This is one of a series of short films directed by Emile Cohl, usually in collaboration, in which a series of linked images are shown -- in this case, linked by crowns of various sorts. The scenes are framed, in this by an elliptical wreath, reproducing one of the crowns.
Although there is movement, this is actually a series of tableaux vivantes pieces, in which famous images, often paintings were produced by living actors. In many ways it was a matter of film grammar: was the unit of a movie -- the sentence of the novelette, if you will -- was it the shot or the scene? This sort of composition, in which you could remove the shot from the movie and frame it largely died out by 1920 -- but has been revived, occasionally ham-handedly, I feel, by directors who translate graphic novels to movies -- and who will often settle on a particular frame from the graphic novel for quite a long time.
In the meantime, here it is in its full flower. See what you think of the technique.
Although there is movement, this is actually a series of tableaux vivantes pieces, in which famous images, often paintings were produced by living actors. In many ways it was a matter of film grammar: was the unit of a movie -- the sentence of the novelette, if you will -- was it the shot or the scene? This sort of composition, in which you could remove the shot from the movie and frame it largely died out by 1920 -- but has been revived, occasionally ham-handedly, I feel, by directors who translate graphic novels to movies -- and who will often settle on a particular frame from the graphic novel for quite a long time.
In the meantime, here it is in its full flower. See what you think of the technique.