On Connait La Chanson

Alain Resnais - 1997
A real joy of a film. With people's lives interweaving, responsibilities between them, compassion and understanding for every character. A modern film as well, simply and unpretentiously being set in its time. In all these ways, as well as in notions of theatricality, it approaches the brillaince of 'Va Savoir'.
Resnais' camera opts for pretty close views, and long takes. There are great moments, of complete virtuosity and very fun, involving cutting with jellyfish, various little jokes here and there like that.
Then of course the music, told as a homage to Dennis Potter. This is how emotions are well expressed, how people think. Extremely funny at times, but not in a mocking way, just in its power; Resnais has as much respect for the material as for his characters (Dussollier is a joy throughout- like the film).

A Star Is Born

George Cukor - 1954
Very much mature Cukor, which I like a lot. Hugely long takes, in the 'scope. The colours are vivid, strong reds usually. Framed very wide, often with a moving camera that is not scared to keep still, because why would one cut around this dancing? The compositions are well lit and clear, beautfiul at times, especially some huge sunsets, like near the end.
This is a fine musical, though I must say Wellman's worked a lot better as a social analysis, and for truth, due to his willingness to look at the ugly things, life before. Garland is never really anything but a star, gruff voice and all. The ending is trying to push something, but I was really very effected by it; the best of Hollywood, a refusal to accept the world as it is; love will conquer all, that means I damn well will do this, whatever the world says.

Gigi

Vincente Minnelli - 1958
The style; long, long 'scope takes. A;though it is constantly framing, and moves in and out a bit, the impression I got was of a still camera. There is great economy in the number of camera set-ups. It is really all in the quite straightforward staging, and in the constant bounce of the musical soundtrack that keeps it moving.
The compostions ar long shots, thin characters never taking up much of the frame. They can almost sink into the background. Shot from often noticeably high or low angles, the background can be busy, and is always magnificently coloured, garish one might say, in its self-consciously ridiculous evocation of Paris. Self-cnscious beauty enters once or twice; there is real achievement through purely cinematic means. Not especially the near-last sequence at backlight night with fountains, absurd in its horses and grandeur, but also a silent move around a deep thought process which ends with a complete character reversal.
And self-conscious this film is in many ways. Chevalier's narration taks, references throughout to the ridiculousness of the situation, really foreground this. Also note the voiceovers used with lips pursed in the image. It is also perhaps the first time I have heard singing voiceovers.
As part of the mis-en-scene are the long takes fits into this, in many ways this film is Minnelli having a conversation with itself; the film surely has a lot more to do with Minnelli than any of its characters. It is in many ways a portrait of a confused, fetishistic man, obsessed with fantasy. There is a remarkable speech where he speaks, in of course a cheery tone, of the crapness of everyday life. Then he moves into his fantasy. But it can't wholly be fantasy; that is invaded by the fact that they are all basically alcholics, that we all know Chevalier probably has severe mental problems, that the papers are malicious, and, well, suicide is constantly on the go. His Gigi is meant to be a respite, but he can't decide how he wants her; reality, fantasy, or some insane mash up. Where does one go?
This isn't really a narrative film, though it's worth paying attention to the one that does operate, for a few moments here and there. The ending is completely nuts, utterly arbitrary, complete fantasy of course (right after the deeply perverse dragging her back). The sheer arbitrariness of this surely is Minnelli's persona shining through in some ways. For all the trappings, a really very single minded work.

Peau d'Ane

One of a kind Jaques Demy film, starring Deneuve, adapted from a Perrault tale. 1970.
Colours! Costumes! Lights! Helicopters? It is difficult what to know what to make of the animals (Franju? Cocteau in various ways), the painted horses and faces. Surrealism? Not really. More like fantasy, obviously deeply Freudian, on at least the surface. Or 'just' a fairytale, which is always more, but don't look too hard. It all looks esecially weird beacuse the sets aren't actually too grand; there's not a ceiling in site.
Any easy free camera keeps well back to give us full bodies in the costumes, and a good look at the surrounding mis-en-scene. We also keep a distance from Deneuve, lit softly, as she too changes surprising us in being human. The two very different stories here are the gamut of the fairytale.
Demy makes both sides, in his attempt, of the Melies/ Lumiere distinction. The ordinary in the extraordinary, the extraordinary in the ordinary. One is still rather uncertain what on earth he is up to, if he is up to anything.

L'Une Chante, L'Autre Pas

Agnes Varda, 1977
It feels deeply cruel to take against this film, due to it being morally impeccable. Abd it doesn't even do this in an annoying way; it is, all flipness aside, of the upmost importance that this message is dispersed, picked up, examined. The women's movement has utterly lacked, due to the sexism of the industry, such examples, and for that this film is utterly necessary.
The lack of conflict, of worry and tension, in Varda's world does though lead to a certain case that this is basically a series of people that at least this viewer found rather annoying, doing rather annoying things. As written, this message is of course entirely right; but it lacks complexity (perhaps necessarilly, for the clear pedagogic function), and, when preaching to the converted, is not the most illuminating watch.

