The Merry Frolics of Satan (1906)
January 1, 1906Release Date
The Merry Frolics of Satan (1906)
January 1, 1906Release Date
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Plot.
Where to Watch.
Currently The Merry Frolics of Satan is available for streaming online, rent, buy or watch for free on: Criterion Channel
Streaming in:🇺🇸 United States
Cast & Crew.
Media.
Details.
Release DateJanuary 1, 1906
Original NameLes quatre cents farces du diable
StatusReleased
Running Time22m
Genres
Wiki.
The Merry Frolics of Satan (French: Les Quat'Cents Farces du diable, literally The Four Hundred Tricks of the Devil) is a 1906 French silent film by Georges Méliès. The film is an updated comedic adaptation of the Faust legend, borrowing elements from two stage féerie spectaculars: Les Pilules du diable (1839), a classic stage fantasy with knockabout comedy, and Les Quatre Cents Coups du diable (1905), a satirical update of Les Pilules du diable to which Méliès had contributed two sequences, one of which he incorporated into the present film.
In addition to directing and acting in it, Méliès supervised all aspects of the film's design and trick effect work, including extensive use of stage machinery, in his lavishly individual style, which was already unusual in the mass production-dominated French film industry. The film follows the adventures of an ambitious engineer who abandons his family and responsibilities when he barters with the Devil (played by Méliès himself) for superhuman powers. The engineer is forced to face the unexpected consequences of his barter, including a dizzying ride through the sky.