Monday 20 May 2019

Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001 Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

Audrey Tautou's winsome pixieness isn't quite as endearing as it once was, but there's no denying either the terrific production design and photography nor the cleverness of the plotting. BAFTA gave it Best Screenplay (Jeunet and Guillaume Larant) but the Césars it scooped were for film, director, music (Yann Tierson) and production design (Aline Bonetto).

I think my favourite moments are when the concierge reads the letter Amélie has pasted together and you get the attendant background sound to each clip, and the photo booth repair man. Also loved the video footage of the horse running in the cycle competition.

Everyone nominated Bruno Delbonnel. He gets his look by shooting very diffused and applying some kind of layer - according to the invaluable 'Making Pictures: A Century of European Cinematography' it's done through 'a combination of film-stock choices, antique-suede and coral colour filters and digital colorisation' which provide this distinctive green-yellow hue.


Video shop coloured in rare blue tones



Sorry - I forgot to mention any of the quite recognisable cast, which includes Rufus (her father), Mathieu Kassovitz, Serge Merlin (artist), Dominique Pinon (jealous customer), Jame Debbouze (grocer's assistant), Isabelle Nanty.

Q's final thought: "Thanks for nagging."

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