Friday, January 20, 2017
Birth of Sci Fi?
Some commentators have dubbed Méliès's film A Trip to the Moon the first science fiction movie. Not all critics, however, agree. Tom Gunning, the author of our essay on that film, argues for the contrary view. He states, " 'Science' fiction implies a certain sobriety and serious concern with scientific and technological possibilities. . . . But Méliès cannot take his scientists seriously at all, introducing them first as wizards with pointy hats, figures out of fairy pantomime . . . (70). What do you think? While you may not be able to judge whether this is the first of its kind, you can make a judgment about whether or not it qualifies as science fiction. Compare this film with other science fiction movies you have seen. How is it the same? How is it different? Can we call it a science fiction film, a precursor of such films, or something entirely different?
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ReplyDeleteI believe that this film does qualify as a science fiction movie. While the tone of the work is playful rather than serious, the subject matter is that of a science fiction film. A Trip to the Moon includes a group of people who take a journey into space and land on the moon, and their experiences there. Although aspects of the film are not realistic or plausible, they are characteristics of science fiction because they incorporate typical features of the genre. For example, all of the Star Wars movies include characters such as Chewbacca and Yoda who are not real beings. Also the Star Wars series is famous for its lightsabers although they are imaginative weapons. Although these movies are not entirely realistic they are beloved by many people as works of science fiction. This is similar to the scene where the group of men who are pushed off of the moon as one of them is pulling them towards Earth by holding onto a rope. Clearly, both examples are not reasonable. On the other hand the Star Wars series are serious films with complex plots. A Trip to the Moon differs in this sense, as we see the comical and light-hearted tone of the movie. The viewers see this during the scene in which the group of men are sleeping on the moon or being chased by the moons inhabitants. Despite its tone and imaginative scenes, this work can still be considered a science fiction film due to its subject matter.
I do in fact believe that this film is science fiction because it includes subjects relating to science such as exploring the moon. Today, we see many science fiction movies that tread far from the bounds of reality and accuracy. Some examples include The Matrix and Avatar. These movies also go into the category of science fiction but are nowhere near realistic. It is the aspect of science that makes it a science fiction movie. Although, A Trip to the Moon express scientists as wizards and the fall from the moon to the Earth as a fall from a tree to the ground for example, it still has scientific ideals. Because the main idea of the film orbits around space exploration (even though the fashion in getting there wasn’t as accurate as reality) it has scientific ideals and therefore should be categorized as the first sci-fi film. The idea of fiction allows these films to have certain aspects of them to be fake yet still hold a scientific shell where it may use ideas of real life aspects of science. For George Méliès, he based his movie on actual scientific knowledge at the time as he referred to Jules Verne’s novels, From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon. Granted the knowledge of the Moon and Space at the time limited the scientific realism, Méliès still made an effort to include law of science. By doing this, he leaves the aspect of science embedded in the film. We must give credit to Méliès because of the knowledge of Space that he worked with. Today, obviously, this seems nothing like a sci-fi movie but relative to past belief it would have seemed rather realistic.
ReplyDeleteA Trip to the Moon is neither scientifically accurate, nor trying to be, but I don’t think that disqualifies it from being considered a science fiction film. It is admittedly very different from the Martian and movies like the Martian, which take science very seriously. These types of movies seem to the audience as though they could be real, and they take time and effort to ensure this amount of realism. This is one type of Sci-fi film, and a trip to the Moon does not fit this type. However, there is another type of science fiction film which treats science differently. Movies like Avatar and Star Wars do not feel real at all. When watching these movies it is nearly impossible to feel as though these are distinct possibilities for human beings and the majority of the films are focused on entertaining and engaging the audience. The subject matter and plot in both Star Wars and Avatar is just as improbable as the depiction of the moon in Méliès’ film. Back to the Future also fits that category. It is considered a sci-fi film even though it is distinctly impossible, and the scientist, Dr. Brown, is treated and depicted like a mad man. This is very similar to the depiction of scientists as wizards in A Trip to the Moon. In modern times, the deciding factor in determining whether a film is science fiction is not in its treatment of science or scientists, but rather whether its plot follows something even remotely science related. Under this definition, a Trip to the Moon, whose plot is about space travel, is a science fiction movie.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Melies’ A Trip to the Moon, was the first film of its genre: science fiction. The reason it is considered to be a sci-fi film, is because first it qualifies as a film, in my opinion, by having an extended story over space and time. It is a sci-fi film because it contains three important elements included in many modern sci-fi films; special effects, aliens, and social commentary. Melies’ use of stop-motion and film splicing, was some of the first uses of special effects in early film. Modern science-fiction films have carried on the tradition of editing, through advanced techniques. An example of this would be the block-buster, Avatar, heavily used CGI, a modern special effect. A Trip to the Moon is also the first sci-fi movie because of the inclusion of aliens; according to Fortune magazine eight out of ten of the highest grossing sci-fi movies of all time have included aliens. The last reason I think A Trip to the Moon is sci-fi is because it can also be viewed as a social commentary. Melies’ comments on the imperialistic practice of capturing and exhibiting non-white people of colonized countries, which was common place in early twentieth century Europe. Melies does this by having a Selenite, an alien from the moon, paraded through a crowd at the end of his film. Social commentaries can also be found in later science fiction films such as The Day the Earth Stood Still, and Godzilla; both films commenting on the dangerous effects of nuclear weapons.
