed, they give chase to administer frontier justice. The crowd, with a mob's psyche, cheers on whomever is on top. It's a pity because this glue really does work. (imdb)

Into a photography studio full of large fantastic machines steps an elderly couple. The bearded proprietor explains the equipment and gives them a demonstration: he starts machines whirring, and projects a painting of three women onto a large screen; suddenly the women begin to move. The customers are impressed. First the women sits in the special seat: she's projected onto the screen, and her good nature comes out in the laughing image. (imdb)

A man tries to get a good night's sleep, but is disturbed by a giant spider that leaps onto his bed, and a battle ensues in hilarious comic fashion. (imdb)

Pluto, having seen the earth, comes back home amazed at the success of that well-known dance, the "cake-walk." He has brought back with him two noted well-known dancers, who start their favorite dance amidst the flames. A queer and ugly being wishes also to join in the dance, but his limbs break away and dance far from him. All the subjects of His Majesty are seized with the irresistible mania for dancing, and start an unbridled provincial dance. (imdb)

Short version of the classic Cinderella story.

At the royal court, a prince is presenting the princess whom he is pledged to marry, when a witch suddenly appears. Though driven off, the witch soon returns, summons some of her servants, and carries off the princess. (imdb)

A man (played by Melies) is asleep in bed when he begins a nice dream of a woman lying on the end of the bed but soon this turns into a nightmare as a monkey, a clown and the moon begin to play tricks on him. (imdb)

A woman disappears on stage.

A fairy enchants a small lake.

A movie about magic.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (French: 20000 lieues sous les mers) is a silent film made in 1907 by French director Georges Méliès, based loosely on the novel by Jules Verne of the same title. This became one of the first color films when it was hand tinted, frame by frame, by female factory workers (Wikipedia)

Robert Macaire (Chevalier Macaire) was a noted criminal and assassin who appears in French plays. His name is renowned in French culture as that of the archetypal villain. (Wikipedia)

Georges Melies' Ulysses and the Giant Polyphemus is an early horror treatment of the hero's encounter with the one-eyed cannibalistic Cyclops. (theage.com.au)

Another of Méliès's fantasy films. (Georges Sadoul, Peter Morris)

When Méliès the magician officiates on a very Mélièsian stage, Mesmer's washtub, Mesmer being a famous German doctor who invented animal magnetism, has very curious properties. Assisted by four lackeys he pulls frilly dresses from the container that have the power of bringing the eight statues that put them on to life. Before a ninth statue towering above a fountain can do the same, the other eight do a frenzied dance similar in style to the cancan. (Europa Film Treasures)

Here we have an old scholar/alchimist brooding over a book, challenged by the devil, and going through the familiar sorcery to create a woman by throwing pieces of clothing against a stain-glass church window, like a jigsaw puzzle (and later in reverse). The woman also multiplies herself five-fold so as to match a similar paravent. (suchenwi)

Doctors blow to pieces a patient in a hydrotherapy machine and re-assemble him. (imdb)

French short about King Francis I and his jester Triboulet, who form the basis for Hugo's play Le roi s'amuse (and Verdi's opera Rigoletto). (Wikipedia)

The title is vital, since the bulk of the action consists of a well-dressed man magically producing a series of items to furnish a bare room, culminating in his summoning up a charming lady to share his meal. Hearing the guards approaching, the man reverses the process, ending with a bare room when the two men enter. (davidbordwell.net)

Very much a slapstick chase in the mode of the period, as Victorine's flic boyfriend escapes from the kitchen and is pursued on rooftop by his unsuspecting fellow officers. (imdb (user)

A human skeleton is placed upon a table by an attendant. When the attendant leaves the room the skeleton begins kicking his legs and throwing his arms about and suddenly turns into a magician. The magician produces an egg, performing several sleight-of-hand tricks, and places it upon the table with the small end downward. He then crudely draws a human face upon the shell, and the egg immediately begins growing larger and larger until it reaches the size of a normal head. (imdb)

A juggler enters upon the scene, picks up a skull, throws it into the air, catches it in his hands, where it is transformed into a handkerchief. The handkerchief, after being twirled about a wand, is changed to a napkin, and afterward to a tablecloth. Out of the table cloth comes a servant. The servant brings a low table upon which the juggler throws some magic powder. The powder takes fire and blazes up into a large flame, in the midst of which appears a beautiful female. (imdb)

An inventor creates a zeppelin, and goes cruising.

