La Tourneuse de Pages (2006)
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Directed by: Denis Dercourt
Gog's Rate: 4/5
My devotion to french cinema is nothing new, I enjoy quite a lot movies coming from our northern neighbours for many reasons: the real/credible stories, whirling plots (which do not frame the spectators), the beautiful scenery and cinematography are common in these films, or at least more common than they are in the cinema which comes from the other side of the Atlantic.
The film 'The Page Turner' is not a typical french movie. At the very beginning, I had the feeling of watching a Merchant-Ivory film, no feelings, no gestures, very few words,... pure seriousness. A very cold movie, with a cold-coloured cinematography.
I don't know if I should tell something about the plot: The daughter of a low class family plays the piano, but it's rejected in the last minute, as the teacher makes her lose her concentration during a exam. Years later they meet again, and the teacher (who doesn't remember the girl at all) wants her to turn the pages on her concerts.
I would strongly recommend this movie for the uneasiness which causes the young belgian actress Déborah François, the rare atmosphere which is breath all over 85 minutes. The ending is (also) great. I would rate it '5', but I saw it yesterday, and I may still be under the influence of such a fine piece of machinery, which lies inside this film.
7 comments:
My definition of french cinema is quite personal, I may leave out all many french movies which are not very interesting. General rules to detect bad french movies are (a very subjective opinion):
-adaptations of famous comic-books (except maybe those from Marc Caro/Jean Pierre Jeunet)
-typical comedies, french screwball (Tais Toi!)
-any film which was a great success outside France (except Amèlie)
-any film with Gerard Depardieu
There's a lot of interesting directors, whose films I am trying to watch, and it's a long time since I don't see the types of films listed above. My definition refers only to certain kind of movies, which some people may recognise whitout any other explanation.
The French cinema has her signature. Apart from those classical French movies. I enjoyed most of the new and not commercial movies.
I can not forget the feeling after seeing "the last Battle"( Le Dernier combat(1983))from Luc Besson. It is a movie without dialogs but the scenes speaks thoroughly for itself. Also I have to mention that it is in my favorite genre.
In lesson 35 of "Barron's 504 Absolutely Essential Words For TOEFL" in the spotlight section we read:
"cinema - French words like cinema are common in English, and the French have adopted many of our words as well. Our words "weekend" and "drugstore" are heard everyday in France. In our country [US] French words are often used to imply high quality. When you pay five dollars, you go to the "cinema", not the "movies"!!
Gog can say better whether such view to the "French quality" is common in European countries as well or not. All I know from books, films or my French teacher is that the French are gallant (about women), arrogant about their nationality and language (that they don't like foreigners or immigrants), and they respect art and intellectuality very much.
Anyway about the French films I can say that they are mostly good, important, unusual, intellectual, lively and vivacious.
Hey, thanks for your comments. I may say that Luc Besson is one of the most influential 'new' french directors, it wouldn't be fair to ignore him. There's sci-fi in french cinema, and a very good one. I'd advice h.b. to find Jean Pierre Jeaunet's movies: "The city of the Lost Children" and "Delicatessen", if you don't know them yet.
French are exactly like Monkey says... Another word that french gave to the world is "chauvinism", which is the word that best describes them.
Great, great movie! I should have given it a '5'. (12 days later)
Hey Gog, thanks for your comment. I found one of them and commented on my blog.
see my comment
gog:
estoy escribiendo en www.pequenoscinerastas.wordpress.com
;)
Un beso.
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