1800's

"Le Diable au Couvent" (also known as "The Devil in a Convent" or "The Sign of the Cross") is a 1899 French silent short film directed by Georges Méliès. In this early horror-fantasy trick film, a priest at a convent transforms into the devil, scaring away the nuns and turning the sacred space into a chaotic demon gathering before divine forces intervene. Its blend of special effects and satirical edge on religious themes makes it a pioneering work in horror cinema. Plot Summary A priest begins a sermon in the convent, but soon reveals himself as Satan, who terrifies the nuns into fleeing and redecorates with demonic statues and minions for a sabbath revelry. Clergy and Saint Michael eventually exorcise him, restoring order through a triumphant battle of good over evil. Historical Context Directed by Méliès, the film uses innovative stop-motion and substitution splice effects to create its supernatural transformations, reflecting 1890s French cinema's magic show roots. It carries a satirical bite, parodying monastic life amid the Dreyfus Affair's anti-clerical tensions, with Méliès playing the devil himself.

Le Manoir du Diable (The House of the Devil), directed by Georges Méliès in 1896, is a pioneering silent short film often hailed as the first horror movie. Running just over three minutes, it blends trick photography, pantomime, and supernatural antics in a gothic castle setting. ​ Plot Overview A giant bat flies into a darkened medieval castle and transforms into Mephistopheles, the Devil, who conjures a cauldron and summons an assistant to produce a beautiful woman from its depths. Two cavaliers soon enter, facing chaotic illusions like teleporting imps, moving furniture, a dancing skeleton, and ghostly specters that subdue one of them. Key Tricks and Effects Méphistopheles plays pranks with rapid transformations: the woman becomes a withered crone leading a coven of witches, bats turn into skeletons, and objects vanish in puffs of smoke. The surviving cavalier ultimately repels the Devil by brandishing a large crucifix, restoring order amid the mayhem. Historical Impact Intended more for amusement than terror, the film showcases Méliès's innovative stop-motion, double exposure, and substitution splice techniques, laying groundwork for horror tropes like haunted castles and demonic figures. Its whimsical Gothic style influenced generations of filmmakers.

"L'auberge ensorcelée" (The Bewitched Inn) is a pioneering 1897 French short silent film directed by Georges Méliès. A weary traveler checks into a remote inn for the night, only to face comical supernatural chaos as furniture vanishes, his clothes fly around, boots walk away, and a candle explodes. Plot Highlights The traveler's luggage disappears upon placement, his hat slides across the floor independently, and his chair relocates just as he sits. His bed repeatedly vanishes and reappears, driving him to exasperated flight from the room. Special Effects Innovation Méliès employed substitution splices, wires for object animation, and pyrotechnics to create these magical effects, shot outdoors in his Montreuil garden. Himself portraying the traveler, he drew inspiration from stage acts like Hanlon-Lees and the féerie "Les Pilules du Diable." Horror Comedy Legacy This 2-minute comedy-horror blends paranormal pranks with slapstick, earning a 6.4/10 IMDb rating and influencing early trick films.