Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès (December 8, 1861 - January 21, 1938), full name Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès, was a French illusionist and filmmaker famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest days of cinema. One of the first filmmakers to use multiple exposures, time-lapse photography, tracking shots, dissolves, and hand-painted color in his work, Méliès pioneered effects that would define cinematic special effects for decades to come. A prolific innovator in the use of special effects, Méliès accidentally discovered the substitution stop trick in 1896, a method of creating seamless disappearing and/or appearing effects used throughout both films and television for decades to come. Because of his ability to seemingly manipulate and transform reality through cinematography, Méliès is sometimes referred to as the first "Cinemagician". Two of his best-known films are A Trip to the Moon (1902) and The Impossible Voyage (1904). Both stories involve strange, surreal voyages, somewhat in the style of Jules Verne, and are considered among the most important early science fiction films, though their approach is closer to fantasy. Méliès was also an early pioneer of horror cinema, which can be traced back to his Le Manoir du diable (1896). In early 1909 Méliès stopped making films to protest Thomas Edison's Motion Pictures Parents Company monopoly, and presided over the first meeting of the International Filmmakers Congress in Paris. Further financial hardships created by his opposition to Edison and diminishing influence, Méliès disappeared from public life. By the mid-1920s he made a meager living as a candy and toy salesma in Paris, with the assistance of funds collected by other filmmakers. Although he was recognized for his contributions in cinema, Méliès spent most of his later years in poverty before being accepted into La Maison du Retraite du Cinéma, the film industry's retirement home in Orly.
Filmography
Satans Sacrilegious Saga
as Devil
Satans Sacrilegious Saga
as Devil
Alcoléa & cie Documentary
Alcoléa & cie Documentary
Méliès: Tales of Terror
as The Melomaniac
Méliès: Tales of Terror
as The Melomaniac
The Méliès Mystery
as Self (archive footage)
The Méliès Mystery
as Self (archive footage)
El hombre que quiso ser Segundo
as Self (archive footage)
El hombre que quiso ser Segundo
as Self (archive footage)
The Cinemagician, Georges Méliès
as Self (archive footage)
The Cinemagician, Georges Méliès
as Self (archive footage)
The Extraordinary Voyage
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
The Extraordinary Voyage
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Georges Méliès: The First Wizard of Cinema (1896-1913)
as Various Roles
Georges Méliès: The First Wizard of Cinema (1896-1913)
as Various Roles
The Magic of Méliès
as Self / Various Roles (archive footage)
The Magic of Méliès
as Self / Various Roles (archive footage)
Cinematógrafo 1900
as Self (archive footage)
Cinematógrafo 1900
as Self (archive footage)
Violons d'Ingres
as Himself (archive footage)
Violons d'Ingres
as Himself (archive footage)
Gala Méliès
as Himself
Gala Méliès
as Himself
The Knight of the Snow
as Devil
The Knight of the Snow
as Devil
The Conquest of the Pole
as Le professeur Mabouloff
The Conquest of the Pole
as Le professeur Mabouloff
The Diabolical Church Window
The Diabolical Church Window
Whimsical Illusions
as The Magician
Whimsical Illusions
as The Magician
The Diabolic Tenant
as Le locataire diabolique
The Diabolic Tenant
as Le locataire diabolique
The Doctor's Secret
The Doctor's Secret
The Fortune Favors the Brave
as Gnome
The Fortune Favors the Brave
as Gnome
French Cops Learning English
as The Police Inspector
French Cops Learning English
as The Police Inspector
Tribulations; or, The Misfortunes of a Cobbler
as The Roman
Tribulations; or, The Misfortunes of a Cobbler
as The Roman
The Indian Sorcerer
as The Fakir
The Indian Sorcerer
as The Fakir
Les infortunes des patineurs
as Passerby
Les infortunes des patineurs
as Passerby
Not Guilty
as The Old Farmer
Not Guilty
as The Old Farmer
