Despite having a very short filmography that consists of two shorts, a featurette, and one feature-length film in the span of four years until his death at the of 29 in 1934 to tuberculosis. Jean Vigo is a filmmaker who would redefine the idea of what cinema can be as he was part of a movement in 1930s French cinema known as poetic realism. Though his films were made during a moment in cinema that was moving away from silent films and into something much grander. They would eventually have a major influence in cinema as the French New Wave of the 1960s would acknowledge Vigo as a primary influence as a prize would be awarded in his name to new filmmakers in French cinema.
Born on April 26, 1905 in Paris, France, Vigo was the son or a renowned anarchist in Eugeni Bonaventura de Vigo i Salles who is more famous for the adopted name Miguel Almereyda. During that time where Vigo spent much of his childhood on the run with his family, he would eventually be sent to a boarding school under the name Jean Sales to conceal his true identity as his father was strangled to death in August of 1917 at the Fresnes Prison supposedly by authorities. Though Vigo would be under the name of Jean Sales, the discovery of his true identity would often shun him away from prestigious schools until he was finally accepted to boarding school as his experiences would be the basis for one of his films.
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© thevoid99 2014
Directed by Jean Vigo and written by Vigo and Albert Riera from a story by Jean Guinee, L’Atalante is the story of a river barge captain and his new wife as they live their new life together on the river barge with his first mate and a cabin boy The film is about a couple trying to start a new life only to deal with complications in the world of marriage. Starring Jean Daste, Dita Parlo, Michel Simon, and Louis Lefebvre. L’Atalante is a ravishing and rapturous film from Jean Vigo.
The film is a simple story about a newlywed couple who spend their life on a river barge ship as the groom is the captain as he is joined by his first mate and a cabin boy. Yet, it’s a story that explores a newlywed dealing with marriage as the captain Jean (Jean Daste) tries to balance his role as captain and husband where it doesn’t become easy as his bride Juliette (Dita Parlo) has no clue in being the wife of a river barge captain. Though she would eventually get used to it and gain the friendship of the first mate Pere Jules (Michel Simon), Jean becomes jealous of men who pursue Juliette as she wants to see Paris and have fun.
The film’s screenplay by Jean Vigo and Albert Riera play into a newlywed couple’s life as the first act is about Jules and the cabin boy (Louis Lefebvre) trying to get used to Juliette being around while the second act is about Jean’s frustrations with marriage. Then comes this third act where it isn’t about the decision that Jean makes but its impact on the ship itself as Jules and the cabin boy become concerned for Jean and Juliette.
Vigo’s direction is truly exhilarating for the way he explores the world of a newlywed marriage where Jean and Juliette spend their honeymoon in a river barge ship going around the rivers of France where they would stop in Paris. Much of the compositions in its close-ups and medium shots are quite simple yet they have a wealth of imaginative images such as Juliette watching Jules do a puppet show that would arouse some jealousy for Jean. The ship itself is a character in the film as it is quite cramped and such where Jules’ cabin is a place that delights Juliette as opposed to the less-adventurous world of Jean.
Vigo’s approach to reflective shots in the mirror are dazzling as it this dream-like sequence that has this air of eroticism without the need of gratuitous sexual content. There’s also some sequences such as Jean’s swimming underwater as it plays into Vigo’s idea of love and a man lost in the decision he has made forcing the one person who was reluctant to let marriage be around his work to take action. Overall, Vigo creates a very sensational and enchanting film about a newlywed couple living in a river barge ship.
Cinematographers Boris Kaufman, Louis Berger, and Jean-Paul Alphen do excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white cinematography from the way many of the nighttime exterior and interior scenes look as well as the look of the rivers in the daytime scenes . Editor Louis Chavance does fantastic work with the film‘s stylish editing with its odd rhythmic cuts and some stylish dissolves for the erotic dream sequence. Art director Francis Jourdain does brilliant work with the look of the ship known as L‘Atalante as it is one that is full of personality despite the cramped interiors. The sound work of Lucien Baujard and Marcel Royne is terrific for the way some of the accordion music and other recordings are heard on location as well as the quietness of the rivers. The film’s music by Maurice Jaubert is amazing for its whimsical score as it is often accompanied by accordions to play into some of its humor and drama.
