Over the Moon

                 The theatre was filled to the brim once again, as expected. Hushed whispers can be heard as the audience waited excitedly for another masterpiece of none other than the well-known producer, director and actor, Monsieur Georges Méliès. The film started to roll so the mesdames in front of me ceased their animated conversation to concentrate in the projections. In fact, I felt that the whole place had suddenly fallen into silence that you may hear a needle drop to the floor.

            The relatively fast projection speed of 12-14 frames per second soon revealed the title of this new work of art - Voyage dans la Lune, A Trip to the Moon. The film paved way to an assembly of some sorts though what enchanted the viewers the most was that the film was strikingly in full color. Monsieur Méliès surely had outdone himself this time! I could only imagine the difficulty he and his crew had endured to hand-paint each frame.

            The plot went on with the assembly devising a plan to travel to the moon. Though a ridiculous idea since it is downright impossible to do so, I fancied the idea to venture on the beautifully mysterious satellite revolving our world. However, I changed my mind when the film introduced how dangerous those hostile lunar inhabitants may be.

            Everyone let out the breath they had been holding back as relief washed through the faces of the audience when the men have returned to Earth sparingly scathed. The room burst into joy and cheers as people joined the festive jubilee of the successful moon travellers in the film. A round of applause and appreciation was heard throughout the theatre as the film come to its end.

            It was so great that I and the rest of the audience were moved with the plot and all the reactions of the actors in addition to the brilliant color scheme. Truly, A Trip to the Moon is Monsieur Georges Méliès’ chef-d’œuvre. As the audience started to disperse still in awe of what they viewed, it was evident that we are all over the moon with the film.

                At nights when I observe the sky and the moon in its fullness dominates the blanket of stars, I imagine a spaceship landing on the moon’s eye and always make me smile.

Soliman, Karla L.

2013-09067

THX