LES ALLUMETTES FANTAISISTES (1912)
aka Magical Matches
Article 3138 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 1-8-2009
Posting Date: 3-17-2010
Directed by Emile Cohl
No cast
Country: France
What it is: Animated abstract fantasy

Matches come to life, cavort, dance, and form themselves into figures who smoke.

I’m not sure if this is exactly the movie I’ve been hunting for, but I’ll review it anyway, as this type of abstract animation could be classified as a fantasy. This is the first movie I’ve seen by pioneer animator Emile Cohl, and it is utterly charming. There’s no plot; it jumps between pure abstraction and scenes about animated smokers; one smokes from a bewildering array of pipes, while another has his cigarette lit by any number of lighting devices. This can be found online at the Europa Film Treasures site, and is well worth hunting up.