Filmmaker Georges Méliès was originally a stage magician. In some ways this really helped his film, as he used a lot of camera tricks to create illusions to wow audiences and was a heck of an innovator. But on the other, he also tended to make the same style of film again and again and again and again. Of his 500+ films, at least a hundred of them are pretty much like "La Planche du Diable"...with a magician doing his act on stage in front of a camera. Sure, a few details are different (such as the great camera trick involving cut out holes in a plank) but overall it's just too much like so many other films he made that it's really only for his most devoted fans to see this one. And, if you care to, it's currently posted on YouTube.
4 Reviews
Not really devilish
Horst_In_Translation2 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This is another short film by the notable silent filmmaker Geogres Méliès and he shot this one in 1904, so over 110 years ago. The title is a bit misleading here in my opinion. Apparently, things you don't understand were, back then, associated with evil as there is nothing about the devil in here really. It's basically another stage show by Méliès that runs for 2 minutes and includes a handful tricks on people appearing and disappearing out of nowhere. He also has several helpers here. The film is silent, black-and-white and is probably among Méliès lesser known works. That's fine though as I found it really not that spectacular compared to other films Méliès made, especially other films which were pretty graphic about evil and the Devil. Not recommended.
Devilish Plank
Michael_Elliott24 July 2008
Devilish Plank, The (1904)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
aka La Planche du diable
French director Melies plays a magician here who creates a plank with two large holes it it that allows women to float up through them. This is a fairly interesting film but even at just under two-minutes the thing drags in spots. The trick of having the women float through the hole looked pretty good and the effects hold up well but it's rather tame compared to other film's the director did and nothing here really stands out on its own.
** 1/2 (out of 4)
aka La Planche du diable
French director Melies plays a magician here who creates a plank with two large holes it it that allows women to float up through them. This is a fairly interesting film but even at just under two-minutes the thing drags in spots. The trick of having the women float through the hole looked pretty good and the effects hold up well but it's rather tame compared to other film's the director did and nothing here really stands out on its own.
Mediocre
Hitchcoc15 November 2017
A plank is put between two sawhorses (or something) and a couple of baskets are added. Two overdressed women come out of the baskets. There are a few minor tricks and the show ends. It seemed lazy and rather uninteresting. These later Melies offerings are really haphazard and not much fun. He was trying to do too much for the audience. I don't know why the plank was so magical.
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