DVD Review: Georges Méliès Silent Classic A TRIP TO THE MOON

Cineastes will no doubt know of Georges Méliès silent classic, A Trip To The Moon, but how many have seen it? The 1902 film clocks in at just fifteen minutes, but it packs a visual punch – one that has left the world of cinema reeling for over a century.

Méliès’ film is the first science fiction film, taking his cue from the work of Jules Verne, he brings a sense of wonder to the piece, delivering an adventure movie that, although brisk, contains a lot of plot. This new DVD from Park Circus looks stunning. It’s the culmination of over twenty years worth of work, which started with the discovery of a colour version of Méliès’ film in Spain in 1993. The painstaking project moved at a snail’s pace as each image was slowly scanned into a computer and then restored, sometimes using elements from black and white copies of the film. Fascinating stuff indeed.

Special Features

A wonderful documentary by Serge Bromberg and Eric Lange titled The Extraordinary Voyage. This 64 minute film follows the life and work of Georges Méliès, as well a detailed look at A Trip To The Moon’s restoration process. The disc also includes image galleries from the film and the documentary. This is essential for serious film lovers.