MovieChat Forums > Playtime (1973) Discussion > Missing frames?

Missing frames?

posted 20 years ago by ihatejudgejudy
2 replies | jump to latest

Something I've noticed in both M. Hulot and Mon Oncle that I was hoping someone could comment on.

In both movies there are numerous 'frame cuts' - that is, a noticeable section where the film jumps as a result of a missing frame. This occurs in both movies at least a half dozen times each. Interestingly, it seems that these jumps occur during one of the many sight gags.

Because of this, I assume this is intentional. If such is the case, does anyone know why? Is it to speed up the comic pacing and make the gags better? I doubt it is a technical choice as often times the splicing is not necessary to the gag. I could understand if Tati were trying to achieve a simple camera trick - a Buster Keaton-esq stop motion sort of effect - but when these jumps happen they are unnecessary to the execution of the gag.

I have yet to see Playtime so I'm not sure if this occurs in that film as well, but if anyone could shed some light on this that would be great. Thank you.

[–] FourHundredaYear 20 years ago

I didn't notice any jumps the couple of times I've seen "Playtime." However, one explanation might apply if the version you watched was the newly restored "director's cut." In that case, you might be seeing the same thing you see in the restored "Lawrence of Arabia"; when the restorers of that film tried to return certain scenes to their original long versions, they found that the camera negative had been cut to fit the shorter versions. And although the cut sections had been saved, the act of cuting and gluing the negative had destroyed a single frame at each cut point. So, if you watch the restored "Lawrence of Arabia," certain shots will have a tiny jump in them at the point where they were cut shorter and then restored.

That's what you might be seeing in "Playtime" -- another film that suffered post-premiere shortening followed by restoration.

[–] FourHundredaYear 20 years ago

I wrote the reply above before I noticed that you weren't talking about "Playtime." I have no idea what the issue might be in those previous films, which I don't think were shortened and then restored. Maybe you're right about it being a deliberate effect; next time I see either one I'll be on the lookout for it.