Le Déshabillage impossible

A guy takes of his clothing to get some sleep and as fast as he takes them off more clothing appears on his body. Original idea but dumb.

2/10

The definition of a quick-witted in editing movie. All you get here is a man who is taking off his clothes... and then one of those edits happens where it appears that a new hat is there, so he takes that off, and then there's another edit where he has a jacket, and he takes that off, but then there's more pants and that's off and shoes and so on and so on. It's cinematic expression as a time-loop, with George Melies delivering an intricate series of edits.

The most clever part of all of this is how it doesn't really appear to be edits - that is to say, nothing is really too jerky that it took me out of the film. It's all rather seamless, which is a credit to his direction but also the actor playing the man. It's special effects really, though it's all with splicing together one image to another and then another and another. Today it would be done with computers of course, but what's maybe most remarkable is the thought that he planned this out so carefully.

...although this was made by French filmmaker Georges Melies. Like Chaplin in "One AM", a seemingly inebriated fellow is having difficulty getting ready for bed. But then "One AM" is from 16 years later, so it is much more sophisticated.

Georges Melies plays the only person in this very short film as he attempts to take his clothes off in preparation for going to bed only to have his clothes reappear on his person. In the meantime, hats, coats, and pants begin to pile up about the hotel room.

The ending is lost and supposedly consists of the man rolling about on the floor and on the bed, and finally collapsing.

Some of Melies' stuff can seem repetitive, as though he's a one trick pony, but then you have to remember that most films were just "actualities" at this point - reflections of everyday life - and Melies was a pioneer in putting some narrative into his work, even before the dawn of the twentieth century.

The quick change animation is quite incredible. Once again we visit the man who wants to go to bed but he can't get undressed. This time, each item of clothing is hung up or put aside, but new clothes continue to cover his body. By the time the film ends, he has an entire wardrobe hanging on hooks. But the star is the guy who never gives up. He continues to remove clothing at a frantic pace, never giving up. Excellent work by the master.

Melies gives his audience another variation of his most popular and imitated -- including by him -- story of L'AUBERGE MYSTERIEUSE, as a man tries to get undressed for bed and new clothing keeps reappearing on him, particularly a long series of most unflattering headgear. Melies' comic agitation as he tries harder and harder to prepare for bed is wonderful.

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.