A series of disappearing acts as performed by a magician and his Spanish-garbed assistant.

An incident of the Franco-Prussian War. It shows the bombardment of a house at Bazeille. It is the animated reproduction of de Neuville's celebrated painting. (imdb)

An officer calls his sailors to the deck. They assemble around the canon while the officer scans the horizon. They all turn in the direction of the camera to look in the distance. At the same time the ship is hit! This scene is a filmed reconstruction of the 1897 Greek-Turkish war. (Europa Film Treasures)

A marching sentry is guarding a wall that is painted "Défense d'afficher" (Post No Bills). A posterman sneaks to the wall and pastes up his advertising bill. A second posterman comes along and glues his poster over the previous ad. The two rival postermen tussle over the affront, then slip away undetected by the sentry. The sentry's commander arrives and is irate about the posters applied to the wall, rebukes the sentry, then leads him away. (www.silentera.com)

The film industry was just over a year old when Georges Méliès (1861-1938) made this highly successfully staged short comedy. Every second of this minute of film is used to construct the character's action and movements. The film maker made use of the theatre's three-dimensional decor, so reminiscent of the influence the performing arts had on his huge repertoire. (Europa Film Treasures)

One of Melies' trick films, this one actually has a bit of surrealism and psychology behind it as it purports to show the world according to minds of some madmen being transported off to the madhouse -- it was labeled as Bedlam in Britain and the then well-known Bloomingdale Asylum when distributed in the U.S. The whole thing is played for speed and laughs, of course, as the asylum ambulance is drawn by a chimera and the patients change and vanish in the blink of an eye. (imdb (user)

A magnificent Venetian oratory. On the left a large bay window through which may be seen the Grand Canal of the city of Venice. In the centre a colonnade and a hemicycle; to the right is a statue of the Madonna. At the beginning of the scene Romeo in his gondola sings to Juliet a sentimental song, then goes away. Hardly has he departed when the colonnade falls to pieces, disclosing the devil. Juliet, frightened, runs to the window and calls Romeo. (imdb)

Historical drama of Joan of Arc. (archive.org)

Three friends are playing cards in a beer garden. One of them orders drinks. The waitress comes back with a bottle of wine and three glasses on a tray. The man serves his friends. They clink glasses and drink. Then the man asks for a newspaper. He reads a funny story in it and the three friends burst out laughing while the waitress merely smiles. (imdb)

Two men in a castle are plagued by some playful ghosts.

A bunch of soldiers in a fortification shoot at other soldiers. The fort is taken.

A rough naval voyage across the English Channel.

A weary traveler stops at an inn along the way to get a good night's sleep, but his rest is interrupted by odd happenings when he gets to his room--beds vanishing and re-appearing, candles exploding, pants flying through the air and his shoes walking away by themselves. (imdb)

A lady gets undressed with the help of her servant. Then she gets what looks like a dirt bath.

In Havana harbour, three men clad in cumbersome diving suits descend via rope ladder to the sea bed, where they begin to explore the wreck of the 'Maine'. One enters the ship via a gash in its side and returns with the body of a drowned sailor. He is tied to a rope and hauled up. As one diver ascends the latter, another goes back inside the ship. (filmjournal.net)

ACTUALITY. Film taken from the top of the centre carriage of a moving train. shows the tops of the preceding carriages and engine as it winds its way through stations, under bridges and viaducts. This view was taken on one of the railway routes from Paris; on one of the stations the words `Bel-Air-Ceinture' are distinguisable (63ft). (bfi.org.uk)

In this scene is shown a magician behind an ordinary table, upon which he suddenly and mysteriously causes to appear a large box, into which he leaps. The sides of the box fall to the ground, but instead of containing the magician a lively clown steps forth who further mystifies the audience by causing the box to disappear, and in its place is seen a fully laid table with a smoking dinner, to which the clown applies himself. (imdb)

This is one of the most surprising and clever subjects of the entire series. The conjurer causes to appear suddenly on the table a box, from which a boy emerges. He is immediately cut into two pieces at a blow from the axe of the conjurer. Instead of falling to the floor, the pieces assume the shape of two lively youngsters, who commence to fight with each other. The conjurer, not approving of such conduct, causes one suddenly to disappear.

