Georges Méliès, a legendary name. He has been a magician, a toymaker, and a robot. What is most remembered by the world is that he made more than 500 short films in the beginning of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Although less than half are still left, there is still no shortage of classics, and it was a sensation back then. He is a veritable pioneer of special effects and a master of science fiction. His masterpiece "Travel to the Moon" tells the story of six scientists who landed on the moon and battled natives. He is considered the originator of science fiction movies and stop-motion animation. However, changes in audience tastes and the outbreak of World War I made his Verne or Journey to the West style movies gradually fall out of favor. In 1913, the Star Film company he founded went bankrupt; ten years later, the theater he had painstakingly managed was demolished. In a rage, he burned many of his negatives and props, retired, and opened a toy candy shop in Paris' Montparnasse station (Montparnasse). In his later years, he was remembered again by the film industry, and a commendation meeting was held for him, and the Lumière brothers personally awarded him the Medal of Honor. In the last few years of his life, he has been dedicated to encouraging and helping young filmmakers. Although life is still poor, he has not been able to make movies anymore. Before he died, he said to his friend: "laugh for me, because I dream your dreams."
The Méliès in the film basically conforms to the above historical facts, while the little boy Hugo as the title of the film is fictitious, with "Notre Dame de Paris" and "Fog". The shadow of "Orphans". It was a good idea to use a mysterious robot to elicit the secret behind the old man in the toy store. But the problem is that the main line is too thin, and the branches are too scattered; the character is too simple, and the feelings are superficial. The surprise made in the middle felt completely unnecessary. The sublimation lines that popped out suddenly could only be ridiculous (for example, "I am born to be useful"). The love of the police officer and the interaction between the two children are almost the same. In short, the pale plot dilutes the ingenious theme, making the film look like that well-functioning robot without a soul.
Of course, there are also bright spots in the film, such as Hugo's double dream: the train in the first dream pays tribute to the Lumiere brothers' "Train Into the Station" and reproduces the train derailment at Montparnasse Station in 1895; The transformation of the second layer is somewhat post-modern.
The film won 11 nominations including best film and best director at the 84th Oscar, which was the most in the current year, but the final 5 awards were all technical awards. The praise of the film critics failed to exchange for a good box office harvest, coupled with the high cost of 150 million, resulting in the three months of now being released and still unable to make ends meet.
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