1001 Movies Club - Trip To The Moon, A (1902)

#1. A Trip To The Moon (1902)

Why It's In The Book: "Despite the simplicity of its special effects, the film is generally considered the first example of science-fiction cinema... a movie that deserves a legitimate place among the milestones in world cinema history... In a more general sense, A Trip To The Moon can also be regarded as the movie that establishes the major difference between cinematic fiction and non-fiction." -1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

Member Ratings

bpdreview - 10/10
"I truly believe that film as a whole would be vastly different had Melies not filmed A Trip to the Moon. It casts a shadow over every single film that has been made since 1902, and as such, it ought to be treasured by all lovers of great movies."
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Chris Lejaraz - 10/10
"I couldn’t imagine seeing this in a theatre of some sort 100 years ago. It would have been absolutely mind blowing. As it is now, it is a remarkable achievement that stands up to this very day."
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Doug Tilley - 10/10
"More than just the first Science Fiction film, A Trip To The Moon is absolutely essential watching for those interested in film history."
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Lindsey - 10/10
"Part of me is starting to think that maybe this isn't a real documentary."
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Mad Hatter - 10/10
"In less time than it takes my kettle to boil, this film encapsulates man's ambition to understand the unknown."
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Simon Columb - 10/10
"Where fantastical film began - the idea that film transports you from one spot to another."
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Univarn - 10/10
"A Trip to the Moon is equal parts entertaining, fun, silly, outlandish, and just downright absurd. Making it a perfect mantle piece for things I love about cinema."
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Bea - 9/10
"The 2011 hand-colored restoration, music, and added footage only add to this landmark film’s charm."
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Chris Edwards - 9/10
"Like all great films, A Trip to the Moon knows what it's trying to do and supports itself ably. Méliès' tableaus squash a double-load of detail into every scene, losing nothing. They are cartoonish, distorting perspective for the sake of whimsy, rather than to trick the eye."
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Jaime Grijalba - 9/10
"Marvel again with it's simplicity and at the same time surprise me with the elaborate quality of its special effects."
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JMW - 9/10
"[A Trip To The Moon] helped to demonstrate that film wasn't merely a novelty, but a medium which could do amazing things when a truly creative force was behind it."
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Kevyn Knox - 9/10
"Le Voyage dans la lune lives on...and is a fascinating look at the so-called primitive style of filmmaking from the turn-of-the-century.  Yes, perhaps primitive indeed, but awe-inspiring at the very same time."
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Klaus Ming - 9/10
"Cited as the first science-fiction film, Le voyage dans la lune is most often heralded for its visual effects, which have long overshadowed the original value of the film – 14 minutes of fun." 
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Movie Guy Steve - 9/10
"...real filmmaking, real cinematic storytelling, real cinema started here. It is charming, innocent, and sweet with its goofy professors and moon played by a man with whipped cream covering his face." 
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Adolytsi - 8/10
"This is moreso a lesson in film antiquity and history, but it is still entertaining nonetheless."
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Chip - 8/10
"Question: What was the first special effects laden, science fiction blockbuster?
Answer:  The French film Le voyage dans la lune, or as it was known in the U.S., A Trip to the Moon."
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Darwin - 8/10
"It has a go-for-broke imagination and like big budget movies these days, overindulges in special effects. Well, maybe not-so-special effects by today’s standards. But for a film more than a century old, its gung-ho spirit still lives on."
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Michaël Parent - 8/10
"Méliès's film is a mix of theatrical sets and funny pursuits"
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Nicolas Krizan - 8/10
"Stupid but funny"
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Jeff Coté - 7/10
"Not entirely memorable by today’s standards, but still worth watching for historical context."
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KimWilson - 7/10
"I do believe this film is one that should be considered a must see for a true film lover."
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alfindeol - 7/10
"People go to the moon and kill everything they find."
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Siochembio - 7/10
"It’s showy, it’s whimsical, it’s completely ridiculous, but how many other films do we know like that? Hundreds, if not thousands. This is the one that started them all."
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Squish - 7/10
"For Christmas in 2006, I got a little big book called 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die and quickly saw that in its pages there contained an epic Fodor's Travel Guide of film... [My review of] A Trip To The Moon propelled me into the blogosphere like a ridiculous rocket cannon."
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Tim Burrow - 7/10
"Its technical and visual achievement is probably its most noteworthy feature. A rather standard, simple little film that is important visually and intriguing to look back on.."
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TSorensen - 7/10
"Arrival of a Train gave the technique. A Voyage to the Moon gave us the concept."
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Overall Rating: 8.2/10