A la conquista del polo

Despite producing over 500 movies by 1912, Georges Melies, the early film pioneer credited as being the father of cinematic special effects, was under the dominance of Paris' Pathe Studios because of a contract he signed earlier. In what turned out to be his last movie he had total control over, May 1912's "The Conquest of the Pole" is ironically been labeled as his career masterpiece. The 30-minute film, Melies longest movie ever, describes the race to be the first to reach the North Pole.

Many cite "Conquest" as a remake of his 1902 classic "Trip to the Moon." Melies never quite departed from his stationary camera capturing his elaborate stage presentations. Because cinema had advanced greatly from his cutting-edge 1902 production, "Conquest" became a financial failure upon release. Audiences by that time were growing more accustomed to the Italian epics and outdoor dramas.

Melies' three remaining movies after "Conquest" under Pathe supervision were heavily edited. Soon after the contract expired, he was in debt and faced World War One, which proved disastrous for him. His family's beloved theater was taken away, bunches of his original films were confiscated by the French Army to be used for its silver content, and his wife died.

Bitter at his poverty years later, he burned crates of his films. He ended up working at a small toy and candy story in a Paris train station. In the late 1920's, Melies' films were rediscovered and his rightful position as a preeminent pioneer in early film was established. Martin Scorsese's 2011 "Hugo" placed Melies in today's spotlight for a younger generation to enjoy his films.

His legacy survives despite all the destruction of his films because of piracy, which had caused him so much distress at the lack of strict copyright laws overseas and had cost him so many unrealized francs. Two hundred of his films, out of over 560 that he produced, exist today and can be viewed. The amount is huge in silent movie cinema since so many early films have been destroyed and considered "lost."

In many, many ways, this film is like Georges Méliès' triumph from almost a decade earlier--"Voyage Dans le Lune". In fact, if you didn't know they were made 9 year apart, you would have sworn that they were made at the same time. While I enjoyed the film a lot, the similarity in style is an indicator why this wonderful filmmaker soon fell out of favor--he was using techniques that had just become passé. Crowds were looking for something new. But the only really new aspect of "The Conquest of the Pole" is that it is very, very lengthy for a Méliès product--at 33 minutes (which was pretty long for 1912).

The movie begins with a bizarre scientific meeting. The leading minds from all over the world are meeting to discuss how to go to the pole. Some want to take cars, some want balloons and others want flying contraptions. It's funny because they folks mostly just argue (like they did in "Voyage Dans le Lune"), some of the folks there seem way out of place (such as the Mexican banditos) and it only gets worse when the comic relief arrives in the form of obnoxious suffragettes. The director was obviously making a statement about women's rights here and portrays their leader as a total jerk.

Soon the various expeditions begin and soon most of them result in killing these people. However, although they'd only talked about building the one flying machine, the sky is filled with hundreds or more! Now you'd think this would be a pretty straight-forward flight but it looks like his moon movie once again--and the flying machine is whizzing past stars, planets and comets--all being held in the air by beautiful women.

The arrival gets weird, as they soon see a giant--and the giant is a very funny piece of equipment. You really have to see it and the ending to believe them.

The bottom line is that this film, quality-wise, is little improvement over Méliès' early films BUT it does have a certain quaint charm. You can't help laugh at many of the situations (especially when the giant eats a member of the expedition) and it's a cute window into a bygone era. Amazing to look at and a bit silly as well. This is among the filmmaker's last films--and is a nice window into what he was doing before he stopped making films entirely the following year.

Conquest of the North Pole (1912)

aka Conquete du pole, La

*** (out of 4)

Georges Melies film that tries to rival his legendary A Trip to the Moon but doesn't come that close. A group of scientists try to determine a way to reach the North Pole. Once there they must do battle with a large ice monster. The stuff dealing with the ice monster was terrific and this creature is one of the best of Melies career.

In early 2008 there will be a box set released and will feature over 170 Melies' shorts.

Indeed, I'm currently going through a pile of films (on a 16mm projector no less) that are being discarded. I came across this one today and sat there the entire time riveted to the screen.

It has to be one of the most bizarre films I've ever seen. It seems to be trying very hard to be funny and for the most part it succeeds quite well. The images and the sheer craziness of it all can't help but make a person laugh.

I do have to admit though, that the overly long journey past the zodiac could have been done without. It slowed the frantic pace of the rest of the film, and was out of place in a film which was otherwise trying to be funny.

If you're a film buff, or you have a chance to see it, I'd say go for it. Otherwise, don't go out of your way.

There is one thing I'd like to point out, and I'm not sure if I'm right, but the version of this film that I saw had an English title screen and (not sure what they're called) - English dialog screens. The company that produced this version was "Star Films." I assume it's not the original one because it wasn't in French.

The great French innovator finally seems to be running out of imagination here. Having invented cinema as we understand it today, he eventually had to exhaust his fount of inspiration.

This film could best be described as a remake of his "Voyage to the Moon" from 1902. Unfortunately much of the old vim is missing. Sequences run on for too long. At times the film seems more primitive than many of his earlier films.

Still, there was life in the old boy yet. The « géant des neiges » (giant of the snows) episode is quite good with a monster who swallows intrepid Arctic explorers whole. The ice giant is about as good an effect as Fafner the dragon in Fritz Lang's "Siegfried", and that film was made in 1924. There is a funny moment when the explorers reach the Earth's Magnetic Pole. They are attracted right onto the needle they find and get stuck there.

The long (too long) scene where the explorers in their airship fly past the signs of the zodiac reminded me strangely of what Dorothy sees from her window as she is caught in the tornado in "The Wizard of Oz". That would make Méliès nearly 30 years ahead of his time.

Nevertheless, I got the same impression I get with a lot of modern special effects films. Méliès was spending more money without necessarily expending more ingenuity. Perhaps he was only trying to imitate the lesser but more successful mortals who came after him.