Which French film invoves a train crashing into the sun?

May 11, 2006 6:10 PM

I'm looking for a very old French film where some characters take a train that eventually takes off an crashes into the sun.

It's really old, pre WW1 I think and I believe all of the cells were individually painted. If anyone has the title, availability or knows if it's available in the public domain that'd be helpful.

posted by takeyourmedicine to media & arts (10 comments total)

The Impossible Voyage.
posted by eschatfische at 6:16 PM on May 11, 2006

Also, yep, it's old enough to be in the public domain in the US. It's also available on DVD and other media.
posted by eschatfische at 6:19 PM on May 11, 2006

Excellent response as usual.

View the film, with audio commentary at Google video
posted by takeyourmedicine at 6:27 PM on May 11, 2006

You should definitely look at Le Voyage Dans La Lune too (also Georges Melies, sans accent). Great sci-fi movie... one of those things you look at and go, wow. pulp sci fi hasn't changed in 100 years, just gotten a little bit more subtle.
posted by devilsbrigade at 6:47 PM on May 11, 2006

Spoiler alert! Apparently it crashes into the sun.
posted by Dunwitty at 8:27 PM on May 11, 2006

Apolgies for the spolier, that was the only distinguishing feature I could remember!
posted by takeyourmedicine at 8:42 PM on May 11, 2006

Well I think you're pretty well covered here. According to Seinfeld (or some other sitcom), there's a grace period during which a book or film should not be spoiled. After that, it's pretty hard to assert "I was just going to see that! Next week!"

I'm sure it's shorter than 50 years...
posted by Dunwitty at 8:56 PM on May 11, 2006

Penny Arcade seems to have the same opinion.
posted by danb at 10:29 PM on May 11, 2006

I think The Usual Suspects should be immune from that rule - everyone deserves to see that one.

Le voyage a travers l'impossible? Not so much. :)
posted by pinespree at 12:20 AM on May 12, 2006

You can download the video from megauploads here as a 39.86 mb mpeg
posted by puke & cry at 6:08 AM on May 12, 2006