Why did I watch it?
How would you not want to? Lavished with awards throughout 2011, including Academy Awards for Best Picture, Actor and Director, somebody must have done something right.
What's it all about?
It's 1927 and George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is at the height of popularity as a star of silent films when he meets Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), an aspiring actress. Two years later and Miller's popularity has rocketed while George's studio has ended production on silent films, making the switch to 'talkies', leaving George struggling to cope with his fall from stardom.
Should you watch it?
I sat down to watch The Artist with a certain degree of apprehension, it was the first black and white or silent film I have ever really watched. Sadly these factors put off Mrs Media Worm so I watched it solo.
The Artist is like no other film I have seen (stating the obvious) before, in the same way I often lean towards black and white photography, I found the lack of colour enhanced the film's stylish presentation. After a short time I forgot I was watching a film with no dialogue, and enjoyably so. Ludovic Bource's score sublimely supports the cast, with necessary dialogue provided by the occasional old fashioned dialogue intertitles.
Best Actor & Best Dog - George & Jack |
The stairs scene |
The film's plot is actually a sombre, simple little romance story where very little actually happens but what does transpire does so leisurely, at an easy going pace, as befits the time.
I love your review of this. It encapsulates everything that I love about this film. In hindisght, it is true that not a lot happens, but I think that is the film's charm.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment and thanks for adding my blog to your blog roll! Much appreciated!
DeleteYou're welcome. I love your blog because it caters to different media.
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