GM
Georges Méliès
Director, Actor, Producer, Writer, Editor, Additional Credits
Born December 8, 1861Died January 21, 1938 (76 years)
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.
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.
Known For
Georges Méliès Filmography
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| 2018 | The Image Book · as Un Acteur |
| 1912 | The Conquest of the Pole · as Le Professeur Mabouloff |
| 1909 | Whimsical Illusions · as The Magician |
| 1909 | Le papillon fantastique · as The Magician |
| 1909 | The Devilish Tenant · as Le Locataire Diabolique |
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| 1908 | The Genii of Fire · as Priest |
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| 1907 | Hamlet, Prince of Denmark · as Hamlet |
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| 1907 | The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon · as Professor Of Astronomy |
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| 1907 | Rogues' Tricks · as The Home-Owner |
| 1906 | The Witch · as The Fairy Carabosse |
| 1906 | A Crazy Composer · as Mr. Bang-The-Box, Le Compositeur Toqué |
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| 1906 | The 400 Tricks of the Devil · as Satan |
| 1906 | The Hilarious Posters · as The Bill Poster |
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| 1905 | The Enchanted Sedan Chair · as Cast |
| 1905 | The Palace of Arabian Knights · as The Sorcerer Khalafar (uncredited) |
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| 1905 | The Living Playing Cards · as The Magician |
| 1904 | An Impossible Voyage · as Mabouloff |
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| 1904 | The Imperceptible Transmutations · as Prince |
| 1904 | The Untamable Whiskers · as Man With Whiskers |
| 1904 | Decapitation in Turkey · as The Executioner |
| 1903 | The Damnation of Faust · as Mephistopholes |
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| 1903 | The Infernal Cauldron · as Devil |
| 1903 | The Kingdom of the Fairies · as Prince Bel-Azor |
| 1903 | The Monster · as The Priest |
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| 1903 | The Enchanted Well · as Townsperson |
| 1903 | The Cake-Walk Infernal · as Devil |
| 1902 | Robinson Crusoe · as Robinson Crusoé |
| 1902 | Gulliver's Travels · as Gulliver |
| 1902 | An Impossible Balancing Feat · as The Magician |
| 1902 | A Trip to the Moon · as Professeur Barbenfouillis / La Lune |
| 1902 | The Human Fly · as The Hindoo Magician |
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| 1901 | The India Rubber Head · as The Chemist / The India Rubber Head |
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| 1901 | Bluebeard · as Barbe-Bleue |
| 1901 | The Magician and the Human Pump · as Excelsior |
| 1901 | The Brahmin and the Butterfly · as The Brahmin |
| 1900 | Joan of Arc · as Père De Jeanne |
| 1900 | The Christmas Dream · as Beggar |
| 1900 | The Sign of the Cross · as The Devil |
| 1900 | The One-Man Band · as All The Members Of The Orchestra |
| 1900 | The Magic Book · as The Magician |
| 1900 | The Fat and the Lean Wrestling Match · as Wrestler |
| 1900 | Going to Bed with Difficulties · as The Man |
| 1900 | The Triple Conjurer and the Living Head · as Conjurer |
| 1900 | The Dainaid's Barrel · as Danaid |
| 1899 | Cinderella · as Le Gnome De La Pendule / Le Suisse À L'entrée De L'église |
| 1899 | L'affaire Dreyfus · as Fernand Labori |
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| 1899 | A Turn of the Century Illusionist · as Magician |
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| 1899 | A Mysterious Portrait · as L'illusioniste |
| 1899 | Le Chevalier mystère · as Le Chevalier Mystère |
| 1898 | Four Heads Are Better Than One · as Conjurer |
| 1898 | The Astronomer's Dream; or, The Man in the Moon · as Astronomer |
| 1898 | The Temptation of St. Anthony · as Saint Antoine |
| 1898 | The Famous Box Trick · as The Magician |
| 1898 | Pygmalion and Galatea · as Pygmalion |
| 1898 | The Magician · as Le Sculpteur |
| 1897 | The Bewitched Inn · as The Traveler |
| 1897 | The Devil's Castle · as Mephisto |
| 1897 | Entre Calais et Douvres · as The Man In The Checked Suit |
| 1896 | The House of the Devil · as Mephistopheles |
| 1896 | A Nightmare · as Man |
