Hommage a Georges Melies et "Le Voyage dans la Lune," 1902
Melies's 1902 "A Trip to the Moon" was loosely based Jules Verne's 1865 science fiction novel From the Earth to the Moon. In this 14-minute silent film, Melies illustrated Verne's concept that we would go to the moon, even that we would launch from Florida! In a very real sense he was anticipating the modern space race. There are many uncanny similarities between the 1902 production and the actual events of the 1960s (not including the fictional Selenites, inhabitants of the Moon...) all the way through to the celebratory parades upon the astronauts' return to Earth.
This film was commissioned to accompany the exhibition "From the Moon: Mapping & Exploration"
Directed by Mark Sloan
Film montage by John David Reynolds
Original musical score by Bill Carson