All is calm in this little village in the center of France until the fairground entertainers arrive with their trailers. Then the fair gets under way: a carousel, lottery, brass band and a traveling cinema where François, the local postman, discovers a film about the American postal service. Encouraged by the whole village, he sets out to deliver the mail “American Style.” Jacques Tati’s first feature length film is an absolute “must see” for its inventiveness and unique comic style.
Filmmaker and actor Jacques Tati reinvented the art of slapstick comedy, expertly dissecting the nature of sight gags and pratfalls while exploiting viewer expectations to create an ambitious, richly detailed cinematic parlor game perfect for exploring the infinite mysteries of the modern world. Born Jacques Tatischeff October 9, 1908, in Le Pecq, France; Tati mounted his first film short, the comedy Oscar, Champion du Tennis, in 1931, but never saw the project through to its completion. His subsequent early work, including 1934’s On Demande une Brute, 1935’s Gai Dimanche, and 1936’s Soigne ton Gauche, presaged his later features in their fascination with natural and mechanical sounds. The outbreak of World War II, which he spent stationed in the village of Sainte-Sévère-sur-Indre, brought Tati’s career to a temporary halt, and after completing the 1938 short Retour à la terre, he did not appear before the camera again prior to Claude Autant… read more
Though enjoyable and lovely most of the time, it wasn't as impressing as i've expected. For me it lacked the liveliness of slapstick comedies and was a little too gentle or "secure" - qualities that are usually rare in this genre.
Can one give 5 stars, two timeS? Saw this on tv, vhs, dvd and on 35 mm film print. amazing in every format. damn. i heart you tati. been a favorite of mine for more than a decade. obrigado avÔ Mário.
Alors. The opening gala film at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival, The Illusionist is an animated film by Sylvain Chomet, who
"The Museum of Modern Art's retrospective of the French screenwriter, director, and actor Jacques Tati (born Jacques Tatischeff, 1907–1982
One can look at Jour de fête in one of two ways. In the context of film history, it’s an important moment in the evolution of comedy, as it marked the debut of France’s most acclaimed comedic innovator… read review