Georges Méliès

I just watched Méliès the Magician, a collection of 15 short films by cinematic wunderkind, Georges Méliès.  Whimsical and brilliantly inventive, his films were light years ahead of their time in terms of special effects and optical tricks.  Disembodied heads float, drawings come to life, devils, aliens, and goddesses shimmer in black and white.  It is astounding what he was able to accomplish on a limited budget at the turn of the century.  His most famous film is "Voyage dans la Lune," which was the basis for the miraculous Smashing Pumpkins video, "Tonight, Tonight."  Compare and contrast: