An aging astronomer invites students to his castle observatory to observe a solar eclipse. Amid the childish pranks of the novice astronomers and the wondrous vision of the eclipse, George Melies, cinema’s great magician, weaves numerous amusing set pieces. Much to the astronomer’s excitement, the sun and the moon flirt with each other as they come together in an astronomical courtship and the sky explodes in a dance of female stars. On earth, the astronomer falls prey to his cheeky students who rob him of his stately dignity, while the heavens smile down on him from above.
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How to watch
This work has been digitised and can be viewed in the display above.
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Previously on display
22 April 2019
ACMI Viewing Booths
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
B1004320
Language
No spoken word
Audience classification
Mediatheque - all ages (ACMI classified)
Subject categories
Fantasy & Science Fiction → Fantasy
Mathematics, Science & Technology → Astronomy
Mathematics, Science & Technology → Outer space - Exploration
Sound/audio
Silent
Colour
Black and White
Holdings
DVD [PAL]; Copy
DVD ROM; Copy
Digital Betacam [PAL]; Master
VHS [PAL]; Reference - timecoded
MOV file H264; ACMI Digital Access Copy - presentation
Digital Betacam [PAL]; Sub-master