| Mr. Movie Lover |
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| written by talltale |
August 23, 2006 - 1:41 PM PDT |
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4 out of 4 members found this review helpful
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Consider yourself a real movie lover? I always imagined that I was one--until I watched HENRI LANGLOIS: PHANTOM OF THE CINEMATHEQUE. Now I understand the deeper meaning of the term. What a guy. And what a movie. "Never imagine that you know what is of value; save it ALL," is the advice of M. Langlois, who did his best to do just that in his one-of-a-kind museum and cinematheque. This nearly 2-1/4-hour documentary about the man whom the international motion picture world honored above anyone else is a banquet. Unless you speak French, you may have to rewind a bit as each new speaker (and his/her title) appears, rattling off in French as you try to simultaneously read the subtitles and the description of who this person is. But that's a small price to pay for such an informative, interesting film, in which you will see Simone Signoret explain how precious movies were kept from Nazi hands by wheeling the cans of film down the street, covered by blankets in a baby buggy!
Here are Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Goddard and other lights of French cinema, plus Claude Chabrol, who regales us with the story of history's first cineplex (among other delights). How did Langlois treat little known actors when they showed up at his Cinematheque? What happened to the money he lent Nicholas Ray to complete one of his films? How did Henri's coworkers imagine him making love to his wife Mary Meerson (such a pair!)? What's the REAL value of filmed pornography? Nope, not the "money" shots but the filmed record of the bourgeoise furniture in the background! What about Henri's ousting from the very museum he had founded and created? And his return? It's all here, along with much more. Rent and feast. (Then watch the short Special Features to observe the day of Langlois' funeral and other fascinating bits and pieces.) |
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