The scene opens in an artist's studio where the unfinished statue of William Tell stands upon a pedestal. A clown appears and sticks a clay arm and clay head on the statue, thus completing it. He places a large brick on top of the head to make it stick. When he turns his back the statue turns into a living representation of William Tell, and seizing the brick from the top of his head, hits the clown a heavy blow upon the back. (imdb)

In the opening of this film is seen the astronomer intently poring over his books. Suddenly, in a cloud of smoke, Satan appears and surprises the astronomer. At the command of the Fairy Queen, who suddenly appears, Satan vanishes; she awakens the astronomer and as he goes forward to meet her she disappears. The astronomer is very much excited, and, rushing over to the large telescope he tries to discover by what means she had vanished. (imdb)

St. Anthony prays to Jesus in a secluded location. Various babe-ular women magically appear and attempt to seduce him. He prays harder. An angel appears, and makes the babes go away. What an unhappy ending.

The Devil shows up in the titular convent. He raises some hell. Literally.

The Devil shows up, lime green for some reason, on a giant frying pan. Devil dances around and produces a babe. Babe also dances around and gives us a nice view of her legs.

An illusionist creates a portrait of himself that moves.

Captain Dreyfus is arrested.

Captain Dreyfus imprisoned at Devil's Island. It's really boring.

Two guards wake Dreyfus in bed, and shackle him.

Aspect of the cell. You can see the Colonel very agitated. The prisoner sends his guardian to bring a message. Meanwhile, a general visited him, asked for hope and withdrew. But the colonel, discouraged, took his razor and a strong momentum, he cuts his throat and fell lifeless on the ground

At Quiberon harbour, a military detachment waits beside a boat. They move into formation as the sailors emerge. One hands over some documents to the officer in charge, who inspects and approves them with a signature. Alfred Dreyfus then emerges from the boat and climbs ashore. He is surrounded by soldiers, who march him away. (filmjournal.net)

In the military prison at Rennes, Alfred Dreyfus is seated at a table poring over books. A guard enters and salutes him, indicating that there are people outside. Dreyfus asks him to show them in. His lawyers Edgar Demange and Fernand Labori enter and are greeted by Dreyfus prior to the three of them taking seats around the table... (filmjournal.net)

The conjurer appears at a blackboard and shows the head of a knight on it. He seizes the picture of the head, removes it from the blackboard, and it turns into life and bows and smiles apparently with a body being attached to it. The conjurer then seizes a sword and runs it completely through the head, entering at the neck and going right through the top of the skull. (imdb)

Impossible vaudeville.

Showing the interior of a kitchen, with the cook trying to embrance and kiss the maid, who drops the dishes and runs away as she hears the proprietor approaching. The cook hides in a cupboard, discovered by the manager, who squeezes the door of the cupboard, thereby cutting off the head which is projecting. At this he is horrified and places the head on a table, where it starts grinning at him. (imdb)

The picture opens with the Sultan lying down to rest on his luxurious cushioned couch. The scene changes to the grounds around the palace. An odd-looking tree appears in the foreground and turns into a hobgoblin, which shakes its arms at the Sultan. (imdb)

A prince goes to see a wizard about getting a sex toy. The wizard generates a babe. The babe isn't too found of the prince. The prince gets mad and starts threatening the wizard, who confounds him with his great magical powers. After a very one-sided contest, The Good Fairy appears. She imprisons the wizard, provides the prince with another babe who's much more compliant, and they all live happily ever after.

A presenter presents Le Livre Magique/The Magic Book. In it are several life-size drawings of people. The drawings come to life and gambol about. After a minute or two, they go back into the book, although one has to be coaxed harder than the others to return to 2D form.

In this subject a "comique eccentric" enters the drawing room inhabited by spirits. He tries to take off his coat and hat, but these garments return to his head and shoulders as soon as he takes them off. The chairs, his umbrella, his hat, etc., fly away in different directions and by various methods. (imdb)

Melies the magician once again. He splits himself in three, and he brings a disembodied head on a table to life.

