The Illusionist
Directed by: Sylvain Chomet (based on an unfinished screenplay by Jacques Tati)
Synopsis: Details the story of a dying breed of stage entertainer whose thunder is being stolen by emerging rock stars. Forced to accept increasingly obscure assignments in fringe theaters, garden parties and bars, he meets a young fan who changes his life forever.
Brought to you by: Django Films
Expected release date: premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, US release TBA.
Jose: A lot has been made recently about the power of films as means of rebirth; Sylvain Chomet takes this to the extreme and quite literally brings Jacques Tati back from the dead to star in the one film he never got to make. Based on a screenplay the French master wrote, the story follows magician Tatischeff (a character based on Tati himself in the way Mr. Hulot was) as he copes with changing times. I'm torn: is this sacrilegious or completely inspired? As much as I love classic film stars brought back to life and in most cases introduced to younger generations, there is always an element that could go bad and said movie star isn't even here to defend his position anymore.
Nathaniel: I'm never sure about artists riffing on or conjoined with or forcefully grafted to other artists. It's nerve wracking to me as to whether any of those creative chemicals should be paired. Though obviously sometimes it's thrilling (Far From Heaven!) But if anyone can revive Tati, why not a spiritual descendant in dialogue free syncopated visual gags?
Dave: I must confess I've never seen a Tati film (don't hurt me), but this film appeared on my list thanks to the name of Sylvain Chomet alone - The Triplets of Belleville might just be my favourite animated feature of the last ten years, and we live in a Pixar world! The style of animation was so inscrutable, and the lack of dialogue probably puts the majority of people off, but you'd think something like that would be cold and emotionless whereas it was completely the opposite. But then maybe I'm just weird.
Putting dead people back on-screen is a risky proposition, but this isn't Laurence Olivier and we're not in the World of Tomorrow - I've immense faith that Chomet chose to do this with of deep admiration and respect for Tati. Perhaps the young fan in the film reflects Chomet himself? Not that I believe Chomet will be without the smarts to be blindly adoring of his subject - Belleville showed a knack for ironic self-awareness and a macabre playfulness that you just don't get in another animated films.
- Russian trailer for the film -
Jose: Of course! When I remember The Triplets of Belleville I think perhaps Chomet's idiosyncratic (and very French) take on animation will be wonderful paired with Tati's genius for gags. Can you imagine how hard it must've been to animate something like Playtime?
Nathaniel: Strangely given their copyright dates I've seen Playtime far more recently than Belleville so I can't remember if Belleville's visual idiosyncracies are worthy of Tati's brilliance. Playtime is just... gah! But I love ambitious animation.Dave: Oh, and I do hope we get a song or two. 'Belleville Rendez-Vous' still gets regular play from me. The things you can do with kitchen appliances...
Jose: Well people... is The Illusionist music to your ears or the sound of disaster?
"We Can't Wait: Summer and Beyond"
The "orphan" picks Nathaniel (Burlesque), JA (Love and Other Drugs), Jose (You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger), Craig (What's Wrong With Virginia?), Robert (True Grit) and Dave (Brighton Rock); Team Film Experience Countdown #12 It's Kind of a Funny Story, #11 Sex & the City 2, #10 Scott Pilgrim vs the World, #9 Somewhere, #8 The Kids Are All Right, #7 The Illusionist, #6 Toy Story 3, #5 Inception, #4 Rabbit Hole, #3 Never Let Me Go, #2 Black SwanThe Tree of Life. and #1
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