| 1896 | A Terrible Night · as L'homme Qui Essaie De Dormir |
| 1896 | Card Party · as Un Joueur De Cartes |
| 1896 | The Conjuring of a Woman at the House of Robert Houdin · as Le Magicien |
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| 2007 | RiffTrax Shorts (TV Series) |
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| 1912 | The Conquest of the Pole · as Screenplay |
| 1909 | Whimsical Illusions · as Screenplay |
| 1909 | The Devilish Tenant · as Screenplay |
| 1908 | Excursion to the Moon · as Original Film Writer |
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| 1906 | The 400 Tricks of the Devil · as Screenplay |
| 1906 | Inventor Crazybrains and His Wonderful Airship · as Screenplay |
| 1904 | An Impossible Voyage · as Screenplay |
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| 1903 | The Infernal Cauldron · as Screenplay |
| 1903 | The Kingdom of the Fairies · as Screenplay |
| 1902 | Robinson Crusoe · as Screenplay |
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| 1902 | A Trip to the Moon · as Screenplay |
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| 1900 | Joan of Arc · as Screenplay |
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| 1899 | Haggard's She: The Pillar of Fire · as Screenplay |
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| 1898 | The Astronomer's Dream; or, The Man in the Moon · as Screenplay |
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| 1897 | The Bewitched Inn · as Screenplay |
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| 1897 | The Devil's Castle · as Screenplay |
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| 2021 | |
| 2021 | The Méliès Mystery · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2015 | El hombre que quiso ser Segundo · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2012 | The Cinemagician, Georges Méliès · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2011 | The Extraordinary Voyage · as Self - Filmmaker (archive Footage) |
| 2002 | The Magic of Méliès · as Self / Various Roles (archive Footage) |
| 1949 | Let's Go to the Movies · as Self |
| 1912 | The Conquest of the Pole · as Production Designer |
| 1912 | The Conquest of the Pole · as Director Of Photography |
| 1909 | Whimsical Illusions · as Production Design |
| 1909 | The Devilish Tenant · as Production Design |
| 1909 | The Devilish Tenant · as Cinematographer |
| 1907 | Tunneling the English Channel · as Production Design |
| 1907 | The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon · as Production Designer |
| 1906 | The Witch · as Production Design |
| 1906 | The 400 Tricks of the Devil · as Production Design |
| 1906 | Inventor Crazybrains and His Wonderful Airship · as Production Design |
| 1905 | The Palace of Arabian Knights · as Production Design |
| 1905 | The Living Playing Cards · as Production Designer |
| 1904 | An Impossible Voyage · as Production Design |
| 1903 | The Damnation of Faust · as Production Designer |
| 1903 | The Magic Lantern · as Production Designer |
| 1903 | The Infernal Cauldron · as Production Design |
| 1903 | The Kingdom of the Fairies · as Production Design |
| 1903 | The Cake-Walk Infernal · as Production Designer |
| 1902 | Robinson Crusoe · as Production Design |
| 1902 | An Impossible Balancing Feat · as Story |
| 1902 | A Trip to the Moon · as Production Design |
| 1901 | Bluebeard · as Production Design |
| 1901 | Bluebeard · as Adaptation |
| 1900 | Joan of Arc · as Production Design |
| 1900 | Joan of Arc · as Cinematographer |
| 1900 | The Christmas Dream · as Production Designer |
| 1899 | Cinderella · as Production Design |
| 1899 | L'affaire Dreyfus · as Cinematographer |
| 1899 | Haggard's She: The Pillar of Fire · as Production Design |
| 1898 | The Astronomer's Dream; or, The Man in the Moon · as Production Designer |
| 1898 | Panorama from Top of a Moving Train · as Director Of Photography |
| 1898 | The Astronomer's Dream; or, The Man in the Moon · as Production Designer |
| 1897 | The Bewitched Inn · as Production Design |
| 1897 | The Devil's Castle · as Production Design |
| 1896 | The House of the Devil · as Production Design |
| 1896 | A Nightmare · as Production Design |
| 1896 | A Terrible Night · as Production Design |
| 1896 | The Conjuring of a Woman at the House of Robert Houdin · as Production Design |