The Eclipse - The Courtship of the Sun and Moon (film #12 on The Movies Begin, Volume Four: The Magic of Melies (Kino Video, 1994)). [Category: Early Film & TV]

We're gettin' into evil territory, folks. An astronomer wearing a priceless celestial robe (I want one) lectures a class of students about an upcoming solar eclipse, then goes up to his observatory to watch it himself. The actual eclipse, featuring a leering sun and a coy moon who both look male and who both lick their lips lavisiously, will leave you feeling dirty. On top of that we get to see a bunch of passing "celestial bodies" and a bizarre traffic tie-up between a lunar nymph, Father Time, and a Roman Legionaire. The whole thing excites the astronomer so much he falls right out the window! An unforgettable Melies romp. A 1907 Melies film.

Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: *****. Weirdness: *****. Historical Interest: *****. Overall Rating: *****.