[Le Monstre]

0481-0482

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[Le Monstre]


Monstrosity

An Egyptian prince has lost his beloved wife and he has sought a dervish who dwells at the base of the sphinx. The prince promises a vast fortune if the dervish will only give him the opportunity of gazng once more upon the features of his wife. The dervish accepts the offer. He brings in from a neighboring tomb the receptacle containing the remains oi the princess. He opens it and removes the skeleton, which he places upon the ground close beside him. Then, turning to the moon and raising his arms outstretched toward it, he invokes the moon to give back life to her who is no more. The skeleton begins to move about, becomes animated, and arises. The dervish puts it upon a bench and covers it with a white linen; a masque conceals its ghostly face. At a second invocation the skeleton begins again to move, arises, and performs a weird dance. In performing its contortions, it partly disappears in the ground. While performing its feats it increases gradually in size, its neck assuming enormous proportions, much to the horror of the prince, who fails to see in this grotesque character the wife whom he has lost. The dance ceases. The dervish throws a veil over the hideous creature. Then appear the real princess as she was when her husband possessed her. The prince darts forward to take her into his arms to give her a last kiss, but the dervish stops him, wraps the young lady in the veil and throws her into the arms of the prince. When he removes the veil he finds only the skeleton of his former wife. The vision has disappeared, and the princess has returned to dust. The dervish withdraws, and the prince pursues him with his threats and his curses.

LUB 1904-06


El monstruo

MEL 1904-A


The Monster

If the subject of the preceding picture is lively and full of amusement, this one is certainly magnificent in its weird realism. Il will  please all, for they are numerous, who like impossibilities in hobgoblins, provided the subject is developed in good taste. The decoration is one of the most beautiful. It represents a sphynx stretched out upon a pedestal in a crouching posture. In the background are the pyramids of Egypt. The moon is shining.
An Egyptian prince has lost his beloved wife and he has sought a dervish, who dwells at the base of the sphinx. The prince promises him a vast fortune if the dervish will only give him the opportunity of gazing once more upon the features of his wife. The dervish accepts the offer. He brings in from a neighboring tomb the receptacle containing the remains of the princess. He opens it and removes the skeleton, which he places upon the ground close beside him. Then turning to the moon and raising his arms outstretched toward it, he invokes the moon to give back life to her who is no more. The skeleton begins to move about, becomes animated and arises. The dervish puts it upon a bench and covers it with a white linen: a mask conceals its ghostly face. At a second invocation the skeleton begins again to move, arises and performs a weird dance. In performing its contortions it partly disappears in the ground. While performing its feats, it increases gradually in size, its neck assuming enormous proportions, much to the horror of the prince, who fails to see in this grotesque character the wife whom he had lost. The dance ceases. The dervish throws a veil over the hideous creature. Then appears the real princess as she was when her husband possessed her. The prince darts forward to take her into his arms to give her a last kiss, but he dervish stops him, wraps the young lady in the veil and throws her into the arms of the prince. When he removes the veil he finds only the skeleton of his former wife. The vision has disappeared, and the princess has returned to dust. The dervish withdraws, and the prince pursues him with his threats and his curses.
This subject possesses an extraordinary fascination. It gives during the whole time the perfect illusion of reality.

MEL 1905-A

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Méliès 481-482

 
2 Georges Méliès
3 1903 50m/170ft
4 France
 

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