CLAIR DE LUNE ESPAGNOL (1909)
Article 3498 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 2-13-2011
Posting Date: 3-13-2011
Directed by Etienne Arnaud and Emile Cohl
Cast unknown
Country: France
What it is: Early trick short

A man takes a balloon into outer space where he gets into trouble for taking potshots at the moon.

This movie does owe something to the Melies and de Chomon fantasies of the time in style and action. What really sets this one apart, though, is the fact that it features animation from an early pioneer in the field, Emile Cohl. The moon is the main animated part of the movie, with the traveler’s interactions with it being one of the highlights of the movie. The short is not complete; the first minute of the movie which features the actual voyage into space is missing, but the movie is still quite satisfying even with this segment missing. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of Emile Cohl’s work as time goes by.

NOTE: I’ve now seen the full version of this one, and the opening is mostly life action and is concerned with events in a pub that lead up to the man being taken away by the balloon.