French Culture Guide

French Culture in New York, with a Touch of Paris

The Timeless Art of Georges Méliès – To the Moon and Beyond

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I must admit, a little sheepishly, that I haven’t seen the Academy Award-winning film Hugo yet. However, after my trip to see The Extraordinary Voyage at Film Society of Lincoln Center this past week, I am thrilled that I’ve put it off and will now see Hugo with the incredible real story of the brilliant filmmaker Georges Méliès firmly in my mind and point of reference.

 

The Extraordinary Voyage is a documentary chronicling not only the recent restoration of Méliès’ masterpiece, A Trip to the Moon, but also his fascinating personal and professional life as the true inventor of cinematic special effects. Featuring commentary by celebrated French A-listers of today like Costa-Gavras and Michel Hazanavicius, as well as one of America’s most well-known Méliès enthusiasts, Tom Hanks, this film is an exquisite homage to a man and his magical filmmaking world in turn of the century Montreuil, France. Although I’d seen A Trip to the Moon many times as a child on PBS’s Sunday afternoon silent films, I’d never seen any of his other films (many clips are featured in this documentary) and was completely mesmerized by his creativity, foresight and artistry.

 

The Film Society of Lincoln Center follows the documentary with a screening of the beautifully restored, hand-colored A Trip to the Moon. I hope that the American movie-going masses who see Hugo will be inspired to seek out more information on this amazing visionary, Georges Méliès. For now, The Extraordinary Voyage and A Trip to the Moon double feature is screening at the beautiful little Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center every two hours beginning at noon with the last show beginning at 8:00 pm. As they say – “Run, don’t walk.” It is truly a gem.

 

For more information on show times and ticketing, please visit FilmLinc.com.

 

By Jackie Sanders