Movie: "The Artist" (2011)

[Bob Pr.]

"The Artist" (2011) B&W, silent, 100 min. PG-13* Genres: Romance,
Comedy, Drama. Stars: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, "Uggie" (Jack
Russell terrier), John Goodman. Plot: The 1920s Hollywood superstar
of silent films, the French speaking George Valentin (Dujardin, a la
Douglas Fairbanks, Rudolph Valentino), is bypassed when the "talkies"
take over movies (>1928). Then the 1929 stock market crash leaves
him penniless. Before his fall, he'd befriended ingenue Peppy Miller
(Bejo) who goes on to become a movie star; she rescues George, his
career, his dog, & chauffeur.
IMDb: 8.3 of 10 stars. The Artist (2011) - IMDb
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% of top critics rate it "ripe." The Artist - Rotten Tomatoes
Roger Ebert: 4 of 4 stars; "....one of the most entertaining films in
many a moon." The Artist :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews
Trailer: The Artist Trailer (TV Spot) - IMDb

WOW!!! What a charming, delightful movie at so many different levels.
"Uggie" (also in "Water for Elephants") has a supporting star role and is
now the subject of an internet campaign to make him Oscar eligible.
Perfect casting of Dujardin, Bejo, Uggie, Goodman; great dance numbers.
Nominated for 10 Oscars, if this film wins 6+, few critics will be surprised.
Destined to be a classic and comfortably within IMDb's list of the 250 all-
time best ever movies; (ETA: on 04/16/2012 it ranks #130 of those 250)

(As of early January 2012, not widely distributed, it's very much worth
waiting or driving for--except for those <10% who hate silent films.)

My vote: easily 10+ of 10 stars.

__________________________________________________ _
* PG-13: Apparently because of one brief gesture (flipping a
middle finger) and a scene in which a gun is displayed theateningly.

[Jan]

I'm seeing it next week. It's been getting rave reviews! Not showing at the main theatres though, just at the independent theatre.

[Bob Pr.]

B. & I have been looking forward to seeing it very much and, finally, it opened in Kansas City a few days ago. So we drove the 46 miles in and saw it last night; B's been raving about how great it is all day. Just a few minutes ago she read Roger Ebert's review of it (see the link to it in my post) -- it's a good read with some chuckles.

After you see "The Artist," please come back and tell us what you think. A very small %age of people who hate silent films and are utterly opposed to seeing them also, of course, hate this one. But look at IMDb's display of the voting by demographics -- The Artist (2011) - User ratings -- most people of any age and gender really love it.

[Jan]

It was a completely charming movie! Partway through the movie, I realized that it was quiet in the theatre -- we're used to *noise* during movies, not just musical accompaniment, and the audience was really listening, even though no one was talking on screen! I always like John Goodman, and though his role was small, he played it to the hilt. I also liked that the two leads are unknowns in North America... made it seem even more like an old-time movie.

[Bob Pr.]

000000000000000000000000

[CindersMyGirl]

A gentleman that comes into my work recommended this to me. I can't wait to see it, but rarely go to theaters so I'll wait until it goes to DVD. He said it was the best film he's ever seen...and he's seen a lot since he's in his 80's. =)

[Bob Pr.]

B. & I saw it again tonight and she said she enjoyed it even more seeing it the 2nd time.

I've been reading some of the Q&A comments in IMDb's message board for this movie and those alerted me to note some delightful tidbits that flew by me too fast the first time (e.g., a woman admires the dog Valentin is holding and says "if only he could talk.")

B. recommended to all her family and life-long friends that they see it and told them it was only 80% (or some such) silent (instead of 99.9%) and she was astonished to see how silent it is (except for the background music which is excellent).

I became even more impressed by the acting performance of Dujardin in the role of the somewhat smug/conceited but very human and gracious silent film super-star "Valentin." Dujardin studied many of the silent film actors to learn how to convey (so wonderfully) his inner emotions with his facial expressions and I'd grade him as A+++.

I'm now itching to see some of his French movies as the James Bond parody, Agent OSS-117.

Such a delightful, gratifying, satisfying film--(for 92% of people but definitely not for 8%)!!

[Paddysmom]

Going to see it tomorrow afternoon.

[Paddysmom]

Dujardin - from this old actor's POV, is nothing short of brilliant.
Utterly charming movie. Toward the end, the car scenes where she is driving to rescue him yet again, did anyone else recognize the musical score as the same used in Hitchcock's "Vertigo"?

[Bob Pr.]

Toward the end, the car scenes where she is driving to rescue him yet again, did anyone else recognize the musical score as the same used in Hitchcock's "Vertigo"?

You're very perceptive -- and right.

I didn't recognize it but many others have and some voices have shouted "rape!" and one female actress from the original "Vertigo" cast took out a newspaper ad decrying it as thievery and a misappropriation.

However, IIRC, the Academy voters in awarding an Oscar for music, apparently took this in the same spirit as the many other little "homages" to movies of the past that the director sprinkled in (e.g., the table scenes between Valentin and his wife somewhat mimicking those in "Citizen Kane") as well as many other similar tidbits.

I did recognize some of those but the background musical accompaniment--if it's adequate--usually drives my emotional responses to the visual scene and I'm completely unconscious of it.

The times I'm consciously aware of the accompaniment is when it's terrible. E.g., I rented Buster Keaton's "The General" and one of the options for music accompaniment on the DVD was a piano (which bore absolutely NO relation to anything happening onscreen). It was horrible, as the movie progressed my feelings took me closer to chalk screeching on a blackboard (for those who remember that).

Last week we had the 16th annual Kansas Silent Film Festival to which I've gone the last 8-10 years. It's always had excellent musical accompaniment (by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra or by organists such as Marvin Faulwell). Great accompaniment, great experiences.