A young orphan named Hugo Cabret lives in the walls of a train station in 1931 Paris. Hugo has been trying to repair this metal boy called an automaton. Before Hugo’s father died, the both of them were working on the automaton. Hugo makes friends with Isabelle, a young lady who assists her Godfather, Papa Georges, at a toy booth in the train station. Hugo shows Isabelle the automaton and she happens to have a key that will activate it. The automaton draws a picture and signs the name of Isabelle’s Godfather, Georges Melies. Hugo and Isabelle are curious to know how the automaton is linked to Georges. They decide to investigate Georges Melies’ past.
Blaine: Adults know Martin Scorsese more than kids because through his career he’s made a lot of R rated films. Martin had been trying to find a project he could direct that would be suitable for children. Martin’s youngest daughter, Francesca, was eleven at the time and she couldn’t see any of her father’s work. Francesca read Brian Selznick’s book, “Hugo”, and suggested to Martin that he make it into a film. “Hugo” was not just a book good enough for kids, but it was also a tribute to cinema because the main character is in love with cinema and the plot involves an icon, Georges Melies. Screenwriter John Logan wasn’t interested in adapting a story for children, but Martin insisted he at least look at the book and John couldn’t believe how big the book was when it arrived in the mail. John started to understand why Martin would be interested in adapting a book like this into a movie. Author Brian Selznick watched Georges Melies’ “A Trip to the Moon” and he did a lot of research on the guy. Brian was amazed by Georges Melies’ story on who he was in the beginning, how he got in the film business, how it fell and how it came back. Brian then had an idea about a boy who would meet Georges Melies and that’s how “Hugo” started. George Melies was a passionate guy, was an icon, had a lot of imagination and was an inspiration to cinema because he was known to be one of the first filmmakers.
George Melies started off as a shoemaker, but it wasn’t his thing so he sold his half of the company and became a magician. Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin was a popular magician in the 18th century and Melies’ idol. George created his own magic tricks and he bought Robert-Houdin’s theater to do his magic. Melies met the love of his life at that theater, Fanny Manieux. Fanny was there before Georges showed up and she became his assistant. In 1895, Georges found a new passion and that was moving images. The very first movie was of a moving train and Georges was at the first screening. Georges wanted to buy a camera from the Lumiere brothers, but they saw no future in it. That didn’t stop Georges Melies. He found parts to make his own camera while visiting England. Georges sold Robert-Houdin’s theater to create his own movie business. Georges’ studio looked like a greenhouse because it was made of glass and that was just to let in a lot of light. Georges was still considered to be a magician because he was doing magic through cinema. One day, Georges was out shooting, there was a bus, the camera was having problems and then when it was working again, the bus was gone and a hearse took it’s place. That gave Georges an idea to take a person or object out of the frame and replace it with something else. It was not only a movie trick, but also a unique way to edit a film. Georges did everything, write, direct, design and act. Georges Melies made 500 movies. For sixteen years, Georges’s was a success, until World War I ruined everything. The men that were returning were damaged after what they saw in battle. Georges was losing his business. A lot of films weren’t so lucky. They got melted down into shoe chemicals, which was a nightmare because Georges’ didn’t like making shoes. Georges became broke and ended up working in a toy booth. Georges Melies did have a happy ending. 200 of his films managed to make it and he was honored for his work.
To recreate everything that is Georges Meleies was really something for Martin Scorsese. Martin would direct the behind the scenes of Georges Melies at work. It was like traveling back in time for a lot of people on set. Martin Scorsese had recently worked with Ben Kingsley on “Shutter Island” and he was on Martin’s mind as he was looking at old photographs of Georges Melies. Georges’ great-great granddaughter, Pauline Duclaud-Lacoste, visited the set while they were shooting “Hugo” one day, saw Ben Kingsley in full makeup and was amazed how much he looked like Georges Melies. With the help of his team, Martin Scorsese was able to make “Hugo” look like a piece of art. They used certain textures to use for the film, mainly in the blue and orange section, and the color choices make it look fresh and light a lot of the time. Robert Richardson was Martin’s cinematographer on “Casino”, “The Aviator” and “Shutter Island” and Martin thinks he is a wonderful artist. There’s one close up shot of Ben Kingsley’s eye at the beginning and you can see a clock reflecting on his eye pupil. Another shot is during the scene where Hugo takes Isabelle to the theater so she can see a movie for the first time. The light from the camera projector hits Chloe Grace Moretz from behind.
“Hugo” takes place in Paris, but the accents the actors use sound more British than French. Speaking of British, Chloe Grace Moretz tricked Martin Scorsese by making him believe she was a British actress when she had auditioned. Chloe went through a few more auditions pretending she was British and when Martin told her she got the job she said “Ok thanks Martin” using her real American accent. Martin Scorsese was shocked to find out Chloe was American believing she was British this whole time. Georges Melies had two granddaughters in real life, Isabelle and Madeleine and Chloe’s character is based on them. They were both curious and loved an adventure and that’s what Isabelle, the character, is like. Isabelle is good at comforting people, like when Hugo is down and in tears, she’s the shoulder to cry on. Isabelle is also trying to figure out what her purpose is in life because Hugo fixes things and wants to try and help Georges Melies. In the end, Isabelle knows what her goal is and that is to write Hugo’s story on how he brought happiness back into George Melies’ life.
The station inspector had have a lot of character to him compared to how he is in the book and Martin thought it would be prefect if Sacha Baron Cohen played the inspector because he is one of the best character actors. Sacha had a lot of ideas for the inspector. Sacha suggested that the inspector have this false leg after losing his real leg in the war, but while they were thinking of a chase scene where the inspector is after Hugo, Sacha realized that maybe he shouldn’t have a false leg. During that scene the leg would fall off and come right out at the audience in 3D. Sacha realized because “Hugo” was going to be a movie kids were going to see they might be freaked out by it. They went with a leg brace instead. One of the things John Logan added to the screenplay was dogs and Martin Scorsese had never worked with dogs before, so he hired animal specialists. John thought the inspector should have a Doberman pinscher because it’s known to be scary and the inspector had to be slightly dangerous for young kids to be around. The inspector also has a sweet side to him. He likes the girl who works in the flower department. Hugo’s an handy boy and he invents a device for the inspector’s leg. Hugo can bring out the best of the worst.
Sir Ben Kingsley made Georges Melies look as though he has no soul through out the movie because he has lost so much. Georges believes Hugo to be something like a bad luck charm through out the film, but then Georges realizes that he’s not the only one who’s had it rough or has lost so much. Hugo lost his loving father and lost his home. Hugo devoted himself to repairing the automaton because it’s the only thing left to remember his father. It was a project they were doing together as father and son. The automaton is known as the heart of the movie because for one it keeps Hugo company. The automaton meant everything to Georges Melies and for a long time he thought it was destroyed, along with everything else he created. But Hugo’s father managed to take the automaton out of the museum before it burned down. Hugo was not only able to repair the automaton, but also make him look brand new. Hugo returns the automaton to Georges and it brings him joy. Hugo would die just to make Georges happy again and he nearly died just to get the automaton off the train tracks after it fell in. Georges Melies has misjudged Hugo. Hugo has not only earned Georges Melies respect, but also a place in his heart. Georges Melies takes in Hugo and he becomes a part of Melies' family. Things are getting better for George Melies. His automaton is still in one piece, he joins a film club with people who still love and admire both him and his work. Also a lot of films are recovered and the club shows Georges Melies’ work to a new audience.
My rating on “Hugo” is four and a half out of five stars