Perceval le Gallois

Slightly odd piece from Eric Rohmer, 1976
This is odd largely because of its almost kids-TV set, and archaic dialogue. The deliberate lack of realism does create some nice tableaus, especially later on. The general aim though is to show up the theatricality of what is happening. This features, in fact, in many of Rohmer’s films; the sense that something is being acted out for the audience’s benefit. It is very much in keeping with court-entertainment, the deliberately slightly knowing presentation of moral tales to educate and to entertain.
Rohmer shoots it with some establishing shots, but generally operates with his unobtrusive style of separating elements, though some two-shots for conversations. There is a bit of off-screen talking, and perhaps slightly more than usual panning, instead of cutting. Also, their some apparently near-direct attention to the audience. This lends the rest of the piece a further division of artifice.
We again have a male who seems certain of what he is doing, but is led astray and finds he is in fact under another’s influence (a woman’s). He does come to realise this, and what to make of this situation, this choice, is what motivates what goes on.
Things move along swiftly enough here, and the visual style is interesting, with cuts to the chorus-like musicians, each part of the scene being kept in its separate box, always commentating on itself. It is difficult to get too excited, and one must admit it gets a little boring; perhaps not one of Rohmer’s stronger works.

Von Heute auf Morgen

Straub-Huillet’s film of a staged version of a Schoenberg opera, 1996
However one finds Schoenberg, this is rather good. On a stage setting, so all from one side of the 180 line. A lot of the equivalent of shot/reverse stuff. Straub-Huillet use this to isolate characters from each other. The later reunions have them coming together.
The black and white marks a return to slightly more expressionist sets, note also the sheer bareness of the backdrop. As the very simple colour scheme; the white dress.
The story is completely nuts; pretty deeply morally troubling, one rather wonders what on earth is going on. Still, all in all, quite good fun. Baffling for reasons not so much usually associated with why Straub-Huillet are baffling.

Moses Und Aaron

A Schoenberg opera, filmed by Straub-Huillet in 1974
Quite a straight telling. Distincitve high angle and asymmetric shots, but very little cutting or movement. Similar to a staged opera.
Not just diagonal framings here, but often straight-on stuff.
Again, nothing outside the frame as those in it are absorbed. Shich when they jump out of the frame to die.
Again, a performance of a form not usually seen in film. Judged on music more?

Les Demoiselles de Rochefort

1967 work from Jacques Demy, a musical, with a clear follow on from '...Cherbourg'
more straightforward song and especially dance numbers
use of long takes, slow panning crane shots; certainly doesn't cut around
not that Demy is afraid to change the angle
the dancing is pleasingly loose, not over-choreographed/ acrobatic. Pleasingly human
use of a couple of shot-reverse to break up, and most notably head-on shot-reverse, with a number of to-camera occassions that heighten the unreality and give the film its knowing air (without underming the plot)
nice use of different staging constructions, with longer takes and shots shows inventive new waves of manoevring characters around, smart framings for comedy
same use of pastel colours, occassionally dropped for contrast, and always high-key
again, use of some pretty nasty plot stuff taken outside, giving a sense of connection
and the oil adverts; really quite funny
the story is deliberately playing with the audience, complete rubbish, but looking at those kind of plots at the same time
not quite as impressive as the masterful '...Cherbourg', with a slight sense of the sheer idiocy of the plotline not quite able to overcome its self-relexivity
still, charming and beautifully executed, Demy could certainly direct

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg)

Jacques Demy, 1964, with Catherine Deneuve
a musical, though without key songs; certainly disorientating at first
at once the singing gives it a bounce, the whole thing a kind of glow
but this isn't completely rose-tinted; the dialogue is pretty naturalistic
pretty kitchen-sink-ish stuff happening
use of music at once gives lives dignity, and demonstrates the slight ridiculousness of the Hollywood musical
use of long takes, floating camera, often mid to long shots
long takes, often only conclude when the camera gets too close
bright, pastel and primary colour colour schemes
each location has its own colours; enhances otherwordly theme
plot is really pretty realist; no sugary ending, without the music this would be pretty depressing at times
a fine, deeply different, piece of work

West Side Story

The Classic Musical, the 1950's update of the Romeo and Juliet story set in, well, the West Side of New York. Music by Bernstein, Lyrics by Sondheim Short of a couple of obvious known songs (America etc) the music isn't all too memorable, and the dancing isn't in the same league as your classic old Hollywood musicals. The story is perfunctory, with sweet if not rounded performances from our Romantic leads. The tragedy, for what it's worth, doesn't rise to anything more profound than a tick in the box for those reading along with the Shakespearean lines.
All the same, the story snaps along, the campness of the highly unrealistic gang warfare means there's always a frothy momentum to keep the viewer entertained, and such a mainstream movie exploring themes of immigration and racism from the outsider's perspective is to be applauded. A mildly distracting, if not particularly memorable, experience.