So once again it's back to Carlisle VUE and my good friend Chris who works there invited me to go see The Artist. How can I possibly refuse? I am forever indebted to my best buddy for feeding my addiction to cinema without it denting my wallet in recent years.
Many of you will have heard about The Artist, it is the talk of the town, picking up nominations and awards all over the place. A serious amount of hype for a film that is silent, black and white and in non widescreen format. A risky concept and a hard sell for the world consumed with supper huge widescreen 3D extravaganzas. Anyone would be foolish in writing this film off before seeing it, to say this is universally endearing is selling the film short. The Artist is a cinematic masterpiece.
Set around the late 1920's when movie stars were a new breed of celebrity, George Valentin is the toast of Hollywood and crosses paths with Peppy Miller whom he inadvertantly catapults into stardom. The birth of sound changes both their lives, for one the better and the other, well you'll have to go and see.
The Artist is a real joy to watch. With no dialogue all the meaning of the film hinges on it's visual representation. In a way it's a real exercise in true acting, with the most minimal of mannerisms conveying emotions of the characters. Like with old silent films there is also room for extravagance, the emotions of the characters are rich and vibrant; which at first seems a little over the top, but becomes infectious and memorable. The visual style links strongly not only with the look of period but the way films were shot in those times. With the story revolving around 20s/30s Hollywood we see many homages to films and talents of the era. This is a director with a superior understanding of cinema and visual metaphor. His vision conveys meaning, without saying anything, with palatable ease. This idea is played with and many moments of humour come from instances where sound is absent, for example applause, whistling or singing. The film is difficult not to fall in love with, the characters are engaging and a joy to watch, with a superb supporting cast, Valentins dog stealing the show in a number of scenes. It's excellent soundtrack stands out by obviously being the only form of sound and serving as the heart beat to this film. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, it has simplicity and depth. The crowning jewel of this film is that it is soooo universal, anyone can enjoy it in any language without the need for dubbing (just the odd subtitle).
With so many films vying for your attention during this time of the year The Artist is the one you have to see. You must see this in a cinema, it's a fantastic shared experience, go with a group of friends or take your other half. You'll come out smiling and talking about it well into the evening. And at time of publishing Oscar just gave his seal of approval by granting The Artist 5 Awards including best picture, director and actor. Go see it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Click for trailer
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