New York - Paris by Automobile
George Melies (Translation by Gerry Carpenter)
Although just several years from his decline as a filmmaker, George Melies was at the height of his productivity in 1908. That was the year he made this film. Like so many of his other works, New York to Paris by Automobile was molded in the familiar formula of preparation, departure, the journey, calamity and escape, return and celebration. Melies used this blueprint as a springboard to add his unique touches of spectacle and parody wherever possible.
I wasn't able to find much "dope" on this film. But what I did find was interesting. While often compared to fellow Frenchman Jules Verne and sometimes even referred to as "Jules Verne outdone", Paul Hammond (author of one of the best books on ol' George) compares Melies to another author of the time; one Alfred Jarry. Hammond especially mentions in regards to New York to Paris that it is "a spiritual companion of Alfred Jarry's story 'Supermale'" (haven't read that one yet!). Jarry was known for writing in the Verne tradition but with much more satire and wit. And therin (whew) lies the point; it's the shear fun, irreverent element in a Melies "voyage" film as much as anything that makes them special.
I've been able to uncover several of the original synopses of Melies' films due to their English language distribution. No such luck on this one. So thanks once again to Gerry Carpenter for translating the French version for me. It's a long one, so I'll just post the tableaux titles and then give a brief summary.
- Leaving New York.
- The Drivers.
- The Kitchen Automobile.
- The Rocky Mountains
- A Fall into a Ravine.
- The Home of the Iroquois.
- The Firewater
- The Redskin's Feathers.
- In the Air.
- Alaska.
- The Cavern of Gold.
- The Dog Team
- The Bering Strait.
- The Catastrophe.
- The Bottom of the Sea.
- The Ice Field.
- Among the Bears
- "The Fatherland
- Saved!
- In Siberia.
- The Ice Skaters.
- Across Germany.
- The Showmen's Caravan Trailer.
- La Place de la Concorde.
- The Triumphant Arrival.
- The Hackney Horse.
- General Enthusiasm.
The film is kinda like an early Death Race 2000. The race begins with all sorts of crazy automobiles and characters lining up. There's an ammunition wagon, "forge" automobile, steam-winch car and even a kitchen auto. Bourcier-Saint Chaffrey, the eventual winner, leaves everyone else in the dust by the fifth scene. From then on, his entourage is captured and escapes from Indians, are caught by a tornado and land in Alaska, hitch rides on floating icebergs and a giant balloon (named the "Fatherland" for some reason) ...and so on and so on.
I have never heard that this film is actually still in existence but I've have seen stills published. So, let's hope.
written: 10/02/2002
