A Trip to the Moon

Georges Melies' black and white twelve minute film from 1902 was the first science fiction film and first animation.  film was projected at 16 frames per second, which was how films were measured in the earlier film days, and this actually was the standard frame rate at the time. You would think Melies would have made a nice profit, writing, directing and producing the first fiction film and animation, but unfortunately Thomas Edison's film technicians were secretly (now what would be called 'illegally') making copies and selling them. This film came right before the Nickelodeon Era, where people could pay 5 cents (NICKELodeon) to individually view a movie.

During this film, a rocket is carefully constructed  and the shell is seen being launched. Then "the shell pierces the eye of the moon", which to me looks like a giant cheese pizza with a face. The animation of it is the comedy of the film, quite different than comedy today. The shell crashes down and the men who had been contained inside get out and explore the landscape. There are stars with women for faces, explosions, and snow. This is before the astronomers are captured and taken to the King. At last, the shell drops into the sea. This film not meant to be serious, but a narrated fiction with real people and a fake background.