le diable au couvent 1899

"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.