El equilibrio imposible

"L'équilibre impossible" ("An Impossible Balancing Feat") is a very typical film by Georges Méliès. Like most of his films, he is the star and also performs a stage magic trick. In this case, he makes three more of himself appear and they bounce about on stage. Nothing much more to this one and the various filmed segments being transposed on each other was a bit roug...but still amazing for 1902. Not a must-see film by the French filmmaker...but still an enjoyable one to see today.

Georges Melies splits himself into four Georges. One of them becomes the anchor for the others. They do headstands on the bottom guy. The nonchalance of the whole thing is what makes it go. He was an incredible showman beyond his obvious cinematic talents. He had a funny face and he made great use of expression.

Impossible Balancing Feat, The (1902)

*** (out of 4)

aka L'Equilibre impossible

Geoges Melies walks out on stage where he sits in a chair and we watch three other Melies come out and do a balancing act on his head. This film runs just over a minute and while it starts off a tad bit slow it picks up and becomes highly entertaining once the magic trick starts. The special effects hold up very well and it's not very easy to see how the trick is being done. The sets at the opening are also quite beautiful and one wishes the director left this while the magic was going on.

Here is another of Melies' wonderful little trick films. To the modern eye it is not difficult to penetrate Melies' mysteries as he splits himself into four Melies and proceeds to hold himself up, one in either hand and the last on his head. There is something here that the modern eye rarely sees: the joy of the performer. Melies is clearly having a lot of fun, both in the performance and his anticipation of the joke. When was the last time you saw that in a film?

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.