The Mysterious Retort
About The Mysterious Retort
Alchemist Georges Méliès works a large retort, sleeps, and wakes to a giant snake that turns into a jester and forces him to a hand mirror. The retort swells: a spider with a human face becomes a woman throwing coins, then sparks become a ghost, and the vessel explodes. Two assistants find him on the floor, with the jester standing over him.
Cast & crew
More about The Mysterious Retort
Georges Méliès directed and plays the alchemist. Star Film released it in 1906 as numbers 874–876. The French title is L'Alchimiste Parafaragaramus ou la Cornue infernale. In Britain it was The Alchemist and the Demon. The length is about 60 meters.
Themes
Technique
Substitution splices, superimposition, pyrotechnics, and stage machinery turn the snake into a jester and fill the retort with a spider, a woman, and a ghost.
Preservation
A stencil-colored print is at the Cinémathèque française.
Notes
- The alchemist's robe had already been used, including in A Trip to the Moon. The puppet snake had been in Rip's Dream (1905).
- Méliès is beaten and left on the ground. He rarely let his own character end a film that way.
- Effects are stage machinery, pyrotechnics, substitution splices, and superimposition.
Scenes
- The retort swells, bursts, and the jester stands over Méliès on the floor.
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (Alchimiste Parafaragamus ou La cornue infernale 1906.ogv)
