I think Swimming Pool is his masterpiece. Artful eroticism in a thriller is rare. He may never outdo his work with Rampling but he works with strong people in general and he is only mid 40s so anything is possible
I thought Potiche was sub-par Ozon while Time to Leave was a superior film, recognizing that its homoerotic theme would be a turn-off for many.. Ricky and Criminal Lovers seem to have sprung untouched from his subconscious and that’s what I love about them, they don’t require, or gain, from understanding. Masterpiece is a
slippery concept and many works of art are spurned at first and then are reevaluated and appreciated at a distance. in time.
edit #1 I just recalled Ricky was based on a short story “Moth” by Rose Tremain
edit #2 I just read a review of Ricky that called 5 × 2 as Ozon’s last great movie. So I’ll have to watch it.
I have no idea what Ricky was trying to say. I found it irritating though. I like Criminal Lovers and Sitcom. I’m not sure why he’s invariably described as “provocative”. I find his films generally quite tame. Linking Ozon to that whole “new French extremity” (or whatever the hell it’s called) doesn’t make much sense. He seems more classicist.
As for masterpiece, I’m just using the term literally. I think he’s capable of great works. I just haven’t seen one yet from him. I like Swimming Pool a lot. As Den points out, it’s hard to get away with a thriller like that but I think it doesn’t transcend its influences.
There’s a Region 1 DVD release of two of his earliest works. One of them, the 56-minute “See the Sea” (Regarde La Mer), was the first Ozon I ever saw. It was screened at the Seattle Internat’l Film Festival and I was pinned to my seat within 5 or 6 minutes. Check that one out. One can’t call it a masterpiece but you can certainly see it as a calling card to greatness.
To elicit the level of dread this movie conjures up in less than an hour surely was an indication of some serious talent. I don’t have the time at the moment to talk about all of his later work, but I will second the recommendation that Marsyas watch “5×2”.
@Ari I wrote this,in part about Ricky _ A film of François Ozon that employs magic realism for a metaphor of a lost child, a child that is earth bound for all too short a time. I couldn’t help but think of Eric Clapton’s son Conor and wondered what Eric would think of this film. I should think he would find it painful. _ Then read later, with some chagrin, in an interview with Ozon, that he couldn’t say what it was about. Actual the story belongs to Rose Tramain and Ozon is reported to have liberally drawn from it. Maybe she knows. Paul Bowles writes that he sometimes let his subconscious dictate what he is writing without conscious intervention and that meaning and sense don’t apply in that case. I would think that with a film so opposed to experience it must be viewed as pure fantasy and accepted as that. Criminal Lovers is a play on Hansel and Gretel and again just fantasy, but delightful if one can accept that it says nothing, tho’ my guess is many of the old faerie stores were a cautionary tale to children not to trust strangers.
@cineaste I will second the motion on “Sea the Sea”. as one terrific film.
Ari
On one hand, Ozon strikes me as someone who is a phenomenally talented filmmaker. He can get fantastic performances especially from his lead actresses and he has a nice directorial style that works well as he jumps through various genres. And his films are all over the place. On one hand, he seems to be one of the closest French filmmaker working in the Chabrol tradition (Swimming Pool). On the other hand, he makes absurdist anti-comedies (Sitcom, Criminal Lovers, Ricky) that work and don’t work. Then he makes earnest dramas and Fassbinder inspired films. As well as more mainstream prestige films.
I’d say 8 Women is his best film I’ve seen but he hasn’t made his masterpiece yet (haven’t seen Potiche yet though). He seems capable of delivering a truly great film but I haven’t seen one from him yet. So in my mind, he’s still a huge talent that hasn’t realized his potential yet. Any other thoughts?