La Tentation de Saint-Antoine

The Temptation of St. Anthony is a religious-themed work from the early days of silent film. It draws on the story of Saint Anthony's temptation-a subject often revisited throughout the history of art and literature-which depicts the trials and demonic temptations faced by Saint Anthony the Great during his time in the Egyptian desert. Here, we're looking at one of the first-if not the very first-cinematic depictions of this event. In this short black-and-white film, a man praying in front of a crucified Jesus statue is tested by ever more beautiful women, who appear out of nowhere and vanish back into nothingness. Eventually, even the religious artifacts and angelic figures transform into tempting and seductive women, leaving the man in desperation. I'm not sure what the audience for this film was at the time it was created, but the religious context suggests it may have been intended for a special occasion-perhaps Easter-or for a specific audience, such as a parish community. Either way, it's an interesting piece of cinematic history that plays with visual tricks achieved by stopping and restarting the camera after objects were placed or removed from the stage.

Once again a lot of quick changes. As St. Anthony worships a statue of Christ on a cross, he is tested. From somewhere an attractive young woman tries to tempt him. He resists. Then another one comes and they tug and pull at him. But he is resistant to their wiles even though a third one comes along. At one point Christ turns into a woman on the cross. That must have turned a few heads. Anyway, it is a packed single minute of film.

Temptation of Saint Anthony, The (1898)

*** (out of 4)

aka Tentation de Saint Antoine

A strange religious film from director Melies takes place in what appears to be a cave where St. Anthony is looking at Jesus, attached to the cross, when the devil tries to temp him with various women. It's hard to tell if this was meant to be a serious religious film or just a way for Meiles to bring laughs with his special effects. I'm going to guess that this was meant to be more serious than anything else as it contains lesser special effects than we've seen from the director in previous films. There's one sequence where Anthony goes to pray to Jesus but he turns into a woman as well. The effects aren't anything special but this remains a pretty unique film.

Considering how The Temptation of Saint Anthony is such a popular artistic subject and was used as a motif in many haunting classical paintings, it's a bit weird to consider that it never has been adapted to film with the sole exception of this one minute short directed by Georges Melies. (According to Wikipedia, there was also a previous short made by Eugene Pirou, but is nowhere to be found)

Done properly, the story of Saint Anthony could be made into a great religious horror film (It could take the Flaubert novel as inspiration). At least it would be a nice variation for this subgenre instead of yet another exorcist film.

Having invented the trick film and the stag film (with the same year's APRES LE BAL), Melies also pioneered the religious film, with this account of the temptation of St. Anthony, using the same sort of camera tricks he was using for his magic works.

But I wonder: what was the placement order of his catalogue? Did this come immediately after APRES LE BAL?

This is one of the many previously lost or infrequently seen Melies pictures that have been made available by Serge Bromberg, David Shepherd and a myriad of other hands in the newly issued DVD set GEORGES MELIES: FIRST WIZARD OF CINEMA. Required viewing for anyone interested in the history of movies ..... and a lot of fun.