Friday 29 August 2014

THE MERMAID BY GEORGES MÉLIÈS ~ CREATED 1904



Those of you who know me as a novelist will understand my obsession with mermaids. And, in a way ~ just a little way ~ that obsession will be continuing in the story that I'm writing now, which is based around some characters involved in the world of Edwardian film.

As part of my research for this book I've been watching many old silent films, and I find myself continually amazed at some of the special effects achieved. The narratives aren't quite as dramatic or tightly formed as we're used to in the present day. More often than not these films can be an almost confusing mixture of story and theatrical illusion - as if watching a magician on stage. But, actually that's very apt, because many early directors of film (such as the French Georges Méliès) were, or had been, magicians too - and sometimes also photographers, therefore combining their expertise in the art of film and 'trickery' to create the most stunning visions on screen that could never be realised on stage ~ as you'll see in the film of The Mermaid below...




The Eclectic Edwardian will be writing more on Georges Méliès soon...

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