The film’s cast includes some notable small roles from Gilles Margaritis as a charming peddler that Jean dislikes, Maurice Gilles as the river barge company chief, Charles Goldblatt as a thief that Juliette encounters, Raphael Diligent as a scrap dealer Jules knows, and Louis Lefebvre as the young cabin boy who is often bossed around by Jules though he is always helpful. Michel Simon is great as the old first mate Pere Jules who is reluctant about having Juliette on board on the ship only to become a friend as he also deals with Jean’s frustrations. Jean Daste is superb as the barge ship captain Jean who tries to deal with his role as captain and husband as well as his jealousy only to lose sight of what he has. Finally, there’s Dita Parlo in a radiant performance as Juliette as she is this beautiful bride trying to understand her new world while wanting to go to Paris as it’s a really a dazzling performance that adds a lot of elegance to the film.
The 2-disc Region 1 DVD/1-disc Region A Blu Ray of The Complete Jean Vigo set from the Criterion Collection presents the film in 1:33:1 full-frame theatrical aspect ratio in a new high-definition digital transfer with Dolby Digital Mono in French with English subtitles. The first disc of the DVD features a feature-length audio commentary track by Vigo biographer Michael Temple. Temple’s commentary not only talks about the film and its innovations but also the production where it would contribute to Vigo’s declining health. Temple also revealed the many different versions of the film as the version that is presented on TV and in home video is a sixth version that was supervised by Vigo’s daughter Luce and Bernard Eisenchitz based that is a revision of a 1990 restoration that tried to present a completed version of the film.
Temple’s commentary also talks about the performances and how much the film was very different from the original script written by Jean Guinee as Vigo wanted to infuse ideas that subverted the original script’s intentions. Notably in incorporating some documentary ideas into the film while allowing his actors to improvise and flesh out the characters more as the script didn’t do much for them. Temple would also reveal that the actors not only praised Vigo but also reveal the sense of humor he had as he was ill during the production because of the cold winter during the shoot. Though he was able to be involved for the film’s rough cut, he wasn’t directly involved in the final cut due to his illness though editor Louis Chavance was able to make the film through Vigo’s instructions despite the re-cuts it would have through Gaumont studio. Temple also revealed how it would be re-discovered in the coming years as it was praised by the people of the French New Wave that would give the film a second life as it’s a very informative and enjoyable commentary from Temple.
The second disc of the DVD features many special features relating to the film and Vigo himself. The first is a one-hour and thirty-eight minute 1964 French TV episode of Cineastes de notre temps about Jean Vigo. Directed by Jacques Rozier, the episode discusses a lot about Vigo’s childhood as well as the production of Zero de Conduite and L’Atalante with interviews from many of Vigo’s friends and collaborators as well as actors Michel Simon, Dita Parlo, and Jean Daste. There’s also discussions about Vigo’s father and how being known as the son of renowned anarchist made him a pariah during his teens until he was finally accepted into a school which would become the basis for Zero de Conduite. The actors talked about Vigo’s sense of freedom in the way he allowed his actors to do so much more as it had this sense of anarchy as this documentary is definitely a must-see for those new to Jean Vigo.
The 18-minute conversation from 1968 between filmmakers Francois Truffaut and Eric Rohmer on the film L’Atalante is a video presentation made for a TV broadcast of the film where Rohmer asked Truffaut about the film and what it means to him. Truffaut talks about the film and its influence in modern cinema as he believes that Jean Vigo was way ahead of his time in what he was able to present. Especially as Vigo did much of his work outside of studio sets and into locations where he would often make things up as he went along as it’s a truly fascinating segment from two of France’s great filmmakers.
