[critical] The Artist

 

Hollywood 1927. George Valentin is a star of the silent movies who always smiles. The arrival of the talkies is going to sink into oblivion. Peppy Miller, a young extra, will be propelled in the firmament of the stars. This film tells the story of their crossed destinies, or how fame, pride and money can be obstacles to their love story.

Author’s Note

[rating:9/10]

• Release Date : October 19, 2011

• Directed by Michel Hazanavicius

• Film French

• With Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman

• Duration : 1h40min

• Trailer :

The Artist, presented at the Cannes film Festival (and acclaimed), is a film expected by all. It should not be less than two hours of waiting in the Theater for the Unicorn for the accredited “Cannes Cinephile” to sit in the room. This film tickles our curiosity : a feature-length film in black-and-white and silent, moreover, is, let us say, rather, dare. Far from being a bet suicidal, The Artist impressed us from the first images.

This film is best enjoyed in its entirety. you think You have already lived this experience, thanks to retrospectives of the films of the beginning of the film ? In reality, this new projection will be different. In fact, The Artist, unlike the classical era, speaks to us, modern people. The Artist does not warm the past but we truly offers something new. It is the experience of the mute seems to us real.

We find all the characteristics of the silent era through many of the tributes to various important periods of Hollywood cinema. The most striking, and tasty, is this love of the image, and more particularly of the faces. We never get tired of close-ups that showcase Bérénice Bejo, the actress who embodies Peppy Miller. The Artist seduces us with the music and the image. This is why the burst of his assault us fiercely and takes us back to a reality in less light. The film seems to be the apologist for dumb, because even the end ends in music and not really ” sound “.

We can, however, ask us some questions. This film is intended mainly to cinephiles ? The references to silent films are not uncommon and are at the origin of some of the nods to the comic. Is it that this film may have the same magnitude out of a room ? The device itself gives us the illusion of an experience of yesteryear…

In any case, this movie worked perfectly, with of course a Jean Dujardin’s expressive always master of his charisma. It would have been difficult to find a better actor to take this role. The humor is tasty and paced perfectly for the film. It is now hoped that other films do not fly this principle, because this is all the exception of The Artist is precisely his difference in this world of colors and sounds.