L’éventail animé (The animated fan)

Director: Émile Cohl
Release Date: June 12, 1909
Rating: ★★★★
Review:

Despite its title ‘L’éventail animé’ is not an animated film, but the first of several films by Émile Cohl consisting of tableaux vivants. I’m including the film in this blog because it’s interesting to watch Émile Cohl’s very diverse oeuvre as a whole.

‘L’éventail animé’ shows ladies and their fans throughout the ages, e.g. Eve, Sappho, Cleopatra, empress Messalina, Aude (a character in ‘Chanson de Roland’), and a modern woman. The action is set in a fan-shaped frame, and the tableaux are remarkably beautiful and stylized. On the DVD the film is greatly enhanced by a lovely score using guitar and harp.

Watch ‘L’éventail animé’ yourself and tell me what you think:

‘L’éventail animé’ is available on the DVDs ‘Émile Cohl – L’agitateur aux mille images’