The forty-minute Les voyages des L’Atalante documentary from film historian/restorer Bernard Eisenchitz. Eisenchitz showcases footage that was cut from the film as well as rushes and alternate versions through many cuts of the film. Some of which involved butchered cuts due to the film’s initial poor reception from theater owners in its original 1934 premiere. It would take many years for lost scenes to be restored where a 1990 restoration would create what was considered to be the definitive version of the completed film until 11 years later. Eisenchitz reveals a lot about what was presented in its initial and re-cut version to what would be presented in its various restoration versions.
The twenty-minute 2001 interview with filmmaker Otar Iosseliani on Jean Vigo. The French-Georgian filmmaker talks about Vigo’s influence as well as L’Atalante and how much of an impact it was for him and for cinema itself. Especially as he saw it in film school in the Soviet Union where it was considered a major impact for the new and emerging filmmakers at the time where Iosseliani discusses some of the little things about the film that he loved as he had seen it many times in its different variations. A forty-five second animated tribute film from Michel Gondry is a wonderfully animated short that features references to many of Vigo’s films as it is told with some whimsy by Gondry.
The DVD set also includes a booklet that features four essays relating to Vigo and his films. The first of which is by filmmaker Michael Almereyda that is named after Vigo. Almereyda’s essay talks about Vigo and his impact in cinema as someone who wasn’t just ahead of his time but was someone who managed to retain a sense of youthfulness in his work without the need of becoming old and tired. Almereyda also talks about his films and Vigo’s brief life as the many issues he had ranging from his poor health and the dark shadow his anarchist father had cast upon him. Yet, Vigo would manage to plant many seeds that would create the many ideas of what would become the French New Wave. The second essay entitled A Propos de Jean and Boris by Robert Polito is about A propos de Nice and the collaboration between Jean Vigo and his longtime collaborator in cinematographer Boris Kaufman as it plays into not just their desire to break the rules of conventional cinema. It's an essay that showcases what their collaboration did and how it fitted with this growing wave of avant-garde films that were emerging at the time though A propos de Nice was something different and far more accessible than what Vigo's peers were doing at the time.
The third essay entitled Rude Freedom by video maker B. Kite is about Zero de Conduite where Kite discusses many of Vigo’s aesthetics and how Vigo’s thirst for anarchy would be such an inspiration for many films in the years to come. Kite also discusses about the film’s characters and some of the ambiguities of the film as it relates to these two ideas of ludis and paidia where the film definitely plays into the idea of the latter. The fourth and final essay entitled Canal Music by writer Luc Sante talks about L’Atalante and its impact in French Cinema in the years after it was released. Sante discusses many of what happened in the film and how it took an original story from another writer and made it into something more. The booklet is a great accompaniment to a glorious set of films for one of cinema’s great filmmakers.
L’Atalante is a magnificent film from Jean Vigo. Armed with a great cast, a whimsical score, and dazzling images, it is truly one of the finest achievements in cinema. Though it would be the only feature film that Vigo would make, it is truly unlike anything that is out there as it has this great mix of fantasy and realism. In the end, L’Atalante is an outstanding film from Jean Vigo.
Jean Vigo Films: A propos de Nice - Taris - Zero de conduite - The Auteurs #34: Jean Vigo
© thevoid99 2014
Written, edited, and directed by Jean Vigo, Zero de conduite (Zero for Conduct) is a forty-four minute short film about a group of boarding school kids rebelling against the authority in their school as a commemoration day is approaching. It’s a film that explores the world of kids dealing with authority as a young kid becomes part of a small group of misfits who would rebel against their masters. Starring Jean Daste. Zero de conduite is a dazzling film from Jean Vigo.
The film is a look into a group of kids who would make plans to upstage their headmaster and other authority figures at a French boarding school. Among these kids is a young boy named Tabard (Gerard de Bedarieux) who is new to the school as he befriends the small group of misfit kids as the only authority figure the boys like is the new teacher/schoolmaster Huguet (Jean Daste) as he is young and likes to Charles Chaplin impressions. The film’s screenplay that features dialogue by Charles Goldblatt has a realness to the way kids deal with authority though the authority figures aren’t entirely bad. It’s a very simple film that explores kids dealing with school and detention as they want to fight back against oppression.