The New Lord of the Village
as Le fantôme de César
The New Lord of the Village
as Le fantôme de César
In the Barber Shop
In the Barber Shop
Long Distance Wireless Photography
Long Distance Wireless Photography
The Good Luck of a 'Souse'
as Le commissaire de police
The Good Luck of a 'Souse'
as Le commissaire de police
The King and the Jester
as Tribolet
The King and the Jester
as Tribolet
Satan in Prison
as Satan
Satan in Prison
as Satan
Good Glue Sticks
Good Glue Sticks
The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon
as Professor of Astronomy
The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon
as Professor of Astronomy
Delirium in a Studio
as Ali Barbouyou
Delirium in a Studio
as Ali Barbouyou
Tunneling the English Channel
Tunneling the English Channel
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
The Witch
as The Fairy Carabosse
The Witch
as The Fairy Carabosse
The Mysterious Retort
The Mysterious Retort
The Merry Frolics of Satan
as Satan
The Merry Frolics of Satan
as Satan
A Roadside Inn
as Drunk Traveler
A Roadside Inn
as Drunk Traveler
A Desperate Crime
A Desperate Crime
The Hilarious Posters
as The Bill Poster
The Hilarious Posters
as The Bill Poster
The Inventor Crazybrains and His Wonderful Airship
The Inventor Crazybrains and His Wonderful Airship
Rip's Dream
as Rip Van Winkle
Rip's Dream
as Rip Van Winkle
Ulysses and the Giant Polyphemus
as Ulysses (uncredited)
Ulysses and the Giant Polyphemus
as Ulysses (uncredited)
The Palace of the Arabian Nights
as The Sorcerer Khalafar (uncredited)
The Palace of the Arabian Nights
as The Sorcerer Khalafar (uncredited)
A Mesmerian Experiment
A Mesmerian Experiment
The Lilliputian Minuet
The Lilliputian Minuet
The Black Imp
The Black Imp
The Living Playing Cards
as The Magician
The Living Playing Cards
as The Magician
The Christmas Angel
as The Rag-and-Bone Man / Beggar on Crutches / Coal Seller
The Christmas Angel
as The Rag-and-Bone Man / Beggar on Crutches / Coal Seller
The Firefall
as Satan
The Firefall
as Satan
The Wandering Jew
The Wandering Jew
The Impossible Voyage
as Mabouloff
The Impossible Voyage
as Mabouloff
The Mermaid
The Mermaid
The Devilish Plank
The Devilish Plank
The Cook in Trouble
The Cook in Trouble
The Wonderful Living Fan
The Wonderful Living Fan
Tchin-Chao, the Chinese Conjurer
Tchin-Chao, the Chinese Conjurer
Faust and Marguerite
as Méphistophélès
Faust and Marguerite
as Méphistophélès
The Imperceptible Transmutations
as Prince
The Imperceptible Transmutations
as Prince
The Clockmaker's Dream
The Clockmaker's Dream
The Untamable Whiskers
as Man with whiskers
The Untamable Whiskers
as Man with whiskers
The Fugitive Apparitions
The Fugitive Apparitions
Every Man His Own Cigar Lighter
Every Man His Own Cigar Lighter
A Wager Between Two Magicians, or, Jealous of Myself
as The Magician / The Double
A Wager Between Two Magicians, or, Jealous of Myself
as The Magician / The Double
Tit for Tat
Tit for Tat
A Moonlight Serenade
A Moonlight Serenade
The Terrible Turkish Executioner
as The Executioner
The Terrible Turkish Executioner
as The Executioner
Faust in the Underworld
as Mephistopholes
Faust in the Underworld
as Mephistopholes
The Ballet Master's Dream
The Ballet Master's Dream
The Magic Lantern
The Magic Lantern
Alcofribas, The Master Magician
Alcofribas, The Master Magician
Extraordinary Illusions
Extraordinary Illusions
Bob Kick, the Mischievous Kid
Bob Kick, the Mischievous Kid
Jupiter's Thunderballs
Jupiter's Thunderballs
Apparitions
Apparitions
The Infernal Cauldron
as Devil
The Infernal Cauldron
as Devil
The Kingdom of the Fairies
as Принц Бель-Азор
The Kingdom of the Fairies
as Принц Бель-Азор
The Monster
as The priest
The Monster
as The priest
The Melomaniac
The Melomaniac
The Oracle of Delphi
The Oracle of Delphi
The Mystical Flame
The Mystical Flame
The Mysterious Box
The Mysterious Box
The Infernal Cake-Walk
as Devil
The Infernal Cake-Walk
as Devil
Misfortune Never Comes Alone
as Lamplighter
Misfortune Never Comes Alone
as Lamplighter
Beelzebub's Daughters
Beelzebub's Daughters
The Marvellous Wreath
The Marvellous Wreath
The Enchanted Basket
The Enchanted Basket
