MovieChat Forums > L'illusionniste (2011) Discussion > charming + moving

charming + moving

posted 15 years ago by keith_ratchett
4 replies | jump to latest

As much as I loved Belleville Rendezvous, I wasn't expecting so much of this as I have never found Jacques Tati particularly funny. But what a charming and moving film! The style and tone of the piece throughout was exquisite - the sequence of Tatischeff travelling to the Scottish village alone was worth the entry price - and the characterisations beautiful. The final image of the neon music hall sign snapping out, with only the incongruous escaping firefly a tiny vestige of hope, was haunting. I happily admit I cried.
And the brief sequence when he enters the cinema and we catch a glimpse of the 'real' Tati in Mon Oncle on the screen - a lovely homage!
I know Edinburgh well and the city was wonderfully brought to life - even if it was picture postcard style - there wasn't much room for realism in this paean to a bygone era of variety and pre-sixties naivete.
Truly magical film - and ignore the carpers who wouldn't know art if it stuck a finger in their myopic eyes...

Oh and anyone who thought the relationship between Tatischeff and Alice 'seedy' - Tati wrote the screenplay as a letter to his estranged daughter - hence the clearly paternal relationship between the two in the film. Do you have to find sexual subtext in everything where an older man and young woman appear together?

[–] Ambrosia-I 15 years ago

Thanks for your mini-review. I'm seeing it tomorrow. I can't wait. From the preview I've seen, it does look magical.

[–] Spielburger 15 years ago

"Oh and anyone who thought the relationship between Tatischeff and Alice 'seedy' - Tati wrote the screenplay as a letter to his estranged daughter - hence the clearly paternal relationship between the two in the film."

I think this is made clear at the end of the film when we are finally shown the photo that Tatischeff has been carrying throughout the film, and realize it is of his daughter.

And BTW: I agree with everything-else in the OP's mini-review!

[–] Ambrosia-I 15 years ago

I thought it was wonderful. Edinburgh and the Scottish countryside were exquisitely drawn. When he let the rabbit go, I was so transported by the story that I wondered how a (fairly) tame rabbit would cope in the wild and had tears in my eyes. I don't know what that says about my priorities! The end, when he shattered the girl's illusions, was heartbreaking. A very downbeat film in parts, but still touching and magical.

[–] yellowfiesta 15 years ago

Totally agree! Sweet and moving, this film is very much an equal to this summer's Toy Story; I've never seen any Tati (or indeed Edinburgh), but The Illusionist felt to me like a piece of real life, magically rendered as a cartoon.

M*O*N*Y*A*K*A spells Monyaka!