Jean Vigo’s direction is very lively as well as entrancing in the way he presents life at a boarding school. Some of the film is shot in the room where the kids sleep as well as in the classroom. Vigo’s compositions play into that sense of repression but maintain something that has this sense of anarchy in the presentation. Notably in scenes where the kids create some trouble as Vigo’s editing with its use of slow-motion cutting, dissolves, and early ideas of jump-cuts would add to the sense of style and energy of the film. Vigo is able to create something naturalistic in the performances of his young actors with Gerard de Bedarieux being the standout while Jean Daste is excellent as the schoolmaster Huguet as well as Delphin as the miniature headmaster. Overall, Vigo creates a very sensational and enthralling film about rebellion at a board school.
Cinematographer Boris Kaufman does brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white photography where there‘s some grainy images but also some that are rich in some of its exteriors. The sound work of Royne-Bocquel is superb for the atmosphere its created as way as how certain objects are captured through sound. The film’s music by Maurice Jaubert is amazing for its playful score that includes some upbeat orchestral pieces and some cadence-based pieces for some of the moments of the film.
The Region 1 2-disc DVD/Region A 1-disc Blu Ray from the Criterion Collection set known as The Complete Jean Vigo presents the film in its 1:19:1 aspect ratio which was a format for newsreels as it is shown with a new high-definition digital transfer and a remastered Dolby Digital Mono sound in French with English subtitles. The film features a commentary track by Vigo biographer Michael Temple who talks about the film which is Vigo’s most autobiographical. Temple also discusses Vigo’s father who was a famous anarchist that was rumored to be killed by the government as the film represented Vigo’s anarchist politics. Temple also talks about the production and why it got banned in its initial release as it’s a very engaging commentary piece from the biographer.
The DVD set also includes a 44-page booklet that features essays on Vigo and his work as Brooklyn video-maker and writer B. Kite writes an essay on Zero de conduite entitled Rude Freedom. Kite’s essay talks about the film and its importance to Vigo’s career as well as French cinema. Particularly as he talks about the film’s story and the portrayal of his characters that is so different from what is usually portrayed in films. It’s a very insightful essay from the writer.
Zero de conduite is a remarkable film from Jean Vigo. Though it’s only 44-minutes, it’s a film that manages to make all of its running-time and images worth it. Especially for its sense of anarchy that young audiences can relate to. In the end, Zero de conduite is a sensational film from Jean Vigo.
Jean Vigo Films: A propos de Nice - Taris - L’Atalante - The Auteurs #34: Jean Vigo
© thevoid99 2014
Directed and edited by Jean Vigo, Taris, roi de l’eau (Jean Taris, Swimming Champion) is a 10-minute documentary exploring the life and accomplishments of Jean Taris. Told in a very stylized format that would re-define the ideas of cinema, the film wouldn’t just blur the ideas of documentary as it would be the second of the four films Vigo made in his brief lifetime. The result is an exhilarating film from Jean Vigo.
The film is essentially a portrait into the accomplishments of French swimming champion Jean Taris who tells his own story as well as how he swims. Much of it is presented in an array of visual styles with its use of close-ups, underwater shots, and all sorts of things to play up into his achievement as a swimming champion. Through Jean Vigo’s direction, the film creates many images that are just entrancing from the way Taris dives as well some slow-motion shots of him swimming on water as the beauty of the images is just understating it. With the help of cinematographers Boris Kaufman, G. Lafont, and Lucas Procede, the look of the film is grainy and shot in a ratio that is reminiscent of the newsreels.
With the sound work of Gaumont Petersen-Poulsen, the film maintains this idea of what it’s like to be in the water while Vigo incorporates footage of Taris’ swim meet that is inter-cut with him swimming in a different pool as if he’s racing. It’s all told in this style that is just engaging as the overall result is a truly enchanting film.
