What It’s About: Astronomers use a giant cannon to shoot themselves to the moon, where they must escape from the inhabitants to journey back to Earth.

Why Watch it Today?: Early French filmmaker and special effects film pioneer Georges Melies was born today in 1861.  Melies created many of the basic camera tricks and special effects and made some of the first science fiction and horror films, including today’s film which was loosely based on works by Jules Verne and H. G. Wells and is often referenced in advertising and videos.

Where to Get It:  Melies films are all public domain and available on YouTube, the Internet Archive, and more.