Being able to see a silent film
showcased around the globe is quite a unique experience in 2012 – made possible
by a French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius. He writes a loving black & white
postcard to an art form unjustifiably perished in the 20th century. Heartfelt,
charming and concluded with a happy ending, it manages to leave lasting
feel-good impression with hint nostalgia for the genre. And while the storyline
of the film should be known to most media-aware individuals, there are other
values The Artist manages to bring to
the table.
Thoroughly well received at film
festivals in 2011 the unusual (if not extinct) awards contender has earned its
lead Jean Dujardin the Best Actor gig in Cannes. A few actors could truly
embrace the role without making it look like a pantomime and Dujardin plays
George Valentin rather brilliantly. And although roles in The Artist were written for its actors, Valentin never looks like a contemporary protagonist transferred
to 1927 Hollywood setting – a danger every modern script attempting to embody
the essence of the silent era will come across. Petite Berenice Bejo is equally
charming as Peppy Miller and both – the actress and her character – have an
ability to light up the screen of any
colour. Hazanvicius has thus made a
clever move by casting relatively unknown actors. He wants us to see the film
because of the art form it salutes, and not because of the star power someone
might bring to the box-office. But how many people will actually dare to see
it? How many will leave their stereotypical perceptions behind and choose The Artist over latest instalments in
the never-ending Mission Impossible
saga or Sherlock Holmes: A Game of
Shadows?
Screening of The Artist at 3pm in a buzzing shopping mall gathers 14 people – 4
couples past their 50ies, who have grown up watching silent films, and 6
younger females on their own. Ironically, pre-screening commercial questions: “Why
do I go to the cinema?” to soon come upon an answer – “For the experience”,
setting off The Artist the best way
possible. It salutes the cinema of attractions with its every take, bringing us
back to the heyday of cinema when watching moving images on screen used to be
an event, an EXPERIENCE. It was simple and extraordinary in its ability to
unite and entertain, in its purpose – to show. And maybe Hazanvicius is onto
something else here – maybe the cinema these days does say too much without
really saying anything?
Hollywood won’t miss an
opportunity to cash in on the ‘novelty’ while the idea is still hot – expect black
& white sequences in the upcoming releases and possible references to the
genre in American parodies. With 6 Golden Globes noms, 3 wins and all the
Oscar-buzz surrounding the picture (which has a good chance of becoming the
first silent film to pick up the main award since Wings in 1927), it has surely become bigger than Hazanavicius has
ever expected. Let’s hope the success of The
Artist won’t turn the film against everything it represents. It is, after
all, called The Artist for a reason.
The Artist is out in cinemas now. Go see it while you can!
