tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post8919287188639683213..comments2024-03-15T04:08:16.172-04:00Comments on Only the Cinema: The Umbrellas of CherbourgEd Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-91045089208165834592012-03-21T14:35:06.133-04:002012-03-21T14:35:06.133-04:00Oh yes, Varda's also great. My favorite's ...Oh yes, Varda's also great. My favorite's the sunnily cynical <em>Le bonheur</em>. Been watching some of her shorts lately and they're uniformly charming and smart.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-76576899863688884802012-03-21T13:59:15.525-04:002012-03-21T13:59:15.525-04:00Forgot my ID on that last commentForgot my ID on that last commentmark s.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-15603535356728982612012-03-21T13:57:44.422-04:002012-03-21T13:57:44.422-04:00Lovely. Just an aside: Joni Mitchell's song &#...Lovely. Just an aside: Joni Mitchell's song 'Barangrill', with its lyrics about the gas station attendant who sings about whitewalls and windshields, has always made me think of Demy's mechanic. <br />You like Varda, too!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-20651703686026844102012-03-20T16:40:34.847-04:002012-03-20T16:40:34.847-04:00Thanks, Jim, didn't know that was you. It'...Thanks, Jim, didn't know that was you. It's weird how quickly one adjusts to the constant singing in this film, it's such an artificial and unusual style but it quickly comes to see totally perfect.<br /><br />Sam, it's hard to imagine anything topping <i>Umbrellas</i> (though I also like both <i>Lola</i> and <i>Rochefort</i> a lot) but I definitely want to see more later Demy, Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-13716300593085028252012-03-20T10:25:32.262-04:002012-03-20T10:25:32.262-04:00Ed, Jim Clark informed me that the previous commen...Ed, Jim Clark informed me that the previous comment was his own.<br /><br />I agree with David that the operatic UNE CHAMBRE EN VILLE is magnificent, but I still still feel CHERBOURG is his absolute masterpiece.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-49807989405985782732012-03-19T21:48:47.220-04:002012-03-19T21:48:47.220-04:00It's a treat to read of your affection, Ed, fo...It's a treat to read of your affection, Ed, for this film and the artistry of Jacques Demy.<br />I was struck by your sense that the constant singing readily becomes "natural" or right. The lovely musical score brings to us subterranean powers coursing through these quite ordinary lives.i desire vintage postershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00903747100488612576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-58022323566430215492012-03-19T21:18:47.346-04:002012-03-19T21:18:47.346-04:00David, interesting that the film is based on real ...David, interesting that the film is based on real events. The ending is very bittersweet, but yes, I too read it as essentially happy, at least for Guy, who once Genevieve leaves, returns to playing with his family in the snow. What I love about the film is that it captures the sense of loss that accompanies the end of young love without turning it into a world-ending tragedy - life moves on, Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-52692041633178775922012-03-19T18:42:23.953-04:002012-03-19T18:42:23.953-04:00Jacques absolute masterpies is Une Chambre en Vill...Jacques absolute masterpies is <i>Une Chambre en Ville</i>. All-singing, like <i>Cherbourg</i> it's an exceedingly dark drama. The scroe is by Michel Colombier as jacques and Michel Legrand had a falling out -- though they were reconciled for jacques' last film <i>Trois places pour le 26th</i><br /><br />While it played a few festivals <i>Une Chambre en Ville</i>ever got a U.S. release DavidEhrensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11016905507543736049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-27895086737045846802012-03-19T18:09:51.816-04:002012-03-19T18:09:51.816-04:00Here's that ending<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ObVG9o2xWI&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL04BEF32C34413EE6" rel="nofollow">Here's that ending</a>DavidEhrensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11016905507543736049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-6750581272697160442012-03-19T18:04:30.580-04:002012-03-19T18:04:30.580-04:00Glad you're spending some time with Cherbourg....Glad you're spending some time with <i>Cherbourg</i>. In a way it's not really a msuical. Jacques called it "un film en chant" (a rather delicate pun). As Agnes' documentary <i>Jacquot de nates</i> shows it was based on actual real-life events that took place in the house next door to Jacques when he was growing up. In many ways it's a very stark drama. For the beautifulDavidEhrensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11016905507543736049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-82442036840807606402012-03-19T12:59:51.667-04:002012-03-19T12:59:51.667-04:00Thanks a lot, Sam. Yes, this is one of my absolute...Thanks a lot, Sam. Yes, this is one of my absolute favorites, just an amazing film in every way, a totally unique musical that's loaded with deep emotion and stunning imagery. I like what you say about this film turning "the quotidian into a celebration," and the idiosyncratic decision to have all the dialogue set to music goes hand in hand with that theme. There's no clear Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-63502140749958813092012-03-19T08:56:22.396-04:002012-03-19T08:56:22.396-04:00I can't say how thrilled I am that you have re...I can't say how thrilled I am that you have reviewed this film, knowing for so long how high you regard the director and widow, Agnes Varda. I was certain you would come in with this kind of rapturous praise, and even more convinced you would give this musical masterpiece the poetry it so richly deserves, and the comprehensiveness that will reward those looking to following up their initial Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.com