A Trip to the Moon

A Trip to the Moon French Le Voyage dans la Lune a is a 1902 French silent film directed by Georges Mlis. Inspired by a wide variety of sources, including Jules Vernes novels From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon, the film follows a group of astronomers who travel to the Moon in a cannonpropelled capsule, explore the Moons surface, escape from an underground group of Selenites lunar inhabitants, and return to Earth with a captive Selenite. It features an ensemble cast of French theatrical performers, led by Mlis himself in the main role of Professor Barbenfouillis, and is filmed in the overtly theatrical style for which Mlis became famous.

At a meeting of the Astronomic Club, its president, Professor Barbenfouillis, b c proposes a trip to the Moon. After addressing some dissent, five other brave astronomersNostradamus, d Alcofrisbas, Omega, Micromegas, e and Parafaragaramusagree to the plan. They build a space capsule in the shape of a bullet, and a huge cannon to shoot it into space. The astronomers embark and their capsule is fired from the cannon with the help of marines, most of whom are played by a bevy of young women in sailors outfits. The Man in the Moon watches the capsule as it approaches, and it hits him in the eye. f Landing safely on the Moon, the astronomers get out of the capsule without the need of space suits and watch the Earth rise in the distance. Exhausted by their journey, they unroll their blankets and sleep. As they sleep, a comet passes, the Big Dipper appears with human faces peering out of each star, old Saturn leans out of a window in his ringed planet, and Phoebe, goddess of the Moon, appears seated in a crescentmoon swing. Phoebe causes a snowfall that awakens the astronomers, and they seek shelter in a cavern where they discover giant mushrooms. One astronomer opens his umbrella it promptly takes root and turns into a giant mushroom itself. ........

Source: Wikipedia