Take a trip to the moon with Georges Méliès, the world’s first grand illusionist of the cinema. Born 150 years ago, Méliès was a talented artist, a brilliant showman and an inventor. In addition to many other incredible devices, he discovered the infinite possibilities of stop motion and double exposure.
A disciple of Jean-Eugène Robert Houdin, Méliès was a magician who built his own cinematograph camera when the Lumière brothers refused to sell him their invention in 1895.
Méliès went on to write, direct, design, photograph and perform in over 500 short films between 1896 and 1913 – all of them shot in his purpose-built studio laboratory on the grounds of his home outside Paris.
1902’s A Trip to the Moon, a 14 minute early sci-fi epic, was recently revived in the hand-tinted colour tones in which it was first shown.
Méliès, the Cinemagician celebrates this amazing man’s life, work, art and magic in the spirit that even the original showman himself would have appreciated.
This special showing will feature the music of Wayne Stewart, the narration of Naomi Singer, the magic of Travis Bernhardt and the films of Georges Méliès.
The program will include the following films:
Cinderella
The Man With the Rubber Head
The Eclipse, or The Courtship of the Sun and Moon
A Trip to the Moon
Gulliver’s Travels
The One Man Band
The Infernal Cakewalk
The Music Lover
The Dwarf and the Giant
Méliès, the Cinemagician
Dates: November 12, 7:30 pm; November 13, 2 pm, 7:30 pm
Venue: Vancity Theatre, 1811 Seymour Street, Vancouver
Tickets:
$15 Adults (18 and over)
$13 Cinephile members, seniors, students (13-17)
$10 Premium members, Children 12 and under
*VIFF Membership required ($2). Please note: you may be asked to provide proof of age where discounts apply. No passes, generic comps or group buy coupons will be accepted.
