In contrast to the bold, triumphant, and defined political works of earlier European painters, like Eugene Delacroix for example, the Impressionists were a more muted, subtle group of less defined painters, at least conventional wisdom instructs us so. The Impressionists give us only a glimpse of something, a passing blurred picture of motion; like a … Continue reading The Story of French Impressionism, Part I: Édouard Manet
Tag: french
Coeur fidèle
Coeur fidèle (Faithful Heart) (1923) Director: Jean Epstein ★★★★☆ Coeur fidèle is a beautiful and slow-moving French Impressionist film. Jean Epstein once said: its purpose was "to win the confidence of those, still so numerous, who believe that only the lowest melodrama can interest the public... to create a melodrama so stripped of all the conventions … Continue reading Coeur fidèle
J’accuse
J'accuse (1919) Director: Abel Gance ★★★★☆ J'accuse is the first great war epic film by the French master director of epic silent film, Abel Gance. Like his other silent films, J'accuse is a lengthy film. In the modern edited down version, it lasts nearly three hours, but the original was 14 reels long and Gance … Continue reading J’accuse
À propos de Nice
À propos de Nice (1930) Director: Jean Vigo Jean Vigo made this short and avant-garde, documentary-styled film (in English the title is "Concerning Nice") when he was 25 years old. It was his debut film - a silent montage exposing French culture in the Mediterranean tourist city of Nice. He made the film with Dzigo … Continue reading À propos de Nice
Under The Roofs of Paris
Sous Les Toits de Paris (Under the Roofs of Paris) (1930) Director: René Claire René Claire (1898-1981) was heralded as one the great directors of French cinema during the 1930s. He was the son of a soap distributor and was a disappointed writer, artist, and musician. He initially was an ambulance operator during World War … Continue reading Under The Roofs of Paris
Le Voyage dans la Lune (1902)
Le Voyage dans la Lune (1902) Director: George Méliès “A Trip to the Moon” ★★★★★ Méliès's films are a fantastic journey through technical innovations and early cinematic excellence. While many of his short movies were created to complement his performances as a magician, his later films such as The Impossible Voyage and The Haunted Castle … Continue reading Le Voyage dans la Lune (1902)