The entire story of Christmastide is here depicted. The scene opens in a large boudoir of an apparently wealthy man's home. His children, assisted by their governess, are about to retire. Before lying down they hang up their stockings on the edge of the bed. The picture changes and night appears. We see the housetops of the town and angels are flying about depositing packages in each of the chimneys. Santa Claus is also busy and furnishes our little friends with numerous presents. (imdb)

Evil spirits prevent three people from having dinner.

A traveler puts up at an inn. He hangs his overcoat and hat upon a peg in his room, but he finds, instantly, that his clothes are on his back again. He takes off his coat a second time, but it instantly returns. He becomes enraged. The more rapidly he undresses, the more rapidly his clothes go back to his body. He rolls on the floor, then on the bed, and finally has an epileptic fit. (imdb)

A man leads eight young ladies into a barrel. Then he pushes the barrel to its side and shows the camera that the barrel is empty.

A doctor has a monkey in a cage in his lab. The monkey gets loose and wreaks havoc. The doctor attempts to recapture the monkey, but the monkey's tail comes off and seems to have a life of its own. John Carpenter would later explore these same themes to greater effect in _The Thing_.

A man wishing to catch a train, and having left himself none too much time to do so, rises from his couch and proceeds to don his garments. These, however, change in a most fearful manner, trousers becoming a coat, a coat a waistcoat, etc., etc. After a manful struggle he comes to the conclusion that his clothes are one too many for him, and goes back to bed again, to think the matter over. (imdb)

This picture shows the ground floor and also the first floor front of a modern lodging house. In the lower room the landlord and his lady are having dinner, while above them three male lodgers are competing as to who can make the most noise. Tiring of this amusement, they bore through the floor and raise further hell.

A Brahmin comes upon a giant caterpillar, which turns into a cross between a butterfly and a girl: the Brahmin finally turns into a caterpillar. (imdb)

Several body parts of a dancing clown float away from his body and come back again. (imdb)

The magician, in his cavern, performs various magical acts.

A man goes to see a witch about acquiring a babe. The babe turns out to be the witch in disguise. The witch turns the man into a beast of burden.

Georges Melies pulls an entire dining room table with full accoutrements out of his magic hat. Then he pulls his dinner guests out of the same hat. Further trickery ensues.

Georges Melies splits in two. One of him becomes small, and the other becomes large.

An army colonel gets paint dumped all over him. Everybody laughs.

This is an absolutely new and extraordinary subject. A juggler takes in succession about a dozen eggs out of his servant's mouth. He breaks all the eggs into a hat, and after having beaten them up after the manner of a cook, he extracts an egg as large as the hat itself. As soon as he sets this egg on the table there appears a tiny dancing girl, full of life, as big as a baby's doll, and who performs on the table some beautiful stage dances. (imdb)

The magician appears upon the stage with an imp as his assistant. The imp holds a piece of cloth in his hand. At the command of the magician the cloth is suddenly transformed into a beautiful girl, clad in tights. A barrel is then introduced and the girl enters one end. As she makes her exit from the other she is transformed into a man. The man then jumps through a paper hoop, and as he lands on the other side is changed back into the girl. (imdb)

The setting of this fantastic scene represents the hall of an old chateau in which a miser has locked up seven large bags containing his wealth. Satan, who has made his way into the chateau, puts the seven bags in a strong box, and makes with his hands some cabalistic motions. The miser comes into the hall and is greatly astonished to find his fortune missing. He opens the coffer and immediately the bags leap out. He gathers them up and puts them back into the coffer. (imdb)

This is a moving picture that moves. Positively the greatest magical picture ever offered. A Hindoo magician appears and dances for the entertainment of six pretty maidens. Then, to the astonishment of all, he runs up the wall, dances and turns handsprings in mid-air, introducing many tricks that are entirely new in animated photography. The most puzzling of all the mystical series. (imdb)

An ancient tower, in which is seated the magician, occupies the centre of the stage. On either side of the tower is a statue. The magician waves his hands and the tower and both statues disappear. He then removes his coat and seats himself upon a chair. On one side of the chair, two figures, each an exact counterpart of himself, appear. On the other side a third figure, also an exact counterpart of himself, appears. (imdb)

