La Revue des Revues
by Joe Francis
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: André Luguet, Erna Carise, Hélène Hallier, Josephine Baker, Pépa BonaféDirector: Joe Francis
Brand: Kino International
Cinematographer: Jimmy Berliet
Cinematographer: Maurice Guillemin
Writer: Joe Francis
Producer: Alex Nalpas
Writer: Clément Vautel
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Original Language); German (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 103 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-05-15
Audience Rating: Unrated
Model: 5002
Studio: Kino Video
Product features:
- LA REVUE DES REVUES (DVD MOVIE)
Movie Reviews of La Revue des Revues
Movie Review: A visual and musical extravaganza!
Summary: 5 Stars
"La Revue des Revues" must surely count as one of the most unusual and perhaps unique films from the silent era, being more of a 1927 cabaret show than an actual traditional silent film. In fact, you could well be excused for thinking that you are watching a contemporary albeit somewhat other-worldly music and dance show most of the time, thanks to the Pathe stencil technique used to colour the twenty or so revue scenes in this 100-minute film. Coming just a few years after an entire full-length film was colourized in this time-consuming Pathe stencil process, namely for "Cyrano de Bergerac", the colourful dance scenes in "La Revue des Revues" are definitely the highlight of this film even today, ¾ of a century later. Unlike filming in colour using coloured filters, the stencil process gives the picture a soft, pastel tone like watercolour which is easy on the eye while also giving it a touch of the surreal. This is especially notable in the gold and other shimmery metallic colours of some costumes and curtains. There are opening title cards introducing the name of each revue as well as the names of the performers so that watching this film is really like stepping back into time to experience the famous (or infamous!) Jazz Age of `gay Paris' in its notorious nightclubs of 1927. The modern-sounding original musical score is Jazz in many varying styles, and although not authentic from that period, is still quite well suited to the dances, setting and overall mood. No doubt it will have varied reactions from viewers and might take some getting used to at first, especially when it accompanies the rest of the actual silent film, but it might become more acceptable when viewed as something of an historic time capsule capturing the essence of the nightclub shows in Paris 80 years ago. Personal musical tastes aside, the many spectacular and colourful dance scenes, often with outrageous hats and costumes, are really something to see, as well as being an education in general, and surely also a treat especially for those interested in dance and entertainment.
One note of disappointment might be the misleading credits which give the impression that the highest paid music hall entertainer, Josephine Baker, features prominently in this film, while in fact she only appears in two rather short revues that appear over an hour into the film. Even so, it is worth the wait to see what all the fuss was about, and why this long-legged, exotic dark beauty became such a huge star. Some of her unusual dance moves are slightly reminiscent of Michael Jackson's `moonwalk'. The main character in the actual film - which are the black & white scenes with intertitles - stars a blonde actress named Helene Hallier who plays the role of an average young woman working a dull job in a clothes factory but dreams of being on stage one day. She gets her big break when her small feet are the right size for some Cinderella-style slippers, and just like the fairytale, she finds love and success thereafter, but not before a few little hiccups. The actual story is rather short and superficial, and basically only serves as the foundation to present the many varied revue shows, long and short, exotic, bizarre and amusing, but always thoroughly entertaining and surely also fascinating for us in our day to see these shows pretty much as they were back in 1927. It is for this reason, its unique nature and beautifully coloured `blast from the past' that I give this DVD 5 stars.
Summary of La Revue des Revues
LA REVUE DES REVUES - DVD MovieWhile it may not qualify as a masterpiece of silent cinema, La Revue des Revues offers a priceless time-capsule smorgasbord of Parisian nightlife circa 1927. The "Jazz Age" was in full swing (so to speak), and this glorious showcase of extravagant entertainment is highlighted by two performances by Josephine Baker, at that time the highest-paid entertainer in Europe. With her "backfield in motion" and her slinky physique working overtime, Baker is the most prominent performer in a veritable cavalcade of lavish dance and spectacle, played out on the grand stages of such Montmarte hot-spots as the Palace Theater, Folies-Bergère, and the legendary Moulin Rouge. The parade of performance revolves around the charming (if lightweight) story of Gabrielle (Helene Hallier), a down-and-out chorus girl who dreams of dance-hall stardom by entering a contest to find the new Cinderella of Parisian nightclubs. The plot is strictly disposable, but for anyone interested in artifacts of the Jazz Age, La Revue des Revues is a breathtaking feast of costumes, dance numbers, and dazzling stage designs, presented in over a dozen routines as lavish as they are (in retrospect) garishly amusing. Baker is certainly the headliner here, but other performers make up a roster of Parisian stars of 1927, including Russian dancer Lila Nikolska, the Tiller's Follies girls, and the illustrious Madame Komakova. There's a bit of peek-a-boo nudity, but otherwise this is good, clean fun. Special credit to film restoration experts Eric Lange, Serge Bromberg, and Lobster Films for combing through global film archives to create this beautifully tinted restoration, which owes its existence to a well-preserved print found at the Danish Film Institute. And while silent-film purists may prefer an authentic, vintage score, the all-new original music (by the French contemporary jazz ensemble Taranta-Babu!) certainly gives this film an interesting aesthetic spin. The rest of La Revue des Revues is purely rooted in its own era, and that makes it a fitting DVD companion to The Josephine Baker Collection. --Jeff Shannon
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