The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon (originally L'éclipse du soleil en pleine lune) is a French silent film made in 1907 by director Georges Méliès.
A professor of astronomy gives a lecture instructing on an impending solar eclipse. The class rushes to an observation tower to witness the event, which features an anthropomorphic Sun and Moon coming together. The Moon and the Sun lick their lips in anticipation as the eclipse arrives, culminating in a romantic encounter between the two celestial bodies. Various heavenly bodies, including planets and moons, hang in the night sky; a meteor shower is depicted using the ghostly figures of girls. The professor of astronomy, shocked by all he has witnessed, topples from the observation tower. Fortunately, he lands in a rain barrel, and is revived by his students.
The Eclipse has been remarked upon for its overt sexual symbolism.[1][2] Christine Cornea posits that the film's primary theme, the clash of scientific logic with sexual desire, was also evident in Méliès' earlier films A Trip to the Moon and The Impossible Voyage, and would become a prominent in many subsequent science-fiction films.[1]
Some scholars, interpreting the Sun and the Moon to be both male, have described the erotic "eclipse" as an early depiction of homosexuality in cinema,[2][3] with an "effeminate" Moon being seduced by an "devilishly masculine" Sun.[1] By contrast, Méliès's film catalogue describes the liaison in heterosexual terms, referring to the participants as "the man in the sun" and "dainty Diana" and using pronouns to match.[4] Film critic William B. Parrill calls this courtship scene "a comic passage worthy of Ernst Lubitsch at his best … one of the great moments of silent comedy."[5]
ProductionEdit
Méliès appears in the film as the professor, with the actor Manuel as the class supervisor and Mademoiselle Bodson as a comet.[6] Some scenes in The Eclipse were originally made by Méliès for a film commissioned for a revue at a Paris music hall, La Cigale.[6]
^ abcCornea, Christine (2007), Science fiction cinema: between fantasy and reality, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, p. 14
^ abO'Donoghue, Darragh (July 2004), "Great Directors: Georges Méliès", Senses of Cinema, retrieved 8 March 2014
^Jess-Cooke, Carolyn (2009), Film sequels: theory and practice from Hollywood to Bollywood, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, p. 20
^Méliès, Georges (1905), Complete Catalogue of Genuine and Original "Star" Films, New York: Geo. Méliès, p. 135, doi:10.7282/T3CR5TJ3, retrieved 13 February 2014
^Parrill, William B. (2011), European Silent Films on Video: A Critical Guide, Jefferson, NC: McFarland, p. 472, ISBN9780786464371
^ abcEssai de reconstitution du catalogue français de la Star-Film; suivi d'une analyse catalographique des films de Georges Méliès recensés en France, Bois d'Arcy: Service des archives du film du Centre national de la cinématographie, 1981, pp. 278, 280, ISBN2903053073, OCLC 10506429
External linksEdit
The Eclipse, or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon at IMDb
The Eclipse, or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon at AllMovie
The Eclipse, or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon at the TCM Movie Database
The Eclipse, or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive
This article related to a French film of the 1900s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
eclipse, courtship, moon, eclipse, courtship, moon, originally, éclipse, soleil, pleine, lune, french, silent, film, made, 1907, director, georges, méliès, eclipse, courtship, moondirected, bygeorges, mélièsproduced, bygeorges, mélièsstarringgeorges, mélièsrel. The Eclipse Courtship of the Sun and Moon originally L eclipse du soleil en pleine lune is a French silent film made in 1907 by director Georges Melies The Eclipse Courtship of the Sun and MoonDirected byGeorges MeliesProduced byGeorges MeliesStarringGeorges MeliesRelease date1907 1907 Running time9 min CountryFranceLanguagesilent film Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Themes 4 Production 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksPlot EditA professor of astronomy gives a lecture instructing on an impending solar eclipse The class rushes to an observation tower to witness the event which features an anthropomorphic Sun and Moon coming together The Moon and the Sun lick their lips in anticipation as the eclipse arrives culminating in a romantic encounter between the two celestial bodies Various heavenly bodies including planets and moons hang in the night sky a meteor shower is depicted using the ghostly figures of girls The professor of astronomy shocked by all he has witnessed topples from the observation tower Fortunately he lands in a rain barrel and is revived by his students Cast EditMlle Bodson as Comet Manuel as The Class Supervisor Georges Melies as Professor of AstronomyThemes EditThe Eclipse has been remarked upon for its overt sexual symbolism 1 2 Christine Cornea posits that the film s primary theme the clash of scientific logic with sexual desire was also evident in Melies earlier films A Trip to the Moon and The Impossible Voyage and would become a prominent in many subsequent science fiction films 1 Some scholars interpreting the Sun and the Moon to be both male have described the erotic eclipse as an early depiction of homosexuality in cinema 2 3 with an effeminate Moon being seduced by an devilishly masculine Sun 1 By contrast Melies s film catalogue describes the liaison in heterosexual terms referring to the participants as the man in the sun and dainty Diana and using pronouns to match 4 Film critic William B Parrill calls this courtship scene a comic passage worthy of Ernst Lubitsch at his best one of the great moments of silent comedy 5 Production EditMelies appears in the film as the professor with the actor Manuel as the class supervisor and Mademoiselle Bodson as a comet 6 Some scenes in The Eclipse were originally made by Melies for a film commissioned for a revue at a Paris music hall La Cigale 6 Special effects in The Eclipse were created with stage machinery pyrotechnics substitution splices superimpositions dissolves rolling scenery and a mannequin for the professor s fall 6 See also EditList of films featuring eclipsesReferences Edit a b c Cornea Christine 2007 Science fiction cinema between fantasy and reality Edinburgh Edinburgh University Press p 14 a b O Donoghue Darragh July 2004 Great Directors Georges Melies Senses of Cinema retrieved 8 March 2014 Jess Cooke Carolyn 2009 Film sequels theory and practice from Hollywood to Bollywood Edinburgh Edinburgh University Press p 20 Melies Georges 1905 Complete Catalogue of Genuine and Original Star Films New York Geo Melies p 135 doi 10 7282 T3CR5TJ3 retrieved 13 February 2014 Parrill William B 2011 European Silent Films on Video A Critical Guide Jefferson NC McFarland p 472 ISBN 9780786464371 a b c Essai de reconstitution du catalogue francais de la Star Film suivi d une analyse catalographique des films de Georges Melies recenses en France Bois d Arcy Service des archives du film du Centre national de la cinematographie 1981 pp 278 280 ISBN 2903053073 OCLC 10506429External links EditThe Eclipse or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon at IMDb The Eclipse or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon at AllMovie The Eclipse or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon at the TCM Movie Database The Eclipse or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive nbsp This article related to a French film of the 1900s is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Eclipse or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon amp oldid 1140725875, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
