A guaranteed treat for fantasy buffs and students of the silent era, Mli¨s the Magician provides a definitive study of French film pioneer Georges Mli¨s (1861-1938). A special-effects innovator best known for his 1902 film A Trip to the Moon, Mli¨s is honored by Jacques Mny's exceptional documentary, which uses faithful reenactments, archival documents, expert interviews, and Mli¨s's own films to examine a life as rich as Edison's in its embrace of invention and creative ingenuity. Mny's non-chronological approach is liberating and fresh, allowing a free-form understanding of Mli¨s and his work, his involvement in the birth of motion pictures, and the visual trickery he developed after a thriving career as a stage illusionist. Following the documentary, "Mli¨s Magic Show" is hosted by Mli¨s's granddaughter and presents 15 Mli¨s films as they would've been shown in Paris at the turn of the century. Then and now, the magic of Mli¨s is timelessly enchanting. --Jeff Shannon
Film and special effects pioneer Georges Melies laid the groundwork for fantasy film as we know it today. This collection celebrates the innovations of the magician, entrepreneur and filmmaker with 15 restored Melies shorts, including some of the earliest film experiments in history. Also featured is the documentary, The Magic of Melies (1997, 55 mins.). Films include The Four Troublesome Heads (1898), Fat and Lean Wrestling Match (1900), The One-Man Band (1900), The Man with the Rubber Head (1901), Bluebeard (1901), A Trip to the Moon (1902), The Infernal Boiling Pot (1903), The Infernal Cakewalk (1903), The Music Lover (1903), The Living Playing Cards (1904), Hilarious Posters (1904), Imperceptible Transmutations (1904), Untameable Whiskers (1904), The Scheming Gambler's Paradise (1905), and The Devilish Tenant (1909).