Of all the beautiful stories ever told none are more interesting than Gulliver's Travels. How Gulliver set out on a journey and was shipwrecked on an island, where he found strange people, so small that a hundred of them full size could safely repose in the hollow of his hand. How he fell asleep, was discovered by the inhabitants of the island and securely bound with thousands of feet of cord and made to promise to do everything he was told under pain of instant death. (imdb)

A re-enactment using actors of the recent coronation of Britain's King Edward VII. (imdb)

A musketeer bows to the audience and proceeds to hang his hat, coat and vest on the wall in a most amazing manner. Being in need of two pages, he brings them out of his coat, and with rope he makes a hoop. The two pages stretch out a large sheet of white paper. The musketeer puts the hoop through the paper, and instantly the hoop is all covered with paper like those used by performers in the circus. (imdb)

The scene takes place in front of a barrack, where a young soldier is on duty --most laughable and comical. (imdb)

As scene as pleasing as incomprehensible. A juggler summons two chairs, which come to the stage jumping and twirling around. Across the back of these chairs the operator places a sheet of glass on which he lays a box about four inches high. He then takes a table cover, with his servant's help, rolls it up and from the centre emerges a lady, beautifully dressed. At the juggler's order she jumps in the box, in which she completely disappears. (imdb)

Denied a handout, a witch exacts vengeance by cursing the village well. (imdb)

A traveler is shown to a room in an inn. After a brief dispute with the hostess and a porter, he is left to himself. But strange things begin to happen in his room, and before long he has created a disturbance that has everyone running to his room to find out what is going on. (imdb)

In a corner of the garden we see an ornamental fountain. An old professor comes along, looking for a nice spot where he can teach his pupils. Finding the fountain to his liking he goes after his scholars. A mysterious person who has noticed the old man, by means of a balloon, a handkerchief and a coat, constructs a peculiar figure, doing a lot of tricks at the same time. (imdb)

Two guards bring a sorcerer into the hall of a palace of the time of the Middle Ages. The king who follows them orders the sorcerer to be chained and to be condemned to death for his practice of witchcraft. He begs the king to permit him just one hour of liberty, assuring the king that he will create, thanks to his power, a charming woman, worthy of becoming the king's consort. The king, after a moment of hesitation, agrees. The sorcerer asks the king to remove the guards. (imdb)

A man attempts to steal from the oracle. A god appears and turns his head into that of a donkey.

A magician transforms a woman into a portrait of herself, then restores her to life. (imdb)

Alone in his room at an inn, a lustful old man is haunted by spirits. (imdb)

Brief "trick film" in which Zeus and two other gods romp with dancing girls on Olympian clouds. (imdb)

The scene is similar to that seen at Coney Island, where a number of shows are constantly going on. A Juggler enters, dressed in promenade costume, with an overcoat hanging over his arm, a silk hat on his head and carrying a cane. Laying down his coat and cane, he uses his hat for some of his juggling feats. Throwing the hat to the ground, it suddenly becomes a balloon, which he catches and balances on the end of the cane. (imdb)

Two comic characters, Jack Jags and Dum Dum, perform slapstick comedy on stage.

A boy is led into the frame by two nursemaids who give him a big ball to play with. For the remainder of the film heads appear and disappear, stage props blow up and turn into other objects or people, and finally Bob Kick disappears. (imdb)

Pioneer filmmaker Georges Méliès performs his cine-magic act. (imdb)

Two men in a cave perform magic.

In a room filled with jugglers' properties of enormous size a prestidigitateur dressed in eccentric costume enters with his assistant. The servant, believing that he would be comfortable in an armchair, sits down in it, but finds that it conceals a bucket of water, in which he falls. The juggler brings a large empty cask and puts it upon a table and fills it up with several pails of water. He leaps into the cask to take a bath, but he is bitten and hastily gets out. (imdb)

A ballet master dreams of ballerinas. (imdb)

Scenes. 1. The Route to the Depths of Perdition (a Dazzingly Sensational New Effect.) 2. The Fantastical Ride. 3. The Gloomy Pass. 4. The Stream. 5. The Entrance to the Lower Regions. 6. The Marvelous Grottoes (tableau with six dissolving Scenes.) 7. The Crystal Stalactites 8. The Devil's Hole 9. The Ice Cavern. 10. The Goddesses of Antiquity (a Superb Fantastical Ballet in a Snowstorm.) 11. The Subterranean Cascade (a New Trick with Apparition in a Waterfall.) (imdb)

A serenading clown gets on the bad side of a miser, but on the good side of Selene.

