Friday, May 18th, 2012
The Artist, A time when The Talkies were cutting edge....
Popcorn-munching sceptics may wonder just how this feature length gig is gonna play with audiences-it’s all in black and white, is crafted in the mould of a 1920s melodrama-plus the leads are French. Miramax mogul Harvey Weinstein has no such misgivings – mais non! He’s bought the US rights and even rocked up to a gala showing to introduce it personally.
Writer/director Michel Hazanavicius is best known for his gallic “OSS 117″ comedies such as Cairo: Nest of Spies and Lost in Rio. So successful have these spook spoofs proved that his studio has been willing to finance work in a genre that last pulled the punters some 90 years back. Thus was Hazanavicius both able to call upon the retro-looking OSS 17 star leads-AND shoot The Artist in L.A.
The WowdeWow Hokum Warning must be aired at this point- here’s a plot that could top SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN for corn….
Silver screen he-man George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is kinda stale buns once the talkies hit Tinseltown. Nobody’s bothering their shirt tail with his speech-free newie Tears of Love – and only his trusty bow-wow thinks he’s a big wheel anymore. Spotlight on hoofer Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo). In search of her own big break, she tap-dances her way into his lonely life – and the fallen idol MIGHT just be in with another chance…
Sheesh, who says they don’t make ‘em like they used to? See you in the queue, bud!
Have you seen The Artist?
Is this a return to the values of Grand Mama, or just some good, clean fun? Let us know……
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The U.K general release for the Artist date is pencilled in for December 30th I see….