The 400 Tricks of the Devil (1906)

Original title

Les quatre cents farces du diable

Directed by

Georges Méliès

Genre

drama film, horror film, fantasy film, silent film

Country

France

Runtime

17 min

Rating

6.5 of 10 from 64 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

An ambitious engineer makes a deal with the Devil for superhuman powers. He abandons his family and must face unexpected consequences, including a wild ride through the sky.

comedicfantasticalfast-pacedplayfulwhimsicalspookytheatricalspectacular

What happens

The Merry Frolics of Satan (French: Les Quat'Cents Farces du diable, literally The Four Hundred Tricks of the Devil) is a 1906 French silent trick film by Georges Méliès. The film is an updated comedic adaptation of the Faust legend, borrowing elements from two stage féerie spectaculars: Les Pilules du diable (1839), a classic stage fantasy with knockabout comedy, and Les Quatre Cents Coups du diable (1905), a satirical update of Les Pilules du diable to which Méliès had contributed two sequences, one of which he incorporated into the present film. In addition to directing and acting in it, Méliès supervised all aspects of the film's design and trick effect work, including extensive use of stage machinery, in his lavishly individual style, which was already unusual in the mass production-dominated French film industry. The film follows the adventures of an ambitious engineer who abandons his family and responsibilities when he barters with the Devil (played by Méliès himself) for superhuman powers. The engineer is forced to face the unexpected consequences of his barter, including a dizzying ride through the sky. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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