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A Trip to the Moon

Name: A Trip to the Moon
Director: Walter Lantz
Released: 1917
Duration: 3 min

Representation Score

1.1/10

Minimal

1917

Director

Walter Lantz

Runtime

3 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

This 1917 animation is a product of its time, relying on established comic strip archetypes rather than intentional narrative subversion. The story follows a singular male protagonist through a dream sequence, adhering to the slapstick traditions of early 20th-century animation. The film lacks depth in representing various identities, presenting a homogeneous cast and reinforcing traditional social hierarchies. While it uses a subjective dream framework, the core themes remain within conventional Western comedic clichés. Ultimately, the work functions as a typical period piece. It does not challenge existing social structures or provide representation for diverse identities, reflecting the limited casting and narrative standards of the early 1910s.

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Category Breakdown

Does A Trip to the Moon have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses on a male protagonist and includes a brief encounter with a ballerina. There are no non-binary or LGBTQ+ identities or intimate moments between same-sex characters.

How does A Trip to the Moon portray gender?

Limited

The story revolves around a male protagonist who drives the plot. Female characters are limited to a ballerina's performance, serving as a decorative element rather than having their own choices.

How racially and ethnically diverse is A Trip to the Moon?

Minimal

The film features a localized setting centered on a specific comic strip character. There is no mention of a diverse cast or characters of different races or ethnicities with their own choices.

How does A Trip to the Moon represent religion and culture?

Limited

The themes align with traditional Western comedic structures and the classic hero's journey. The resolution supports traditional institutions like law enforcement without challenging them.

Does A Trip to the Moon include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no visible or invisible disabilities shown in the film. No characters use disability as a plot device or a source of mockery.

Present on Screen

The film uses a creative dream framework to explore a fantastical journey to the moon.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks women's ability to drive the story, reducing women to decorative or performative roles.
The cast is homogeneous, lacking racial or ethnic diversity.
There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth characters.

Official Synopsis

Based on the Happy Hooligan comic strip, by Frederick Burr Opper. Happy speaks with someone in the park and takes a trip to the moon on a rocket that looks like the front half of a current racing car, where he is made king of the moon. A ballerina does a shimmy and Our Hero winds up back in the park being accosted by a cop. The inference is that he has fallen asleep and dreamed the entire trip.

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