The Roots of Passion: A Film Odyssey Begins

Due to my lack of passion and drive for film the past two years, I have decided to set a goal of watching at least five films from each year beginning with 1920 and working my way down to 2016 (or 2017, depending on when I complete my journey). In doing so, I hope to not only learn and appreciate the art of film over its formidable years as well as introduce myself to some of the many celebrated filmmakers I’ve yet to embrace thus far (i.e. Ingmar Bergman, Luis Bunuel, etc.), but also to reignite that love for film I’ve so dearly missed the past couple years of my life.

Before I begin that trip into the heart of cinema, though, I wanted to start back where it all began. At a time when film was only seen behind curtains at carnivals where the idea of moving images was boxed into the same category as magic tricks and circus clowns, some dared to dream about what wondrous things could be made from these images. Two filmmakers in particular, from the very early 1900’s, introduced the world to the idea of visual narrative story-telling: George Méliès with A Trip to the Moon and Edwin S. Porter with The Great Train Robbery. These films would eventually catapult cinema as an art form to be reckoned with throughout the next century and still a major economic, social, and creative force to this day.

Beginning with the later film, Edwin Porter’s The Great Train Robbery (1903) would seem to the casual moviegoer of today as the most basic of plot lines. The short 12-minute film (the longest of its time) follows a group of bandits as they rob a train and subsequently flee from the law (or a version of it anyway…). The film is widely considered a milestone for the film industry because it was essentially one of the first to introduce the capability of film as a tool for telling stories, but also the first “action” or “Western” film of its kind.

The film was so influential, in fact, that Martin Scorsese borrowed its closing shot of a man shooting a pistol at the camera, toward the audience, in his 1990 film Goodfellas (which you can see to the right). Not to mention, it’s even been borrowed for the opening titles of every James Bond film as well. However, while the modern movie lover, such as myself, can find little merit as filmic entertainment compared to those who perfected the craft of the Western genre years later, such as Sergio Leone, it’s difficult to deny its influence on the audiences and – more importantly – the artists of the day. Feeling thrilled by the action on the screen and wanting to ignite the same reaction in others by pursuing the endless possibilities film had to offer, The Great Train Robbery inspired many future filmmakers to entertain audiences for many years to come.

However, the film that truly captured my attention and even personally inspired me was George Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon (1902). Once again, another film that inspired many future filmmakers (most prominently Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, who paid homage to the film for their Smashing Pumpkins music video, “Tonight, Tonight”) and illustrated the possibilities of cinema and how it could transport audiences to whole new worlds, quite literally even. In fact, Scorsese (again) was so inspired by Méliès that he dedicated an entire film to his life’s work (as well as a salute to the great pioneers of cinema). The film’s basic premise is this: a group of wizards decide to create a rocket ship (remember, this was long before anyone ever traveled into space), fly to the moon, and beat up aliens. I’m pretty sure if Méliès had pitched that idea to me back in 1902, I would have called him crazy and say it was impossible to do. Of course, back then there were no studios breathing down anyone’s necks and nearly all filmmakers worked purely out of passion for the art. Méliès and this film deserve careful consideration though because of the visual mastery that went into it (not just in the sets, costumes, and props themselves,

but in the idea of hand-drawing his film reels to bring to life vibrant, luscious moving images for audiences to revel in). For this, I give Méliès my full respect as a film lover and an aspiring filmmaker because to stand in the face of insurmountable odds and having very little idea of how the public could potentially respond to a film about wizards in space is brave and admirable if anything else. But it worked and many filmmakers tried for many years to replicate its genius and innovative eye. Even though very few ever came close, the film itself still managed to inspire both artists and audiences alike to believe in the power film could have both on the heart and the mind.

To me, being able to take some words on a page and a few moving frames and create an experience that resonates, inspires, and captivates audiences is what film is all about to me. Being able to start my journey with these two films has both opened up my eyes to the trials and tribulations of early filmmakers, but also sparked a bit more passion in my heart for the art of cinema once more. Though Porter and Méliès are not filmmakers who got the opportunity to excel during the prime years of cinema’s inception, they are most certainly to be commended for spawning the art form and demonstrating to the world its endless potential. In particular, the artistry on display in A Trip to the Moon is still astounding to this day and only inspires me to offer as much dedication to the craft as he did. Hopefully throughout my own journey through over a century of film, I’ll find even more inspiration and knowledge to aid me in my own efforts that I can pass on to many others like me who dare to dream of traveling to other worlds (literal or otherwise).