Final answer:
The magician and early filmmaker who used editing to create tricks such as a rocket striking the moon was Georges Méliès, known for his film ‘A Trip to the Moon’, which is considered the first science fiction movie.
Step-by-step explanation:
The magician and early filmmaker known for using editing techniques to create "tricks" like the images of a rocket striking the moon is Georges Méliès. Méliès was an innovative director whose approach to special effects and narrative storytelling made a significant impact in the evolution of cinema.
His most famous work, A Trip to the Moon (Le Voyage dans la lune), created in 1902, is considered the first science fiction movie and a milestone in film history for the groundbreaking use of movie editing and special effects, including the iconic scene of a rocket ship landing in the moon's eye.
Through the techniques developed by Georges Méliès, we witnessed the early demonstrations of the power of editing and the imagination in film, which paved the way for modern cinematic special effects.
The narrative of A Trip to the Moon also echoes the actual spaceflights that much later resulted in humanity's landmark achievements, such as the Apollo 11 Moonwalk in 1969.
These early film techniques allowed audiences at the time to dream about space travel long before it became a reality, showcasing the moon and providing an imaginative exploration of what space might hold.