Rip's Dream (1905)

In this imaginative fusion of Washington Irving's tale "Rip Van Winkle" and Robert Planquette's esteemed 1882 operetta, master director Georges Méliès crafts an exceptional woodland fantasy, Rip's Dream. This mesmerizing saga, spanning seventeen vivid scenes, seamlessly weaves the realm of reality with a rich tapestry of phantasmagoria. The protagonist, the affable Rip Van Winkle, is a man who revels in the simple pleasure of whiling away time at the inn with his companions. However, when he finds himself in hot water with the local authorities, Rip is compelled to take flight to the safety of the neighboring mountains, hotly pursued by soldiers and townsfolk. As Méliès deftly employs a blend of inspired stagecraft, mechanical wizardry, and cinematic special effects, Rip's ordeal commences. Exhausted from the relentless chase, Rip succumbs to a profound sleep, leading him to a hauntingly captivating dream sequence. A mountain spirit presents itself, morphing into a colossal serpent before splitting into three more mystical entities. The dream evolves into an eerie gathering of apparitions who decree that Rip must slumber for two decades. As the boundaries between stark reality and spectral fantasy blur, Rip finds himself condemned to a nearly mystical, twenty-year repose. As he slumbers, one can't help but wonder: will the world Rip knew remain the same, or will it change beyond recognition during his deep sleep?

Rip's Dream is a drama movie featuring Georges Méliès.

Rip's Dream is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.