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A Trip to the Moon

April 17, 2012 by Magali C. Roman Leave a Comment

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Before there was Cameron, there was Hitchcock. Before IMAX, there was film stock. And before “The Artist”, there was “A Trip To The Moon”. In an age where most movie scripts could be summed up in a simple mediocre episode of Gossip Girl (Don’t leave me! I love you! No you don’t! Yes I do, let me prove it to you at the last possible minute!), perhaps the best solution to the cultural drama overload is to just silence the actors once and for all.

Ah, for the golden age of silent cinema. A time when movies were called “motion pictures”, popcorn cost two cents, and hormone-inbalanced vampires didn’t rule the ticketing office. If you managed to catch any 2012 awards season footage, you’re aware that early silent film is having a huge moment. Jean Dujardin won his Oscar for his role as silent film star George Valentin in “The Artist”, and Martin Scorsese’s beautiful “Hugo” tells the story of Georges Méliès, a retired silent film director who directed the unforgettable picture “A Trip to The Moon”. With the charming cinematography and antique production, it’s enough to make us actually wish for the days when the most sophisticated film effects involved a pulley rope and smoke machines.

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Aww, come on. How can you say no to that face??

But never fear! It doesn’t have to be that way! Thanks to International House Philadelphia, a local nonprofit presenter of international arts and cultural programs, you can still immerse yourself in the magic of silent film screenings. IHP is presenting a two-part feauturette this Wednesday, April 18th at 7pm:
“A Trip to the Moon” was the first official science fiction film to hit screens in the early 1900s, and has been ranked in the top 100 most important films of all time. Thanks to one of the most technically sophisticated and expensive restorations in film history, “A Trip to the Moon” is now screening in full color. “The Extraordinary Voyage”, a documentary featuring interviews with some of contemporary cinema’s most imaginative filmmakers like Scorsese and Jean Pierre Jeunet, follows the digital restoration of the film from Méliès’ fantastical original 1902 production to its premiere at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

With student ticket prices averaging at a mere $7, this is one screening you definitely don’t want to miss. And with a brand new soundtrack created by Sofia Coppola favorites Air just for the occasion, who could stay away?

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We'll even spare you the usual hipster hate. This album is THAT good.

Check out this clip from the beautifully hand-colored film, and hear a sampler for Air’s album here.For more information about the screening and to find out more about International House Philadelphia, and upcoming screenings, check out their official website.

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