Georges Melies the magician. Melies removes his own head, puts it in a glass box on a stool, then grows another one. Melies lights up a cigarette and blows smoke at his old head. The head gets payback by levitating above Melies and spewing water on him.

Melies performs magic (special effects) tricks that revolve around a trunk.

A weary clock-maker dozes off in a chair. While he is asleep, three women suddenly appear in the midst of his shop. They proceed to show the sleeping clock-maker some new kinds of clocks that they know how to make. (imdb)

This shows a prince entering upon the stage of the King's private theatre. He is about to do a few mystifying tricks for the amusement of the court. Taking a large sheet of cardboard, he rolls it into the shape of a tube. Showing that it is entirely empty, he holds it over the table, and a figure is seen gradually coming into view; and before the eye can perceive the change we behold a beautiful Tyrol dancing girl standing on the table with the tube around her. (imdb)

An inquisitor and two of his henchmen burn a woman at the stake. An angel intervenes.

Melies and his crew perform magic tricks.

Two people, a man and a woman, are chatting at work when the boss chews them out, so they get back to dusting. Suddenly they seem to dislike each other very much. Satan appears, turns them into demons, and takes them to Hell. The story doesn't stop there, either.

Prince Charming is foiled in his desire to win the hand of a princess. He is granted a magic sword by an enchanter, and he goes on a quest to seek his fortune.

A silly-looking composer attempts to compose. He then falls asleep, and dreams of all manner of bizarre nonsense.

Some joker of royal blood decides to disdain the train on his trip from Paris to Monte Carlo, and go by car instead. He runs roughshod over everyone, and causes general chaos.

On a city street, a number of men take advantage of an old drunken bum.

The Melies version of the old Rip Van Winkle tale.

A photographer has an accident which not only screws up his lab but dumps a great deal of debris into the street below, causing general chaos.

Jack is taken on a sea-snail to the lair of a fairy, who magically turns him into a prince. He thoroughly enjoys the dancing and fawning of the court. Then he wakes up, and it turns out that he's an ordinary chimney sweep.

A crazy, very rude musician gets some supernatural comeuppance.

A bum accidentally gets himself sewn up inside a mattress.

The staff of an inn play a cruel trick on a guest.

Melies the magician does tricks.

Two travellers are tormented by Satan from inn to inn and eventually experience a buggy ride through the heavens courtesy of the Devil before he takes one of them down to hell and roasts him on a spit. (imdb)

A penniless troubador consults the Fairy Carabosse about his future, but offends her by paying with a bag of sand. He evades the Fairy's revenge, and saves the beautiful princess. (imdb)

A man gets drunk and sees funny things.

Magic tricks in a medieval setting.

The bogie man eats somebody. He grinds him up, and puts the remains in a frying pan. As he cooks his dinner, he falls asleep, at which point various supernatural entities appear (presumably benevolent ones) and torment him.

Roman times. Burning humans.

Not much of a plot. A couple is menaced by some sort of bizarre religious cult. Then they're saved.

An actor tries to get to a show on time. Many mishaps along the way.

A man smokes opium. He sees strange things.

One fine day at a barbershop that has stupid staff and very rude customers.

There's a scene in a village, then there's a scene out in the wilderness with what appear to be gods, and a giant crab, and a giant frog... then there's another scene in the village... and that's it.

A man gets cajoled into working as a sideshow wrestler.

A group of people take roller skating too far.

A man gets his first job, and messes it up.

A family goes to a photographer. The photographer pushes the boy around, and no one seems to care. The boy gets his revenge.

A fakir magically appears and harasses a woman. Then he does tricks.

A painter boards a train and puts his paintings in the windows so that they look like passengers.

French policemen report to English School. The schoolmarm treats them like children. Some women come in, and they start dancing with the cops.

