A Trip to the Moon (1902)

Georges Méliès’s A Trip to the Moon (Le Voyage dans la Lune) is often considered the birth of cinematic science fiction. Released in 1902, this 14-minute silent film combined pioneering visual effects, stagecraft, and whimsical storytelling. Below, you’ll find a deep-dive into this legendary movie, including its plot, style, production insights, and enduring cultural impact.

Detailed Summary

The Astronomers’ Plan

The film begins with a meeting of eccentric astronomers, all dressed in wizard-like robes and pointy hats. Led by Professor Barbenfouillis (played by Méliès himself), the group proposes a fantastical expedition to the Moon. After some comic arguments, they agree to build a giant cannon that will launch a capsule carrying explorers straight into space.

The Rocket Launch

The capsule, shaped like a bullet, is loaded into the cannon. With great ceremony, the astronomers climb inside, and a group of women in sailor outfits cheer them on. The cannon is fired, and the rocket shoots through the sky—one of the earliest depictions of space travel on film.

The Famous Moon Landing

The capsule strikes the Moon square in the eye—a sequence that has become one of the most iconic images in cinema history. Méliès achieved this effect using clever stagecraft and substitution splices, stunning audiences of the time.

Life on the Moon

After the landing, the explorers step outside and discover the lunar surface. They marvel at bizarre landscapes and watch celestial phenomena. However, they are soon attacked by Selenites—alien inhabitants of the Moon, portrayed by acrobats in costumes. The explorers fight them off by striking them with umbrellas, causing the aliens to explode into smoke.

Escape from the Moon

Overwhelmed by the number of Selenites, the astronomers retreat to their capsule. They push it off a cliff, and it plunges back to Earth, splashing into the ocean. A rescue ship retrieves them, and they return as heroes.

Movie Ending

The ending celebrates the triumphant return of the explorers. Crowds gather in a jubilant parade, and a statue of Professor Barbenfouillis is erected in his honor. In Méliès’s vision, exploration is not only a scientific achievement but also a spectacle of human ambition and imagination. The ending leaves no mystery: the adventurers survive, the mission is hailed as a success, and humanity is portrayed as conquering the impossible.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No. Post-credits sequences didn’t exist in early cinema. The film ends with the parade and the commemorative statue, offering closure in a theatrical and celebratory fashion.

Type of Movie

A Trip to the Moon is a silent short film that blends science fiction, fantasy, and comedy. It was one of the first movies to tell a story in multiple scenes, pioneering narrative cinema.

Cast

• Georges Méliès as Professor Barbenfouillis
• Members of Méliès’s theater troupe as astronomers, dancers, and Selenites

Since this was 1902, actors were mostly stage performers with no recorded dialogue, relying entirely on body language and theatrical gestures.

Film Music and Composer

When the film was first screened, it did not have a recorded soundtrack. Instead, live musicians in theaters provided music—often pianos or small orchestras. Over the years, many different scores have been composed, including a famous modern restoration featuring music by the band Air.

Filming Locations

The movie was filmed entirely at Méliès’s Montreuil studio in Paris, which was one of the first film studios in the world. The sets were hand-painted, inspired by theatrical stagecraft.

Awards and Nominations

The film predates modern film awards. However, in the decades since, it has been recognized as one of the most influential films ever made and was added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2002.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Méliès was originally a magician; his knowledge of illusions directly influenced his pioneering film tricks.
• He used stop-motion substitution and multiple exposures to create “magical” transformations.
• The film required hand-painted color prints—artists painstakingly tinted each frame by hand for special screenings.
• The Selenites’ “explosions” were achieved using stage smoke and jump cuts.

Inspirations and References

The film was inspired by Jules Verne’s novel From the Earth to the Moon (1865) and H.G. Wells’s The First Men in the Moon (1901). Méliès blended these scientific adventure tales with his own theatrical sense of humor and surrealism.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There are no known alternate endings, but multiple versions of the film existed due to hand-coloring variations and international distribution. Some copies were badly pirated by American companies, leading Méliès into financial hardship.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Though inspired by Verne and Wells, Méliès’s film is far more whimsical and theatrical. Unlike Verne’s technical emphasis, Méliès skips realism—cannons shoot rockets to the Moon, umbrellas defeat aliens, and the Moon itself has a face. It’s less science, more magic.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• The meeting of the astronomers, with their theatrical bickering.
• The launch of the rocket via cannon.
• The rocket hitting the Moon in the eye (cinema’s most famous image).
• The battle with the Selenites.
• The triumphant parade ending.

Iconic Quotes

As a silent film, there are no spoken lines, but the visuals themselves—like the rocket-in-the-eye shot—serve as the movie’s “quotes.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The Moon with a face was a satirical touch, mocking human anthropomorphism of celestial bodies.
• Méliès hid subtle stage illusions throughout, like smoke effects and disappearing Selenites.
• Some hand-painted versions contain small artistic flourishes not present in black-and-white copies.

Trivia

• The film is only 14 minutes long but is often called the first “blockbuster.”
• Méliès produced around 500 films, but most were lost; A Trip to the Moon remains his best-known.
• Thomas Edison’s company illegally distributed the film in the U.S., costing Méliès much of his profit.
• It’s considered the earliest “special effects-heavy” film.

Why Watch?

Because it’s the root of cinematic science fiction. If you enjoy Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey, or Interstellar, this is where it all started. It’s whimsical, imaginative, and historic—a short journey that feels like a dream.

Director’s Other Movies

• The Impossible Voyage (1904)
• The Kingdom of the Fairies (1903)
• Cinderella (1899)
• The Haunted Castle (1896)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Metropolis (1927)
• The Lost World (1925)
• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916)
• The Great Train Robbery (1903)
• The Impossible Voyage (1904)