ReplyDelete^Liz
DeleteFor the time period in which this film was made, I would consider it a science fiction film. In today’s world I wouldn’t consider it a science fiction film because many of the things that made it fiction back then are things that we have done today such as space travel. The presence of aliens in the film is, to me, one of the only reasons that this would be considered a science fiction film today. The movie, while having a fun and energetic vibe, did have things that would put it into that category of science fiction. There isn’t really much science in the movie which is what makes a science fiction film. The scientists were wearing colorful clothing almost making it look like they were clowns or wizards. Accuracy is also a key component in a science fiction film and while it may not be all realistic (hence fiction), it does have a decent amount of things that are fact. But, at the time, this was all based off of an understanding of how the moon looked like and contained upon it. Furthermore, no one knew at the time how long it would take to get to the moon and back so in the movie it was a matter of minutes at most that they were going from one another. Obviously in today’s world this is nothing what sci-fi movies are like, but back then it seems very realistic so I would have to put it under science fiction.
ReplyDeleteA Trip to the Moon does not belong among science fiction movies today. Today, science fiction films usually try to offer realistic future technology, believable to the viewers. A Trip to the Moon however, makes no attempt to convince the viewers that the technology, or the actual moon are at all realistic, instead of trying to make everything believable, Méliès makes everything fantastic and unbelievable. This makes A Trip to the Moon more a fantasy film than a science fiction, and its description fits nicely among other fantasy films of a more modern time. During A Trip to the Moon, when they reach the moon, they discover a strange species of human like beings living on the moon. These creatures are in no way meant to be thought to actually live on the moon, they are merely fantastic creatures meant to impress the audience and give the film a story. Another example of how A Trip to the Moon does not fit in the category of science fiction is that it makes no attempt to make the physics work either. To get to the moon, they are launched out of a giant cannon, but to get back they somehow fall off the edge of the moon. Scientists of this time knew how gravity worked and that isn’t it. However none of these things really matter in A Trip to the Moon because Méliès doesn’t even attempt to make it realistic, he makes it wild, funny and visually diverse to give a fantastic impression.
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ReplyDeleteMéliès’s film, A Trip to the Moon, was revolutionary for its time, and I believe it is a science fiction movie. This film must be considered in the context of its time period, and its dealings with science and a rocket to the moon were unique and unheard of at the time. Although, many consider the comic and silly scientists, combined with wrong science principles, such as the scene in which the rocket somehow falls off the moon, exclude the film from the genre of science fiction completely, the film was loosely based on Jules Verne’s novel, “From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon.” Even though Méliès very loosely followed Verne’s ideas and principles in his film, the movie does have its base in some science. Additionally, many other films which are now considered science fiction do not completely adhere to science principles and stretch the truth in order to make the plot, and therefore film, more interesting. For example, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial also has a base in science, but the children’s movie also elaborates on the truth to include a cute and loveable alien, in order to engage families. Avatar is another example of a movie that plays with scientific facts in order to make an interesting movie. Much of the science in this film is not plausible, but may perhaps in the future be possible. This extension of present science into a possible future is a hallmark of science fiction movies, and A Trip to the Moon does this with its depiction of the surface and creatures of moon, which, at the time was unknown. In the context of its time period, I do believe Méliès’s film, A Trip to the Moon, was in fact a science fiction movie.
Ellen Adams
DeleteAlthough I understand Gunning's point of view I disagree with his stance that A Trip to the Moon is not in the Science Fiction genre. His argument centralizes that A Trip to a Moon is not Science Fiction since the science aspect of the movie is not respected. Mèliès depicts the scientists at wizards, satirizing scientists and the idea of landing on the moon. Although Gunning doesn’t think A Trip to the Moon qualifies as the first Science Fiction I believe the contradictory opinion. In my opinion a Science Fiction movie creates a fantastical world or scenario, that incorporates science but does not prioritize it. I also firmly believe that Science Fiction is one of the largest genres, and there is no exact middle ground for Science Fiction. For example, one of my favorite Sci-Fi films is Interstellar with Matthew Mcconaughey. The movie is a futuristic Earth, dying because of dangerous gases absorbing the Earth. McCaughey and his team are sent into space to search for a new planet to inhabit. They have to fight time and the fifth dimension which is a made up time continuum. Similarly, to A Trip to the Moon, Interstellar creates a fantastical world and incorporates physics to make the plot realistic. The difference between the two movies is that Mèliès satirizes scientists into wizards, while in Interstellar they exaggerate the scientists, but the directors makes it more realistic. However, despite the differences, A Trip to the Moon in my humble opinion should be considered a Science Fiction movie since it incorporates both aspects (the science and the fiction), and it does not fit better in any other genre.
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