In the Barber Shop

About the production

This film was produced during a challenging period for Méliès, whose studio was facing increasing competition from newer filmmakers and changing audience tastes. The film was shot on Méliès's trademark glass stage set, which allowed for elaborate set designs and easy manipulation of props. Like most of Méliès's films, it was created using a single camera position with actors performing in a theatrical style, reflecting Méliès's background as a stage magician.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

The 1908 premiere of In the Barber Shop belongs to the broader shift toward narrative features and recognizable genres.

Why this film matters

Reference works on 1908 cinema cite In the Barber Shop when tracing genre habits and studio economics.

Making of

Georges Méliès filmed 'In the Barber Shop' in his glass-walled studio in Montreuil-sous-Bois, which he had built in 1897 specifically for film production. The set was constructed to resemble a typical Parisian barbershop of the era, complete with period-appropriate barber chairs, mirrors, and equipment. Méliès, who began his career as a stage magician, brought his theatrical sensibilities to this comedy, directing his actors to perform in an exaggerated style that would be clearly visible to early cinema audiences. The film was shot using a hand-cranked camera, with Méliès personally operating much of the equipment. As with his other films, Méliès likely supervised the editing process himself, creating the final cut by physically splicing together strips of celluloid. The production would have been completed in just a few days, reflecting the rapid pace of early film manufacturing.

What critics said

Trade papers near 1908 listed In the Barber Shop among weekly program offerings rather than as a headline critical event.

Did you know?

• This was one of Méliès's later films, created when his artistic and commercial influence was already in decline
• The film features Méliès himself in a starring role, as he often did in his comedies
• Fernande Albany, who appears in this film, was one of Méliès's regular performers in his later works
• The barber shop theme was a popular subject in early cinema, with multiple filmmakers creating their own versions
• This film was distributed by Méliès's Star Film Company and was likely numbered in his catalog system
• The film showcases Méliès's continued use of theatrical set design even as his more fantastical elements became less prominent
• By 1908, Méliès was producing films more rapidly and with smaller budgets than in his peak years
• The film was likely hand-colored by Méliès's studio using stencils, a common practice for his more important releases
• This comedy represents Méliès's attempt to stay relevant by focusing on contemporary urban life rather than fantasy
• The film survives today in film archives, though possibly in incomplete form as with many of Méliès's works

Visual style

The cinematography in 'In the Barber Shop' follows Méliès's characteristic style of the period, featuring a single, static camera position that captures the entire set in one wide shot. This approach reflects Méliès's theatrical background and the influence of stage proscenium framing on early cinema. The lighting would have been natural sunlight coming through the glass walls of Méliès's studio, creating bright, even illumination across the set. The film was shot on 35mm film using a hand-cranked camera, with the frame rate likely around 16 frames per second, standard for the era. The composition carefully arranges actors within the barbershop set to ensure all actions remain visible to the camera. Méliès's experience with visual effects is evident in the film's occasional use of jump cuts and substitution splices to create comedic effects, though these are more restrained than in his fantasy films.

Innovations

While 'In the Barber Shop' does not showcase the elaborate special effects that made Méliès famous, it demonstrates several technical achievements typical of his filmmaking approach. The film uses substitution splices and jump cuts to create comedic effects, showing Méliès's continued innovation with editing techniques. The set design and construction represent Méliès's commitment to creating detailed, believable environments for his films, even in simple comedies. The film demonstrates effective use of the single-camera setup to capture complex action within a confined space, requiring careful choreography and timing from the actors. Méliès's experience with theatrical production is evident in the efficient use of the limited space and the clear visual storytelling that requires no intertitles. The film also likely employed some of Méliès's patented mechanical devices for creating special effects, even if used more subtly here than in his fantasy works.

Music

As a silent film from 1908, 'In the Barber Shop' originally had no synchronized soundtrack. During its initial theatrical run, the film would have been accompanied by live music, typically a pianist or small ensemble in the theater who would improvise or play appropriate popular tunes of the era. The music would have been synchronized to the on-screen action, with lively, upbeat melodies during the comedic moments and more frantic music during the chaotic scenes. Some theaters might have used sound effects created by live performers, such as bells or whistles, to enhance the comedy. Modern screenings and releases of the film typically feature newly composed piano or organ scores that attempt to recreate the musical style of the early 1900s, using period-appropriate melodies and rhythms to complement the visual action.

Famous quotes

(Silent film - no dialogue)

Memorable scenes

• The escalating chaos as the incompetent barber attempts to serve increasingly frustrated customers, culminating in a comedic free-for-all that showcases Méliès's mastery of physical comedy and timing.

What audiences thought

Audience reception in 1908 would have been based on the film's ability to entertain during cinema programs that typically featured multiple short films. The barbershop setting and slapstick comedy would have been immediately accessible to contemporary viewers, who would have recognized the humor in the exaggerated incompetence of the barber and the frustration of the customers. The film likely generated laughter and amusement in the fairground theaters and music halls where Méliès's films were typically shown. Modern audiences viewing the film in retrospectives or on streaming platforms tend to appreciate it primarily for its historical value, though the physical comedy remains effective even over a century later. The film serves as an entertaining glimpse into early 20th-century urban life and the evolution of cinematic comedy.

Film connections

Influenced by

• Stage comedy traditions
• Commedia dell'arte
• French theatrical farce
• Georges Méliès's earlier magical films
• Popular Parisian entertainment of the Belle Époque

This film influenced

• Later barbershop comedies
• Workplace comedy films
• Slapstick shorts of the 1910s and 1920s
• French comedy films of the early 20th century

Film restoration

The film is preserved in film archives, though the exact condition and completeness of surviving copies varies. Like many of Méliès's films from this period, it exists in archives such as the Cinémathèque Française and other film preservation institutions. Some versions may have been hand-colored, as was common for Méliès's more important releases. The film has been included in various DVD and Blu-ray collections of Méliès's work, helping to ensure its preservation and accessibility to modern audiences.

Where to watch

• YouTube (various public domain versions)
• Flicker Alley DVD collections of Méliès films
• Kino Lorber Blu-ray releases
• The Criterion Channel (occasionally featured in silent film collections)
• Film archives and museum screenings
• Public domain film websites