The 2-disc Region 1 DVD/1-disc Region A Blu-Ray from the Criterion Collection set known as The Complete Jean Vigo presents the film in its original 1:19:1 aspect ratio which was the common form for newsreels with a new high-definition digital transfer and remastered Dolby Digital Mono sound. The film features a commentary track from Michael Temple who wrote a biography on Vigo in 2001. Temple’s commentary reveals that the film was made as a commission piece for the government where Vigo didn’t get final cut as some filmmakers from the production did get other filmmakers involved. While Vigo wasn’t pleased with the results, Temple did reveal that many of the visual techniques Vigo did present were considered innovative for the time including the use of slow-motion and other editing tricks as it’s a very enjoyable commentary.
Taris, roi de l’eau is an extraordinary film from Jean Vigo about Jean Taris. Filled with gorgeous images and unique editing tricks, the film is truly a work of art in the way it plays with the idea of a documentary film. In the end, Taris, roi de l’eau is a rapturous film from Jean Vigo.
Jean Vigo Films: A propos de Nice - Zero de Conduite - L’Atalante - The Auteurs #34: Jean Vigo
© thevoid99 2014
Directed and edited by Jean Vigo and Boris Kaufman and written by Vigo with photography by Kaufman, A propos de Nice is a silent documentary film that explores the social inequalities and daily routines of the people in the city of Nice in France. The film is a 24-minute short is the first of four films by Vigo who was widely considered to be one of the key figures of French cinema. The result is one of the most gorgeous films of the silent era that would redefine the idea of what documentary and film can be.
The film is about a day in the life of Nice in France where a lot goes on where the rich enjoy the beach as there’s parties and such. Yet, there’s also a side where the poor struggle to live day-by-day as it expresses the social inequality that is happening the city. All of which is told through images that are very striking by Jean Vigo and Boris Kaufman as the latter does the film’s black-and-white photography where he captures images where beauty just simply understates its description. Even in scenes where it is shot in the slums and factories in the city have this quality in the image that are just entrancing to look at. Throughout the film, there’s images of parades where women are dancing as Vigo and Kaufman shoot from below where they get a lot of good up skirt shots.
One aspect of the film that is unique is the editing as it’s very stylized that includes matching dissolves of a man watching a woman sitting on a chair looking at the beach as she wears different clothes and then appears naked. It’s part of the world that Vigo and Kaufman wants to create where it has this element of fantasy of a world where there’s a lot happening but the rich and privileged seem oblivious or indifferent to what’s going on in the streets away from the beaches and dancehalls. Even as the direction has images and compositions that are offbeat with shots of the city from above or the camera being somewhat slanted to convey that sense of style and beauty of the city itself. Adding to the film’s unique tone is Marc Perrone’s score from its 2001 reissue as it’s playful at times but also somber as it’s largely dominated by an accordion and an organ.
The 2011 2-disc Region 1 DVD/1-disc Region A Blu-Ray of a collection of Vigo’s films called The Complete Jean Vigo features A propos de Nice is a new high-definition digital transfer that was restored for the collection in its original 1:33:1 full-frame theatrical aspect ratio. The special features for the film includes an audio commentary track from author Michael Temple who wrote a book on Vigo. Temple’s commentary talks about the film and Jean Vigo as well as parts of his life. Even as he briefly appears in his own film which Vigo did for fun in his partnership with Boris Kaufman at the time. Notably as Temple talks about Vigo’s politics and the things he wanted to say with his first film as it’s a very fascinating commentary. The 22-minute alternate edited version of the film by Vigo is essentially a version that features a few extended sequences as well as some extra shots of the beach and the city though it doesn’t feature any music.
A propos de Nice is a majestic film from Jean Vigo & Boris Kaufman. The film is a unique interpretation of what would become the documentary as well as a film filled with dazzling images that blurs the line between reality and fiction. Especially for the way it deals with social inequality and life in the city of Nice. In the end, A propos de Nice is a sensational film from Jean Vigo and Boris Kaufman.
Jean Vigo Films: Taris - Zero de Conduite - L’Atalante - The Auteurs #34: Jean Vigo
© thevoid99 2014