A woman tells her little granddaughter, a tot, a story. The girl goes to sleep and dreams that she's in a magical land.

There's a chemistry lab, in which one or two people ingest the wrong drug -- apparently -- and have a seriously bad trip. Then there's this wizard in his cave, and a fairy appears -- then there's this massive feast with about a dozen people. Then it ends.

A good shepherdess is persecuted by an evil, tantrum-throwing princess. A good fairy decides to intervene, and dishes out quite a bit of retribution.

Georges Melies, the magician. He does tricks.

After an evening of excessive wining and dining Baron Munchausen must be helped to bed by his servants. Once asleep, he has bizarre and frightening dreams. (imdb)

Another version of the old fairytale.

It's set in medieval times, and The Devil shows up in some guy's parlor... and there's other supernatural forces involved, and a quest to save a lady from something...

Mr. Labori walks through the streets and chats with a few other people. A man sneaks up on him and shoots him with a pistol.

The last of Melies's movies about The Dreyfus Affair. As the title suggests, it's a scuffle of reporters. However, they don't have the decency to take it outside; they get into fisticuffs right in the court (which I presume is a case related to The Dreyfus Affair, but the movie doesn't say specifically and it's only about a minute long). A few gendarmes do their best to break it up.

A court convenes. Dreyfus is court martialed. As Georges Clemenceau put it, "Military justice is to justice as military music is to music."

The arrest of Dreyfus.

Only 8 surviving seconds of a man getting great pleasure from smoking a cigar.

A bearded man hangs up a wreath and, like any good magician, waves his hands inside of it and under it to show us it's only a wreath.... (imdb)

A very simple gag film as a young lady substitutes herself for a dummy in order to play a practical joke on an artist. (imdb)

A man explores a mummy's tomb...

Melies himself appears costumed as a wizard. He opens a steamer trunk, and produces from it a whole series of male athletes, one at a time. When the trunk is finally empty, the athletes form a human pyramid. After they break the pyramid, Melies transforms them into elegantly-dressed ladies! (imdb)

The battleship Maine is blown up in Havana harbour during the Spanish-American War. (imdb)

A magician accidentally summons a giant spider.

Two battle with confetti at a parade.

Panorama from a boat

A butterfly dancer

This film from George Melies is sadly one that's only available in fragments. The film starts off with a title card stating that a drunk man has just thrown his family out a window. We see a couple of them landing on the ground and then we go back to the room where the drunk is now trying to kill himself. (imdb)

An indebted French family flees its creditors in this comic picaresque, one of pioneering French director George Méliès last films. (imdb)

Georges Méliès adaptation of Robinson Crusoe, the first film adaptation of the story. Filmed in black & white, Méliès would then paint the film by hand to colour it. Originally a 15 minute film, the only footage known to survive is a black and white clip just over a minute in length. (edit: twelve and a half minutes of painted film have been found and are being restored) (imdb)

Melies second attempt at telling the story of Faust. This time out Faust and his love Marguerite are sentenced to Hell where they are showed the torture that awaits. (imdb)

Sadly most of this Melies film is now lost and all that remains (a little over 50-seconds) can be found on Flick Alley's wonderful set. What we do see in the footage has Melies and another person standing on opposite sides of a bench. On the bench are four small people doing a couple dances. The special effects of the small people are very obvious but it really doesn't take away anything from the film. (imdb)

Another magic short of Méliès.

A 29-second clip that's pretty hard to tell what's suppose to be going on in the entire film. We see a group of people, most women, sitting and watching a puppet show. The puppet show is a man and woman fighting but that's as much as we get. (imdb)

This Georges Melies film isn't complete but seven-minutes worth of it are included on the Flicker Alley set and it's a real shame that the entire thing hasn't been found. The film was apparently one of his longer ones as it features narration and the footage starts off as a thief is burning down a market that he has just robbed. Later footage has him being captured and then we see him locked up in prison. (imdb)

This film from 1907 is sadly incomplete as it's only available in a two-minute fragment. The opening title card explains that a painter has just finished his work when his assistant comes in an accidentally drinks varnish. The film then picks up as the painter goes haywire and sends the assistant into the painting. (imdb)

