The Infernal Cake Walk (1903) Georges Méliès

The Infernal Cake Walk (French: _*Le Cake-walk infernal*_) is a film from 1903 directed and produced by • Georges Méliès
Méliès plays the devil by proving to be a good dancer. He himself designed and created the sets for this film in a style that today we might call expressionist. A black backdrop in the center of the scene allows Méliès to easily perform his tricks (overpressures and double exposures).
Synopsis . Deep in Hell (0:06) a group of demonic spirits amuse themselves by dancing the Cake-walk, a very popular dance at the turn of the 1800s and 1900s. Satan (Georges Méliès, 0:45) appears among them and, after performing a few dance steps, invites a group of professional dancers on stage, including a black-faced couple (1:44).
Having finished their exemplary dance, the dancers make way for Satan who reappears from a large cake in the center of the stage (3:12) . He performs some acrobatic steps, even managing to decompose and reassemble his body to the music (3:59) .
(4:35) All the devils and dancers re-enter the stage for the grand finale.
(The masks used by the devils in the last scene are the same as those used for the Selenites in Trip to the Moon : • Viaggio sulla Luna (19... )
The Cake-walk is an African American dance characterized by upbeat, syncopated ragtime-style rhythms, first appearing in the second half of the 19th century, it was danced by black slaves to mock and parody the dances of their white masters. The Cake-walk introduced in France in the early 20th century and was therefore very much in vogue in Méliès' time. The most famous Cake-walk is undoubtedly the one composed by *Debussy*, the Golliwogs' Cake Walk in Childrens' Corner .
The original film is devoid of color. The coloring of this copy was reiventified by @iconaus
#Méliès #cakewalk
The music tracks used as the soundtrack in this edition are.
Darktown Strutters Ball and Elite Syncopations by *E's Jammy Jams*.
/ iconaus
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[@DavidAbernathy-o6u]

I enjoyed the stabilization and subtle color additions

[@gatamiau4463]

Maravilloso ..

[@matthewfarmer6830]

It was short, but good. 🎥

[@samaval9920]

Cakewalk ( the normal version-see all the other Cakewalk videos) was USs 1st dance song music export.

[@hunoro1]

Bro did fortnite dances in 1903

[@hasankeser]

crazy as hell😆

[@samaval9920]

Pun intended?

[@IsabelDhampir82]

¡Qué buena calidad de imagen!

[@espqr8642]

It obviously inspired The Smashing Pumpkins !!

[@iconaus]

That was the movie Le Voyage à travèŕs l'impossible

[@mygoditsfullofstars9148]

Nearly became the moon walk at one point.

[@BoomBoomEnemy]

Very good movie, just one thing (in the description): Scott Joplin wrote Elite Syncopations

[@iconaus]

this is Elite Syncopations E's Jammy Jams : kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6q7c4RmZtSNaa8

[@user-jl6nf4yr5e]

روحت شاد چارلی چاپلین مردم وشاد میکردی

[@سعیدطوسیبکنرهبر]

عه یه ایرانی سلام هموطن😃

[@samaval9920]

This was produced & starred in by George Melies, French pioneer film director.He is considered to be the founder of French cinema, He may have met or known Charlie Chaplin?

[@missionarialia8005]

Amo Ver filmes antigos tem mais cultura que até as criança pode assistir é diferente de hoje em dia

[@PrAlexandreGraciano]

Entretanto, esse vídeo em específico, deveria ser proibido para crianças... Reparou, principalmente nos últimos momentos? Navalha no olho... Na verdade, não o filme em si, embora seja uma mensagem de uma certa "festa" inferno... Mas os segundos após o "Fim", que eu gostaria de ressaltar.

[@SpiderMan-gf1lc]

​@@PrAlexandreGracianonah, prefiro que meus filhos vejam orgias pagãs do que escutem meia palavra de moralismo cristão e moribundo.

[@user-vu8uq9wl8s]

أين تعيش هذه المخلوقات

[@jeezpeople3672]

Assuming people are from babadook, wtf is the octopus movie?

[@downwindone]

Wich songs are played?!?

[@gonzaloramosdelaguila5177]

Here's the reason why they considered Cakewalk diabolic.

[@susankinney1302]

It’s pretty interesting in a history of film vein. How did they do those FX back then? I enjoyed the music as well, but the “black face” characters made me quezie.

[@aburninglandfillofbadmovie2930]

Georges Melies (director) was a trained world elite stage magician, thats how he did quite a few of his FX.

[@samaval9920]

Blackface was no doubt due to popularity of faux US African American dance music song, in W (& ?) Europe, N & S America, early 1800s th lmid? 1900s Al Jolson wsh US too blackface singer actor, even in b & w (& 1 or 2 color ?) films, Absurdly, s late as 1960s Taiwan Province of China had a Chinese Al Jolson imitator-- blackface, faux US African American songs like Swanee, Mammie, etc. Oi ve!! ( famous E Euro Jewish exclamation of problem or crisis often used in humor.)

[@susankinney1302]

@@samaval9920 I understand it was a sign of the times, and I am not saying we should avoid these films. From an historical perspective they are very informative. Still, it makes me uneasy to see it.

[@samaval9920]

There were probably critics at that time- N S Caribbean etc African background people- there are no doubt denunciations from WEB DuBois, Aime Césaire, Léopold Senghor, Joséphine Baker etc.?

[@samaval9920]

⁠@@susankinney1302Thé colonial slavery govs & businesses sort of started different color face performances, as they often let Africans & Indigenous peoples social political safety valve when they could dress up like wealthy white W Euros, at 1st in critical satirical way, later ordinary way. Events included Carnaval, Christmas?. every Sunday, etc. started in 17?00s. At 1st, agricultural landowners, makers let oppressed slaves & servants satirize them, later, landowners, bankers, mfgersetc. satirized oppressed & exploited slaves later ex slaves ( no doubt any & all non Euros & E Euros?)