L' Atalante
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Movie Reviews of L' Atalante
Movie Review: A near-masterpiece; end of story.
Summary: 4 Stars
After seeing this, you can only wonder what Vigo would've given us if he'd lived longer. The movie is a simply-told story of love winning over all. The restoration is excellent, and some of the cinematography borders on stunning. The screenplay encompasses comedy, love. discord, jealousy, tenderness and more almost effortlessly. There's one unforgettabl;e sequence that's genuinely sensuous, despite the fact the two characters are nowhere near each other. As far as the cast goes, most of it is excellent, with only a few small slips. This is definitely one worth owning.Movie Review: I am on the fence.
Summary: 3 Stars
This movie is considered to be one of the best movies ever made, if not the best. It frequently shows up on top ten lists. Some have suggested that Vigo is the best director who ever lived......WHY?!
Okay, there are some nice things about this movie. The photography is good (most of the time), the acting seems relatively authentic, there are some genuinely funny scenes, and.....that's all I can think of.
But what at first seems to be a light, easy-going story about quirky, charming characters on a riverboat quickly turns into a light, easy-going story about truly horrid people, a story that takes up too much screen time for what little actually happens.
Okay, let's get this out of the way. Michel Simon is the most off-putting, loathsome, grotesque person I've ever seen in a movie. He sticks out and flaps his lower lip like he's trying to fan his eyebrows. He grins like an orangutan in a centrifuge. He stumbles around frequently grunting "eh?" to his boss's wife, who is bizarrely intrigued by him. He spits huge gales of saliva, INDOORS. We will not speak of the scene in which he goes shirtless. In fact, that scene never happened. Did Simon alone taint my view of this movie? Perhaps, but Nicolas Cage makes me gag and I enjoyed Raising Arizona. The monkey-man in Wild World of Batwoman is more charming than this guy. Why does Simon's face look like that? It doesn't appear to be actual deformation, he just looks odd. Is he storing nuts for winter? Is he severely allergic to his own face fuzz? He gives cat lovers a bad name (and face). Thank God the fortune teller scene ended where it did.
The captain is only somewhat better, he's hot-headed, jealous, and hits his wife. The wife is not very bright. Not only does she actually marry this loser, she then finds herself somewhat attracted to Simon, and some loser who can do card tricks. The kid doesn't say much, which makes him my favorite character.
I do not believe a movie *has* to have characters we like in order to be good (just look at virtually any Kubrick movie), but when your movie is a character-driven piece, that obviously tries to ingratiate itself onto the audience, then should we at least like someone?
It seems to me there are some plot holes. Why does Simon know where to look for the wife? He's standing right outside the arcade as the music begins to play. And doesn't it seem a little trite that her particular machine is connected to the outside speaker? Am I missing something or does anybody else agree with me here? And I just want to point out that this movie has TWO robot puppet shows.
It's a shame Vigo died so young, as this movie shows a lot of promise. I honestly don't know what to think here. Is this a bad movie with good photography and acting? A good movie with horrid characters? A so-so movie that could have used a better script? Somebody help me here.
Movie Review: A simple film.
Summary: 3 Stars
"L'Atalante" is one of those strikingly simple films. So simple that it leaves you wondering if you missed something. But to me that's just it. Vigo's masterpiece doesn't need all these distractions. It is a beautiful story about the love between two people. "L'Atalante" is as charming as it is beautiful. It is definitely worth seeing and the bonus material on the DVD are a pleasant suprise. Annette Insdorf (Columbia University) speaks in detail about "L'Atalante" and french cinema. While "L'Atalante" is a great film it is not one of my favorite films, but nonetheless a masterpiece of cinema.