Matt Pniewski
(?)Community Member
Offline
- Posted: Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:09:43 +0000
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK7pfLlsUQM
The Artist is, at first glance, a gimmick. A modern day silent film, shot in glorious black and white, with a 4:3 ratio. Nobody has made movies like this in over seventy years, and that's the point. Film buffs might get a kick out of it, but can people get passed the very basic gimmick? Well, truth is, by the end of the film you'll probably agree with me that this was the only way a film like this could have been prevented.
Color photography, widescreen, even synchronized sound are nothing more than tools used to tell a story. Even today, some directors feel Black and White is the preferred manor to tell the story. This story, about an aging silent film actor who resists the talking picture with all of his might, and the tragedy that befalls him because of it, is a story that could only be told in this fashion.
Truth is, the star of The Artist (Jean Dujardin as George Valentin) says more in this movie without a single word than most movie characters ever can say. There will no doubt be a lot of Oscar buzz for this brilliant actor, but James Cromwell and John Goodman often times steal scenes as a Butler and a Studio Mogul respectively. But make no mistake, this is an actor's film, and Jean Dujardin is the one who deserves the highest praise.
The Artist is a comedy drama willed with real, raw emotion, highlighted by some of the most amazing performances of the year. It not only manages to capture the magic of silent films, it may even be enough to bring a whole new love of classic films to a new generation. I have a feeling that, as "The Artist" opens up in more theaters, classics like "City Lights" will be disappearing from the shelves.
**** out of *****
The Artist is, at first glance, a gimmick. A modern day silent film, shot in glorious black and white, with a 4:3 ratio. Nobody has made movies like this in over seventy years, and that's the point. Film buffs might get a kick out of it, but can people get passed the very basic gimmick? Well, truth is, by the end of the film you'll probably agree with me that this was the only way a film like this could have been prevented.
Color photography, widescreen, even synchronized sound are nothing more than tools used to tell a story. Even today, some directors feel Black and White is the preferred manor to tell the story. This story, about an aging silent film actor who resists the talking picture with all of his might, and the tragedy that befalls him because of it, is a story that could only be told in this fashion.
Truth is, the star of The Artist (Jean Dujardin as George Valentin) says more in this movie without a single word than most movie characters ever can say. There will no doubt be a lot of Oscar buzz for this brilliant actor, but James Cromwell and John Goodman often times steal scenes as a Butler and a Studio Mogul respectively. But make no mistake, this is an actor's film, and Jean Dujardin is the one who deserves the highest praise.
The Artist is a comedy drama willed with real, raw emotion, highlighted by some of the most amazing performances of the year. It not only manages to capture the magic of silent films, it may even be enough to bring a whole new love of classic films to a new generation. I have a feeling that, as "The Artist" opens up in more theaters, classics like "City Lights" will be disappearing from the shelves.
**** out of *****
