The First Science Fiction Film Ever

Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*

As with all episodes of this podcast there are spoilers ahead! I would love for you to join in by watching the film, Le Voyage Dans La Lune here. The film was made by the pioneer French film director George Méliès in 1902. It is widely considered to be the first sci-fi film ever. There is a small rumble of a potential contender which I have added at the bottom of the full shownotes.
For full shownotes with references to the subjects mentioned in this episode you can visit https://www.everyscififilm.com/the-first-science-fiction-film-ever

The experts
Richard Neupert is the Charles H. Wheatley Professor of the Arts and a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor at the Department of Theatre and Film Studies at the University of Georgia. He has written extensively on film including numerous books. His book French Film History, 1895-1946 was published in 2022.

​Bert Ulrich probably has one of the best jobs in the world! He acts as NASA’s liaison for film and TV collaborations. He is a film and visual arts author. In 2022 his essay A Legacy of Spectacle: The Impact of George Méliès on Science Fiction Filmmaking was published in the academic journal Film International.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to show and guests
01:37 How the son of a successful bootmaker became a theatre performer
04:14 George Méliès watches a Lumiere brother’s screening
06:35 A quick overview of the film
08:12 Méliès satire and style
12:30 The father of special effects
15:27 France’s Belle Époque: optimism, industrialism, and exploration
20:47 Success and piracy
23:42 The pros and cons of Méliès’ solo working style
27:54 Méliès’ decline
31:27 Rediscovery of his work
33:49 The development of Sci-fi cinema since 1902
44:18 Concluding thoughts
NEXT EPISODE/S!
Next episode I will be speaking to David Eagleman, Stanford neuroscientist and best selling author, about his favourite Sci-fi film The Creator. This 2023 film is streaming on Disney+. You may be able to check where you can rent or buy the film at JustWatch.
The next film we will be looking at is Aelita Queen of Mars. A 1924 film from Soviet Russia. You can watch the film here on YouTube. You can check where it is available to stream, rent or buy at JustWatch. The film is available to buy on Amazon in some locations. DVDs of the film are available though not common.

Chapters

1. Introduction to show and guests (00:00:00)

2. How the son of a successful bootmaker became a theatre performer (00:01:37)

3. George Méliès watches a Lumiere brother’s screening (00:04:14)

4. A quick overview of the film (00:06:35)

5. Méliès satire and style (00:08:12)

6. The father of special effects (00:12:30)

7. France’s Belle Époque: optimism, industrialism, and exploration (00:15:27)

8. Success and piracy (00:20:47)

9. The pros and cons of Méliès’ solo working style (00:23:42)

10. Méliès’ decline (00:27:54)

11. Rediscovery of his work (00:31:27)

12. The development of Sci-fi cinema since 1902 (00:33:49)

13. Concluding thoughts (00:44:18)