Le diable noir (1905)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Georges Méliès

Genre:

Short | Comedy | Fantasy

Plot:

A traveler at an inn is harassed by a mischievous devil in his room.

Plot Keywords:

Imp | Mischief | Hotel Room | Special Effects

Cast

Georges Méliès

Also Known As:

The Black Devil (International: English title) (informal literal title)
The Black Imp (USA)

Runtime:

4 min

Country:

France

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Company:

Star Film

Amusing Feature With Some Good Camera Tricks

This amusing Méliès feature has several of the kind of visual effects that made him famous, and most of them work quite well. The story starts when "The Black Imp" plays a series of practical jokes on an unwary traveler, and it then follows the battle of wits that ensues. The action that follows uses quite a few props, most of them simple everyday objects used in humorous and sometimes creative ways. Most of the camera tricks are done with skill, and the movie thus gets plenty of mileage out of some simple material. Most of it is fun to watch, and it's a good display of skill with the camera. It's definitely worth seeing if you have any interest in these earliest movies.