Robinson Crusoe
as Robinson Crusoé
Robinson Crusoe
as Robinson Crusoé
Gulliver's Travels Among the Lilliputians and the Giants
as Gulliver
Gulliver's Travels Among the Lilliputians and the Giants
as Gulliver
Sure Cure for Indigestion
as Doctor
Sure Cure for Indigestion
as Doctor
An Impossible Balancing Feat
as The Magician
An Impossible Balancing Feat
as The Magician
The Human Fly
as The Hindoo Magician
The Human Fly
as The Hindoo Magician
The Treasures of Satan
The Treasures of Satan
A Trip to the Moon
as Professeur Barbenfouillis / La Lune
A Trip to the Moon
as Professeur Barbenfouillis / La Lune
The Prolific Magical Egg
The Prolific Magical Egg
The Dwarf and the Giant
The Dwarf and the Giant
The Man with the Rubber Head
as Аптекар / Гумова голова
The Man with the Rubber Head
as Аптекар / Гумова голова
The Devil and the Statue
The Devil and the Statue
Hat of Many Surprises
Hat of Many Surprises
Bluebeard
as Barbe-bleue
Bluebeard
as Barbe-bleue
The Prince of Magicians
as Excelsior
The Prince of Magicians
as Excelsior
The Temple of the Sun
The Temple of the Sun
A Maiden's Paradise
as The Wizard
A Maiden's Paradise
as The Wizard
The Magician's Cavern
The Magician's Cavern
The Triple Headed Lady
The Triple Headed Lady
The Brahmin and the Butterfly
as The brahmin
The Brahmin and the Butterfly
as The brahmin
The Astronomer's Dream
as Астроном
The Astronomer's Dream
as Астроном
The Christmas Dream
as Beggar
The Christmas Dream
as Beggar
Joan of Arc
as Père de Jeanne
Joan of Arc
as Père de Jeanne
The Artist and the Dummy
as Artiste
The Artist and the Dummy
as Artiste
The One-Man Band
as All the members of the orchestra
The One-Man Band
as All the members of the orchestra
The Fat and Lean Wrestling Match
as Wrestler
The Fat and Lean Wrestling Match
as Wrestler
Going to Bed Under Difficulties
as The Man
Going to Bed Under Difficulties
as The Man
Up-to-Date Spiritualism
as Le comique excentrique
Up-to-Date Spiritualism
as Le comique excentrique
The Wizard, the Prince and the Good Fairy
as Prince
The Wizard, the Prince and the Good Fairy
as Prince
The Magic Book
as The Magician
The Magic Book
as The Magician
A Fantastical Meal
as The Man
A Fantastical Meal
as The Man
The Triple Conjurer and the Living Head
as Conjurer
The Triple Conjurer and the Living Head
as Conjurer
The Dreyfus Affair
as Fernand Labori
The Dreyfus Affair
as Fernand Labori
Cinderella
as le gnome de la pendule / le suisse à l'entrée de l'église
Cinderella
as le gnome de la pendule / le suisse à l'entrée de l'église
Summoning the Spirits
Summoning the Spirits
The Human Pyramid
The Human Pyramid
A Midnight Episode
as The Sleeping Man (uncredited)
A Midnight Episode
as The Sleeping Man (uncredited)
The Devil in a Convent
as The Devil
The Devil in a Convent
as The Devil
An Up-to-Date Conjurer
as Magician
An Up-to-Date Conjurer
as Magician
The Mysterious Knight
as Le chevalier mystère
The Mysterious Knight
as Le chevalier mystère
The Mysterious Portrait
as L'illusioniste
The Mysterious Portrait
as L'illusioniste
Cleopatra's Tomb
as un profanateur de la tombe de Cléopâtre
Cleopatra's Tomb
as un profanateur de la tombe de Cléopâtre
The Pillar of Fire
The Pillar of Fire
The Four Troublesome Heads
as Фокусник
The Four Troublesome Heads
as Фокусник
The Temptation of St. Anthony
as Saint Antoine
The Temptation of St. Anthony
as Saint Antoine
Pygmalion and Galatea
as Pygmalion
Pygmalion and Galatea
as Pygmalion
Faust and Marguerite
as Méphistophélès
Faust and Marguerite
as Méphistophélès
Le château hanté
as Mephisto
Le château hanté
as Mephisto
The Bewitched Inn
as The Traveler
The Bewitched Inn
as The Traveler
Naval Combat in Greece
as The Captain
Naval Combat in Greece
as The Captain
Between Calais and Dover
as The Man in the Checked Suit
Between Calais and Dover
as The Man in the Checked Suit
A Funny Mahometan
as The Funny Mahometan
A Funny Mahometan
as The Funny Mahometan
Gugusse and the Automaton
as Gugusse
Gugusse and the Automaton
as Gugusse
A Nightmare
as Man
A Nightmare
as Man
Le manoir du diable
as Мефістофель
Le manoir du diable
as Мефістофель
The Vanishing Lady
as Фокусник
The Vanishing Lady
as Фокусник