Who were the early adopters of film and comedy? (1896)
1896 is the first full year of cinema, after the December 28, 1895 exhibition of the cinematography, the Lumière brothers invention, in Paris. And it is a magical year, quite literally. Shane Rhyne speaks with Dr. Matthew Solomon (University of Michigan) about the life and legacy of Georges Méliès and why he and other professionals from the world of magic flocked to become among the earliest adopters of the new technology of cinema. Our featured film in this episode is Une nuit terrible (A Terrible Night), one of Méliès’ early films from 1896. In the second half of the episode, Shane talks with magician and comedian Erik Tait (as seen on the CW network’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us), about the delicate balancing act required to make comedy and magic work together. Erik is also the host of the Penguin Magic Podcast.
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Georges Méliès (1861-1938)
Méliès was managing the world-famous Théâtre Robert-Houdin in Paris when he was invited to witness the landmark exhibition of the Lumière cinematograph in 1895. By 1896, Méliès had turned his own attention to film, founding the Star Film Company and beginning a career as a highly-influential director of early cinema, often using in-camera special effects that he pioneered.
On a December night in Paris 1895, while watching the exhibition of the Lumière films, it is said that Georges Méliès remarked simply, “What a marvelous trick.”
Méliès was in the audience for that historic exhibition because he was the manager of the world-famous Théâtre Robert-Houdin, the epicenter of the world of stage magic. And soon, Méliès was hard at work trying to incorporate motion pictures into the magic sketches he wrote and directed at the theater. He wasn’t alone. Magicians turned out to be among the earliest adopters of the new technology of cinema and became an important vehicle for bringing motion pictures to all corners of the globe as a part of their traveling circuits.
In this episode, Shane is exploring the year 1896 to see who were some of the early adopters of cinema technology and why they adopted it. He also wants to learn more about why Georges Méliès is often credited as a founding father of various film genres, notable science fiction, fantasy, and horror, but is not often given his due as a pioneer in film comedy, as well. What does the innovator of film special effects have to do with comedy? And what does magic have to do with any of this?
Some links of interest from this episode:
Featured Film: Une nuit terrible (1896, Dir: Georges Méliès).
Guest Links:
Matthew Solomon: University of Michigan faculty page
Films Referenced in This Episode: (Links can be found on the Movie Listings page)
Babe (Dir: Chris Noonan) - 1995
The Geisha Boy (Dir: Frank Tashlin) - 1958
Get to Know Your Rabbit (Dir: Brian De Palma) - 1972
Guardians of the Galaxy (Dir: James Gunn) - 2014
Hugo (Dir: Martin Scorsese) - 2011
The Illusionist (Dir: Neil Burger) - 2006
Jackass: The Movie (Dir: Jeff Tremaine) - 2002
Une nuit terrible (Dir: Georges Méliès) - 1896
La voyage dans la lune (Dir: Georges Méliès) - 1902
Wonder Man (Dir: H. Bruce Humberstone) - 1945
Books Referenced in This Episode: (Links can be found on the Resources page)
Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
Solomon, Matthew. Disappearing Tricks: Silent Film, Houdini, and the New Magic of the 20th Century.
Solomon, Matthew. Fantastic Voyages of the Cinematic Imagination: Georges Méliès’ Trip to the Moon.
Other Resources and Links of Interest Mentioned in This Episode:
Gallica - the online archive of the Bibliothèque Nationale
The Incoherents - Wikipedia entry
Théâtre Robert-Houdin - Wikipedia entry
“Tonight, Tonight” - Smashing Pumpkins music video
Episode Sponsor - Offbeat Agent
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