The Red Spectre 1907 Early FIlm - not Melies - El Espectro Rojo

Segundo de Chomón (co-director)
Ferdinand Zecca (co-director)
Segundo de Chomón (writer)
In a strange grotto deep in the bowels of the earth a coffin uprights itself, dances, then opens, and out steps a demonic magician with skeletal face, horns, and cape. He wraps two women (who appear to be in a trance) in fabric, levitates them, and causes them to burst into flames and disappear. As he gathers their ashes in a pitcher a Good Spirit [a young woman who resembles Peter Pan] appears, shakes her head No, and reveals the "souls" of the two women in a secret compartment deeper within the cave. The Good Spirit vanishes in a puff of smoke. The magician then produces 3 glass bottles on pillars, takes them downstage close to the camera, and reveals 3 tiny women in them; one woman beats a tambourine while the other two sway. The magician pours ashes (?) into the bottles, but the Good Spirit reappears and makes these trapped figures disappear in a flash, angering the magician, who chases her away. He makes an easel appear. There is an odd sort of screen on it bearing the Pathe rooster logo. The magician then invents channel-surfing, causing three different "shows" to appear on the screen in rapid succession. The Good Spirit reappears and causes this strange television set to vanish, but the magician creates two more in turn, each more elaborate than the last, with various images of persons and dogs flashing across their screens. Finally, the Good Spirit reveals to the evil magician an area within the cave where there are four pillars and a tableau of distinguished-looking ladies (goddesses?). She takes the magician downstage, forces him to the ground, pours a pitcher of something on him (ashes? Holy water?) and turns him into a lifeless skeleton, which she reveals to the camera. Three tall flames appear in the foreground, and the film is over. - Synopsis by W Morrow

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Early
• Film
• 8mm
• Melies
• Le
• Spectre
• Rouge
• El
• Espectro
• Rojo
• Pathe
• Freres

[jaywhofan]

Can this be found on dvd? I'm a big Melies fan, and now I would like to get some of the more obscure films that are in the same style.

[inphiknit]

@jaywhofan

No.

[animatedlies]

This is in better quality that I have seen for the most part. A wonderful piece of film history, undoubtedly.

[inphiknit]

I'm happy that you enjoyed the film. We transferred it from an 8mm copy in my collection.

[inphiknit]

Yes, I suppose it is a sign. A sign that the Devil is a very colorful and entertaining character.

[RUSS30776]

It's Amazing on how in 1908

That these film producers figured out away to do this?

[jaywhofan]

@inphiknit Would it be possible to get a copy from you?

[inphiknit]

@joeblowthehot

Yes, I know plenty of Devils and they are all "characters".  ;)

[joeblowthehot]

@inphiknit and that is just what the devil is...`a character``

[Chub4ChubsRule]

Someone fix those sprocket holes!

[Anubis3x3]

Really, this little film isn't about the devil; it's just a fancy old-time magic act, and has no particular metaphysical significance. People have commented on the passivity of the female 'victims'. They're not victims! They're simply magicians' assistants-- notice how they kiss their hands charmingly at the audience? A hint of plot is introduced with the shapely rival magician who vanquishes the 'Spectre' and takes his sorceror's cloak as a prize. Like a Melies film but a bit darker...

[godfreyhowatchin]

@wisemanfcs honestly, anything is a sign if it's what you're looking for. speaking of the devil, aleister crowley wrote a lot about this, how belief determines your personal reality. timothy leary and i suppose alfred korzybski also said things about this. but you find what you look for, pretty much. don't get too freaked out about coincidences, there are a lot of those, and the world is a big place.