L'Illusioniste / The Illusionist

[kas]

How often do you get transfixed by a film you see on an aeroplane trip? Me neither, but our flight to Nice a couple of weeks ago was the exception.

It was a morning flight, and there was an onflight "magazine" program that included something for children (like "Shaun The Sheep", which was entertaining enough) and some obvious flight destination vignettes. Then we saw something we first thought was a trailer, then a short film. It turned out to be the long animated film "L'Illusioniste" (exported as "The Illusionist") by Sylvain Chomet, of "The Belleville Triplets" fame, and based on an original script by Jacques Tati.

And we sat through it entirely absorbed by both the story and by the exquisite animation work. The illusionist of the title is a tall, akward magician (who looks and moves very much like Tati), whose art ceases to interest anyone when new attractions like rock'n'roll take over the music hall stages. He crosses the channel to Britain, with the same result, and ends up in a tiny Scottish seaside village.

I don't like spoilers, so I leave the plot describtion there. The period is wonderfully captured and... and... Oh well, see for yourselves. Strongly recommended to all nostalgics and Tati fans:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg6OWS-B ... re=related

[john poole]

We did discuss the film here last year -
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=15673
I thought it looked wonderful and lovingly re-created the Britain of the late 1950s, but a little over-long for me.

[Des]

Still waiting for the DVD to drop below the £10 mark and then I'll snap it up.

[AndyM]

Et voila:

http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/16708411 ... 7b57%7d%2b

[Des]

Cheers A. Snap snap snap!