I think that context is really critical in evaluating these snippets from early cinema. For those that have no experience with what combat is other than the primitive still photographs, this little film gives a feel for the fortunes of war. While it is lacking in an explanation (which may have been the case at that time) we at least get a sense of things. The special effects are laughable by modern standards, but try putting yourself in this milieu.

This short film has surely certain historic significance. We see a bunch of soldiers fighting and firing hard in order to keep their castle but before half of the films slightly under 60 seconds is over they realize they can't succeed and retreat. Promptly the enemy forces climb over the wall and the second half of the film is theirs. Now that they're inside, the next obstacle is a heavy door, but even this one can't stop them as they brought dynamite with them. Everybody takes a step back, one guy lights it and goes back in safety again and BOOM. Explosion and the door is a thing of the past. As we see the enemy forces rush inside, the curtain falls. Pretty good reenactment of war action by Méliès here who shows he's also the master of explosion when it's not one of his magic-themed films, but instead a brutal depiction of combat.

Surrender of Tournavos, The (1897) ** 1/2 (out of 4) aka La Prise de Tournavos Here's a Melies film that doesn't contain any magic tricks or anything to do with the supernatural. In the film, four soldiers are against a brick wall trying to defend their city but the enemy eventually breaks in and uses dynamite to break through a wall. This short doesn't contain anything Melies is really known for but it does contain some nice action scenes within its short running time. The film has some nice direction and it's certainly better made than the majority of the action films made at this point in history. If you're new to the director then this isn't the best place to start but it's interesting for fans.

This is a nice little war scene: some Zoaves spike a petard to a door and blow it up in what is supposed to be, I suppose, Tournavos. A fairly good reenactment for the era, but nothing outstanding..... except for the set design. Have you ever notice how three-dimensional and realistic even the most fantastic of Melies' sets look? He drew them himself. There's certainly more variation than in that single field in New Jersey in which Edison's unit shot all their battle scenes.This is one of the many previously lost or infrequently seen Melies pictures that have been made available by Serge Bromberg, David Shepherd and a myriad of other hands in the newly issued DVD set GEORGES MELIES: FIRST WIZARD OF CINEMA. Required viewing for anyone interested in the history of movies ..... and a lot of fun.