Fun film from French master Georges Melies has a couple burglar's breaking into a man's home and having to hide when that man returns. Instead of a trick film or something that he's known for, the director really changes gears here and instead delivers what's basically an action movie. (imdb)

The story is pretty simple as a group of people on a streetcar who get upset when a woman enters and stinks the place up with her cheese. The woman is arrested and taken away and soon the cheese is following for some revenge. THE SKIPPING CHEESES isn't a complete success but fans of the director should at least get a smile out of it. (imdb)

This Georges Melies film is one of several to appear in only a fragment form. The film opens up with a title card explaining what happens in the missing parts of the movie. Basically a man wants to give some flowers to a stage star but a prankster instead gives them to an obese cleaning woman. (imdb)

An astronomer (Georges Melies) creates a telescope that when you look into it you can see your future. King Thebes decides to take a look at his future and doesn't exactly get what he bargained for. (imdb)

Three burglars invade a house, kill two people, and blind a third person, a woman. The police arrest the wrong man. (imdb)

This Georges Melies film is only available in a five-minute fragment. The film starts off with a title card setting up the events. An elderly miser keep all of his money to himself and refuses to help people no matter what they might need. We see him turn away a few people and then portions of the film are missing and we pick up later in the story as the old man is scared of something (apparently someone stole his money). (imdb)

If a violin was actually broken here we don't get to see it. Sadly this is one of many Georges Melies films that are only available in a fragment. Hopefully one day a complete print will turn up but until then at least we have this. The film starts off in some sort of bakery as the boss starts giving orders and then a bit later we see a young man pull out a violin he has been hiding and start to play it. The film then flashes to another location but this is where it cuts off. (imdb)

The film begins with a grandmother reading a story to a small child before tucking him or her into bed (it's a bit difficult to tell which the tot is). No sooner has the mite fallen asleep than s/he begins dreaming of an angel standing over his/her bed and whisking him/her off to a land of giant toys. The kid wanders around for a bit before being led away by a lady who takes him/her to a jungle or forest where other young ladies dressed as butterflies dance around a bit. (imdb)

Georges Melies' film has a new guy showing up in a store on his first day and he obviously just doesn't fit in as he makes one mistake after another. (imdb)

Right from the start Satan grabs Faust and forces him into hell where he is made to witness strange dances, fiery pits and a seven headed monster. (imdb)

The film consists of an alchemist sitting in front of a giant glass container as he dreams...and lots of crazy stuff appears inside the container. (imdb)

Film shows Up-to-date clothes cleaning.

This impressive ceremony is performed in the order as officially published. Their Majesties, Royalty, Clergy, and other Distinguished Personages taking part in the Coronation are impersonated by accomplished actors and actresses, every detail as to costumes, robes, regalia, coronation chairs, chair of state, Abbey arrangements, etc., being as faithfully reproduced as possible, in order to convey the scene to the millions who are not privileged to witness the actual proceedings. (imdb)

In a square room, two men and two women, in white body-hugging clothes, try on wrestling holds, each with a partner of the same sex. (imdb)

Showing Pygmalion at work in his studio on the statue of Galatea, who, on being completed, comes to life. He attempts to clasp her to his arms, when the bust leaves the body and crossing the room mocks at him standing with the lower portion of her body in his hands. Further startling illusions are seen in this most beautiful picture.

This lost film presumably features a train arriving at Vincennes station. (imdb)

Showing the interior of a dining room of a modest cottage, whereto enter a young couple to partake in their meal, which is being served up by the maid. Suddenly the legs of the table are extended to three times their height; the dinner being elevated to this extent; in order to reach same they climb into the chairs. The table suddenly vanishes, but makes its appearance in another section of the room.

A most astounding film, showing a lady with three heads. These are taken away one after the other, and seem to be quite as lively when separated from the body as they were when united. The conjuror who is performing the trick also removes his own head without suffering any inconvenience, and walks about without it. There are also any number of other changes in this film, which has to be seen to be fully appreciated.

A beturbanned young man and his dancing girl come out with a rug, and perform a magic act, causing a rose tree to sprout. The pick the huge blooms, which turn into another beautiful young woman. However, this turns into too much of a good thing, and the young man takes liberties with the second lady, leaving him with none.