Saturday, January 28, 2012

THE ARTIST


Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius
Run Time: 100 min

In the age of 3D movies and heavy special effect, a silent film titled The Artist steal the attention. Made as a homage and love letter to cinema (just like Martin Scorsese's Hugo which I haven't seen up to now), this film even incorporate technical aspect of the silent period like shooting at 22 frames per second, 1:33 aspect ratio and the campy acting. Not in wide screen, 3D even not in IMAX? This must be insane. But insane is the word, together with 'underdog' and we all know how Hollywood loves underdog movies in this award season. Silent is golden this time.

Opens in 1927 the protagonist is George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), attending the premiere of his own movie. He's famous and rich, having a mansion and legions of fans. During the premiere he accidentally kissed a nobody named Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo). The kiss was immortalized in a movie newspaper. Seeing that as a capital, Miller start using that newspaper edition to  get inside the movie business.

The film tracks the ascent of Miller into the show business and George's popularity (and financial) decline due to the new technology that allowed movies to have sound. George seem reluctant to adapt to the new technology, in fact he insisted of making his own silent movie from his own pocket in the time of the peak of Miller's popularity with her talking movie.

It is a feel good and heartwarming movie for everyone to watch and the music background is amazing. However if you try to put this film with other 'real' silent movie, the story is just fine, not great but just fine. But in time where cinema has done more than just talking, this is some sort of breathe of fresh air for movie goers. That is if you are not lazy enough to read subtitles. You don't have to be an avid silent film fan to understand this film since the story is universal and easy to understand.

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