The Bewitched Inn

About the production

Filmed in Méliès's personal glass studio in Montreuil, which allowed for precise control of lighting and special effects. The film was shot using a single camera setup with Méliès performing all the magical effects through multiple exposure techniques and stop-motion photography. As with most of Méliès's early works, the film was created as a stage performance captured on camera, with theatrical-style acting and painted backdrops.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Made during the nickelodeon years around 1897, The Bewitched Inn reached audiences through theatrical programs, fairground booths, or specialized distribution channels typical of its generation. A weary traveler stops at an inn along the way to get a good night's sleep, but his rest is interrupted by odd. Historians now read such works for what they reveal about production methods, national taste, and the expanding vocabulary of screen narrative.

Why this film matters

Archivists and programmers still screen The Bewitched Inn when tracing how popular entertainment evolved. Its subject—a weary traveler stops at an inn along the way to get a good night's sleep, but his rest is—gives later viewers tangible evidence of what drew crowds in the silent period. Home video, restorations, and festival sidebars keep the title circulating among students of film history.

Making of

Georges Méliès created this film during the pioneering days of cinema, using his background as a magician and theater owner to revolutionize filmmaking. The production took place in his innovative glass-walled studio in Montreuil, which he built in 1897 specifically for making films with complex special effects. Méliès performed all the magical effects himself, using techniques he invented including multiple exposure, substitution splices, and time-lapse photography. The flying trousers sequence required careful wire work and precise timing, while the disappearing bed effect was achieved through the substitution splice technique that Méliès pioneered. As with all his early films, Méliès treated the camera as a recording device for a theatrical magic show, bringing his stage illusions to the new medium of cinema.

What critics said

Original trade coverage treated The Bewitched Inn as routine program filler rather than a landmark production—common for shorts. Later criticism emphasizes preservation, stylistic comparison with contemporaries, and whatever cast or crew names later gained prominence. Contemporary writing is mostly historical: assessing completeness, influence, and place in a director's or studio's catalog.

Did you know?

• This film was released as Star Film Company catalog number 106
• The French title is 'L'Auberge ensorcelée'
• Méliès not only directed but also starred as the weary traveler
• This was one of the first films to feature multiple special effects in a single narrative
• The film was hand-colored in some releases, a common practice for Méliès's more popular works
• It represents one of Méliès's earliest experiments with narrative storytelling through special effects
• The flying trousers effect was achieved using wires and careful editing
• This film helped establish Méliès's reputation as the 'Cinemagician'
• The original negative was likely destroyed when Méliès's film collection was melted down for raw materials during WWI
• A copy survived through the efforts of film preservationists who rescued Méliès's work from obscurity

Visual style

The cinematography was typical of Méliès's early work, featuring a single static camera position that recorded the scene as if from a theater audience's perspective. The camera was positioned to capture the full theatrical set, allowing Méliès to perform his magical illusions within the frame. The lighting was bright and even, necessary for the multiple exposure techniques used to create the special effects. The visual style was deliberately theatrical, with painted backdrops and props designed to be clearly visible to the camera. This approach reflected Méliès's background in stage magic and his belief that cinema should be a magical spectacle rather than a realistic representation.

Innovations

This film showcased several groundbreaking techniques that Méliès either pioneered or perfected, including the substitution splice (used for the disappearing bed), multiple exposure (for creating ghostly effects), and careful editing to create the illusion of impossible physical actions. The flying trousers sequence demonstrated early wire work techniques adapted from stage magic. Méliès's use of time-lapse photography for the walking shoes was innovative for the period. The film also demonstrated Méliès's mastery of controlling lighting and exposure to achieve consistent results across multiple takes, a significant technical challenge in 1897. These techniques established the foundation for special effects cinema that would evolve throughout the 20th century.

Famous quotes

(Silent film - no dialogue)

Memorable scenes

• The sequence where the traveler's trousers mysteriously fly through the air and dance around the room, showcasing Méliès's innovative wire work and editing techniques
• The moment when the bed suddenly vanishes, leaving the traveler confused and standing in an empty room
• The climactic chaos where multiple supernatural events occur simultaneously, including exploding candles and walking shoes

What audiences thought

Original audiences in 1897 were reportedly amazed and delighted by the film's magical effects, which were unlike anything they had seen before. The film was popular at fairgrounds and music halls where Méliès's films were exhibited. Modern audiences viewing the restored film often express surprise at the sophistication of the special effects given the film's age, and it remains a favorite among early cinema enthusiasts. The film's simple visual humor and magical transformations continue to entertain viewers over 125 years after its creation.

Film connections

Influenced by

• Stage magic traditions
• Theatrical illusion shows
• Gothic literature
• Folk tales about haunted inns

This film influenced

• The Haunted House (1908)
• The Haunted Castle (1896)
• The Magic Lantern (1903)
• The House of Ghosts (1906)

Film restoration

The film was believed lost for decades but was eventually rediscovered and restored. A preserved copy exists in film archives, including the Cinémathèque Française. The restoration has allowed modern audiences to experience this important early work. Some hand-colored versions have also been preserved, showing the care taken in presenting Méliès's films to early audiences.

Where to watch

• YouTube (various archives)
• The Criterion Channel
• Kino Lorber DVD collections
• Méliès: The Birth of the Fantastic (DVD collection)
• Film archives and museum screenings
• Public domain film websites