Le Déshabillage impossible

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.

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.

This trick film, "Going to Bed Under Difficulties", from cinema magician pioneer Georges Méliès is especially intricate. Numerous substitution-splices were required to achieve the continual appearance of more clothing on the weary traveller (of course, played by the director), as he futilely tries to undress. To make matters worse, his bed floats away. The effect remains impressive today, as well as amusing, thanks to Méliès's comedic ingenuity behind and in front of the camera.

"Going to Bed Under Difficulties" is an early and one of the better entries in the subgenre of a weary traveller suffering tricks at an inn, a formula from which Méliès made many films. The success of this particular trick film is demonstrated by the fact that other early filmmakers stole the idea and made their own imitations of it. Walter Booth and R.W. Paul's version, "Undressing Extraordinary" (1901) and Gaumont's Alice Guy's "How Monsieur Takes His Bath" (Comment Monsieur prend son bain) (1903) have also both been available in DVD compilations. A glance at other titles from the era suggests that other early producers did likewise. Moreover, remakes and dupes of many of Méliès's films can be found in the history of early cinema—further evidence that he was the most innovative filmmaker at the turn of the 20th century.

Going To Bed Under Difficulties (1900)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

aka Le Deshabillage impossible

This film here is pretty much just one gag but what an incredibly looking gag it is. A man gets home and can't wait to go to bed but first he must get undressed but each time he gets a new piece of clothing off a new one comes back on him. We've seen this type of joke from Melies before in the terms of someone trying to get undressed but can't but the joke here is expanded and is done at such a high rate of speed you can't help but just sit there and be amazed at what you're watching. I'm still not quite sure how Melies managed to do all of these magic tricks and the stuff on display here is among the best work of his career.

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