Whilst focussing its (1:33 ratio) vision retrospectively The Artist posses modern questions about cinema. As new trends in cinema emerge what happens to the exponents of the old? Does a great story require additional flourishes of innovation to make an audience want to engage?
The Artist begins with protagonist George Valentin adored but far from adorable - despite his four-legged personality appendage - at the top of his game at the height of silent cinema; and charts his downfall and potential resurrection. Its a simple story with flourishes of the reverential and the innovative. Set pieces pay homage to the time but also reference contemporary classic scenes; it take liberties with the music and its 'silentness' (in a great sequence) and there are some fab wipes and fades. It's engaging from the off, and its initial naivety and peppiness (no pun intended) a joy. There's a point midway where Valentin begins to lose empathy and whilst we can understand the complexity of the relationship with prodigy turned nemesis Peppy Miller, its much more difficult to understand why Mrs V has bothered to stay around as long as she has.
However, just when it is in danger of losing itself, the third act brings it all round; its terrific. Dark, emotive, fun, heart-warming and just staying the right side of melodrama. That The Artist is silent and black and white is irrelevant. That it allowed me to 'feel' (and has a stunner of a pay off comparable with Some Like It Hot) makes it a worthy addition to the art form it so wonderfully pays homage to.
For me a real lost opportunity, am pleased that someone came up with the idea but displeased that the director of the appalling OSS movies got to the helm.
ReplyDeleteBland, conventional, lacking in originality, little use of in-jokes given the opportunities available, hackneyed screenplay and gutter poor humour. It didn't have to be this way. Uggie the dog is Eddie from Frasier, the plot is A Star is Born but give me James Mason and Judy Garland any day and nothing of originality arises from the mire - you can pay homage and be clever.
Have a look at L'Atalante re-released this week, City Lights, The Gold Rush and especially Sunrise, romantic witty movies made ninety years ago that have more thought, humour, charm and art in any one scene than in the entire ninety minutes of this fraud.
Silence needn't signify lack of adventure.
2/10
Geoff - I think your in for a BAFTA rant in a couple of weeks time....
ReplyDeleteMethinks you're right Mark. Unfortunately not a great deal of good stuff in competition, and I reckon critics will look back in embarrassment in a few years at 2012 and the awards success of The Artist, a little like Ordinary People beating Raging Bull or the bewildering lauding of Forrest Gump, Shakespeare In Love, Kramer V Kramer, Terms of Endearment, etc etc. Maybe I should just go to the pub on Sun 12?
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