Despite being more than one hundred years old, A Trip to the Moon (Le Voyage Dans la Lune) has aged better than hundreds of the sci-fi movies it inspired. Directed by French illusionist Georges Méliès in 1902, A Trip to the Moon set the basis for one of the most popular genres in the history of film with its outlandish concept and groundbreaking special effects. Nowadays, the film is not only regarded as an essential foundation of sci-fi and cinema as a whole but also stands on its own as a good movie, even by today's standards.

Georges Méliès drew inspiration from the works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells to create the very first film about space exploration. In it, Professor Barbenfouillis (played by Méliès) launches himself and a group of astronomers in a rocket to the moon, where they meet a native civilization of lunar creatures called "Selenites." After getting captured by them and killing their king, the astronomers come back to Earth, but not before taking one of the Selenites with them. As the most ambitious project Méliès had devised, the film employed every trick and illusion he had under his sleeve, plus the construction of intricate sets and the participation of various dancers, singers, and acrobats.

Unlike so many lousy sci-fi movies as recent as the 2010s, A Trip to the Moon stands the test of time because it doesn't attempt to be realistic. The short film would require a really high budget and a very careful treatment of what appears onscreen if a director like Steven Spielberg or Christopher Nolan adapted it in their distinctive style. George Méliès neither had the resources to depict an accurate trip to the moon nor the desire to be scientifically correct — and if he did, the vision of such a journey in 1902 would become dated as soon as newer movies elaborated on its premise. Instead, Méliès leaned toward extravagant fantasy and the embellished spectacle of theater. The result was an escapist story that exalted what humans could achieve with the advancement of technology and the philosophy that "work conquers all," something that remains an important part of the essence of sci-fi movies to this day.


In line with this approach, Méliès popularized the use of practical effects to depict fantastical settings, which in turn helped the movie preserve its whimsical aesthetic from the passage of time. These effects included matte paintings, smoke effects, forced perspective, and stunts. The film also helped lay the groundwork for advanced editing and animation techniques with the use of cross-dissolves, jump cuts, and multiple exposures. Also impressive is how, although the movie's scope pushed its budget considerably high for its time (10,000 Francs), it doesn't even compare to the lowest-budget sci-fi movies of today. If Méliès had gone for a more moderate style — like shortening the ship's cannon or having the Selenites drop to the ground instead of exploding when killed — the slightest improvement on those effects by any subsequent movie would have rendered the visuals in A Trip to the Moon dated, and its unique style wouldn't be as impressive today.

With A Trip to the Moon (Le Voyage Dans la Lune), George Méliès proved that sometimes subtlety is not the best approach. His extravagant vision turned the movie into a classic and protected it from every cultural shift that came later. The birth of sci-fi movies is impressive, but not surprising - coming from the same cinematic genius who created Le Manoir Du Diable, the world's first horror movie.