Naval Combat in Greece (1897) User Reviews

This Boat Is Made for Rocking

[Hitchcoc · 5/10 · 10 November 2017]

This time Melies takes us on board a ship for combat. There is a good deal of firing of cannons. The problem is that if this were a true warship, the sailors couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. The boat is never even remotely steady. Standing up is the real challenge. Still, it works OK for the entire minute we watch. Apparently, the theme of combat was in Melies' mind a good deal.

Naval Combat in Greece review

[JoeytheBrit · 5/10 · 22 April 2020]

The restrictions of early filmmaking prevent technical wizard Georges Melies from delivering much action, but his set is quite elaborate for the time, especially as it sways back and forth to simulate the rocking of a boat.

A movie that rocks

[boblipton · 7/10 · 25 December 2009]

This early Georges Melies film in a reenactment of events during naval combat in Greece: sailors come out of the hold and work the guns against enemy forces. By no means a particularly excellent piece, it can best be appreciated in the context of its own period: Melies sets the ship rocking back and forth against the background -- it seems to have been placed on rockers -- in what was, for the time, an unprecedented technique -- which is fairly typical for Melies, who worked as hard at his film illusions as he had on his stage illusions when he was a practicing magician.

For those who wish to see this piece with their own eyes, it can be found on the European Archives site.

Early Action Film

[Tornado_Sam · 22 July 2018]

The Greco-Turkish War, which occurred the same year Méliès shot this very brief film, was a big event. Although no naval clashes occurred in reality, the combat that takes place in this short is meant to be a reconstructed newsreel of an event from the war. Admittedly, it is not nearly as impressive in realism as Méliès's other two war films, "La Prise de Tournavos" and "Les Dernieres Cartouches" made the same year, but remains far above average for the time period. The action, which is also very good for the period, is hardly up to the standards of the two aforementioned films either; the use of smoke effects is impressive, but had been used far better in those other works.

Furthermore, while in 1897 this is as good as films got, it is easy to see now that this is not a real live filmed event. The set for the boat is very fake-looking now, obviously being a painted piece of card-board rocking back and forth against a backdrop (courtesy of the rocking platform Méliès built which he later used for "Between Calais and Dover" the same year). It does, however, contain a certain charm. The background set is decent but hardly convincing, and the acting is the usual type to be expected from this period in film history. Probably as good as could be hoped for considering the date, but Méliès's other war-reconstructed newsreels are much more realistic and it's clear he had difficulty transporting the realism of those shorts to a different setting.

You don't see this much rocking...even in a hurricane!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 21 July 2011]

This is a very quaint film from Georges Méliès. Seen today, you'll probably laugh at how antiquated it looks. However, keep in mind that this film is still way ahead of the norm for the era, as back in the late 1890s, most films were amazingly mundane--such as showing trains arriving at stations and people playing cards.

The film is a recreation of a scene from a naval battle off the Greek coast. The boats and backgrounds are clearly painted but what struck me was how the boat rocked. Heck, if it was in a hurricane it never would have rocked THIS fast! Obviously folks were off camera rocking the set up and down--but they did it so quickly you can't help but laugh. But, with a decent set, nice explosions and a decent style, it's still an intriguing look into the early work of this brilliant director.

Fair Melies Film

[Michael_Elliott · 25 August 2011]

Combat naval en Grèce (1897)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

aka Naval Combat in Greece

The title pretty much tells you everything you need to know about this Melies film. A captain (played by Melies) and his men are on a ship when they come under attack. The entire "special effect" here is that the ship is swirling back and forth as it comes under attack. Since that's all that happens for the entire minute, it's easy to say that this wouldn't be a good play for someone new to the director to start. Even die-hard fans might not be overly entertained by this thing simply because the film is missing that magical Melies touch. Looking at the movie it's well-made but at the same time it really doesn't jump off the screen and it certainly feels as if anyone could have directed. It might be unfair to the director but I think fans back then as well as of today have come to expect a certain level and this movie doesn't quite reach it.