The Beginning of Film

One of the first science fiction films ever released was A Trip to the Moon, a short silent film directed by Georges Méliès in 1902.  It's about a group of astronomers who arrive on the moon and encounter the moon's strange inhabitants, even capturing one in their swift escape back to Earth.
A Trip to the Moon might seem comical with its low-quality special effects, but despite what we are capable of producing in modern times, the effects in that movie are incredible for being released so long ago! It provided the first stepping stone in the path leading to the amazing things that are created today.



Just as A Trip to the Moon set in motion the sci-fi genre and the production of special effects and animation, The Great Train Robbery, released in 1903 and directed, written, and produced by Edwin S. Porter, started the typical Western movie plotline that would be used again and again in the future. The bandits and the gunfights would make many more appearances in later movies, since the themes present in The Great Train Robbery would become very popular.

Both films don't seem nearly as impressive as movies released today, but the sheer amount of work, time, and effort that went into making the films appear as they do is just astounding to me. For example, most of the prints were hand-colored! Can you imagine spending hours and hours on coloring every single detail for each frame? Somehow they managed, and I believe their hard work was absolutely worth it.