THE FROG (1908)
aka La grenouille
Article 4113 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 12-23-2012
Directed by Segundo de Chomon
Featuring Julienne Mathieu
Country: France
What it is: Spectacle trick short

A woman summons a frog from a fountain, which she then kisses. She takes his place in the fountain, which then turns into a variety of objects, including a giant frog, the head of an old man, and a variety of carousels.

There’s no real plot to this one; it’s basically a premise designed to show a variety of tableaux enhanced by special effects. Chomon may have borrowed many of his special effects tricks from Melies, but he does appear to have his own unique vibe, and I sense that he enjoyed making these movies. This is not one of his better works, but it is mildly entertaining.