Clockwise from top left: The Wicker Man (Warner Bros.), Vanilla Sky (Paramont), Oldboy (FilmDistrict), The Toy (Columbia)Image: AVClub
In Hollywood, it often seems that the sincerest form of flattery is to remake a foreign film. Domestic versions of international hits are a long-running thing in a town where familiarity assumes success,...
In Hollywood, it often seems that the sincerest form of flattery is to remake a foreign film. Domestic versions of international hits are a long-running thing in a town where familiarity assumes success,...
- 11/1/2023
- by Ian Spelling
- avclub.com
During the closing credits of “The Last Mercenary,” we see a montage of Jean-Claude Van Damme in the various getups he wore during the movie (a fuzzy beard; a mustache and Yankees cap; a blond wig; a Bond tuxedo; drag). The film presents this cavalcade of mostly routine disguises with wide-eyed affection, as if it were showing us Peter Sellers in his “Pink Panther” prime. It’s all part of the delusion that the makers of “The Last Mercenary” (who are French) are apparently under: that Jean-Claude Van Damme is no mere action star — that he’s a stylish comedian, an icon of such ironic charisma that we’d follow him anywhere, even through the paces of a maladroit caper movie like this one.
Van Damme was always a good-looking bruiser, sleeker than those other martial-arts poster boys Chuck Norris and Steven Seagal. He’s 60 now, which in our world...
Van Damme was always a good-looking bruiser, sleeker than those other martial-arts poster boys Chuck Norris and Steven Seagal. He’s 60 now, which in our world...
- 7/31/2021
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Perhaps forever to be known as “The Best Don Quixote Who Never Was,” French actor Jean Rochefort has died at age 87, according to Afp.
Rochefort was hospitalized in August and died overnight on Sunday, Afp reported, according to Deadline.
One of the most loved, iconoclastic figures of French cinema in the last 70 years, Rochefort first began appearing in films in 1955.
Both a romantic leading man and character actor, Rochefort was a three time César honoree equally skilled in dramatic and comedic roles. He starred in a number of successful, critically praised French films which attracted international audiences including Ridicule and The Hairdresser’s Husband.
Rochefort was hospitalized in August and died overnight on Sunday, Afp reported, according to Deadline.
One of the most loved, iconoclastic figures of French cinema in the last 70 years, Rochefort first began appearing in films in 1955.
Both a romantic leading man and character actor, Rochefort was a three time César honoree equally skilled in dramatic and comedic roles. He starred in a number of successful, critically praised French films which attracted international audiences including Ridicule and The Hairdresser’s Husband.
- 10/9/2017
- by Peter Mikelbank
- PEOPLE.com
An icon of elegance and comedy with an instantly recognizable mustache, veteran French actor Jean Rochefort has died. The prolific talent and three-time César Award winner was hospitalized in August and passed away overnight Sunday, his family told Afp. He was 87. Rochefort had nearly 150 films under his belt, including 1972 Cannes entry Hearth Fires opposite Annie Girardot, and that same year’s Le Grand Blond Avec Une Chaussure Noire (The Tall Blond Man With One Black Sh…...
- 10/9/2017
- Deadline
French actor best known for mainstream films who earned her place in the New Wave pantheon with her performance in Jean-Luc Godard’s Weekend
Mireille Darc, who has died aged 79, was a French film star known for her zestful appearances in a string of popular sex comedies and cops and robbers movies. Mainly in the 1960s, she played a variety of good-natured call girls and gangsters’ molls, while not being averse to disrobing when the plot required it, and sometimes when it did not.
One of her most famous roles was in The Tall Blond Man With One Black Shoe (Le Grand Blond Avec Une Chaussure Noire, 1972), an espionage farce in which she displayed a black backless dress to the astonishment of unwilling spy Pierre Richard. The dress, designed by Guy Laroche, is now in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.
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Mireille Darc, who has died aged 79, was a French film star known for her zestful appearances in a string of popular sex comedies and cops and robbers movies. Mainly in the 1960s, she played a variety of good-natured call girls and gangsters’ molls, while not being averse to disrobing when the plot required it, and sometimes when it did not.
One of her most famous roles was in The Tall Blond Man With One Black Shoe (Le Grand Blond Avec Une Chaussure Noire, 1972), an espionage farce in which she displayed a black backless dress to the astonishment of unwilling spy Pierre Richard. The dress, designed by Guy Laroche, is now in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.
Continue reading...
- 8/30/2017
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
Mubi is showing The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe (1972) from November 17 - December 16, 2016 in the United States.There is deception throughout The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe. Sometimes, it’s deliberate; sometimes, it’s not. From the sleight of hand card trickery that plays out under its opening credits to its hilariously enacted case of intentionally-mistaken identity, the film is an increasing volley of duplicity and modified perception. But it’s more than just what happens in the film. This 1972 spy movie send-up is itself a cleverly crafted ruse, a straight-faced farce that incorporates most everything one associates the cinematic sub-genre and slyly points out the subtle silliness inherent in its recurrent conventions. Characters and the viewer will often see something and assume it to mean something—one is accustomed to always looking for clues and revealing “tells” in a movie like this—only to have...
- 11/29/2016
- MUBI
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Amour Fou (Jessica Hausner)
An ecstatically original work of film-history-philosophy with a digital-cinema palette of acutely crafted compositions. Amour Fou seamlessly blends together the paintings of Vermeer, the acting of Bresson, and the psychological undercurrents of a Dostoevsky novel. It is an intensely thrilling and often slyly comic work that manages to combine a passionately dispassionate love story of the highest order with a larger socio-historical examination of a new era of freedom,...
Amour Fou (Jessica Hausner)
An ecstatically original work of film-history-philosophy with a digital-cinema palette of acutely crafted compositions. Amour Fou seamlessly blends together the paintings of Vermeer, the acting of Bresson, and the psychological undercurrents of a Dostoevsky novel. It is an intensely thrilling and often slyly comic work that manages to combine a passionately dispassionate love story of the highest order with a larger socio-historical examination of a new era of freedom,...
- 11/18/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: Romantic comedy exploring world of online dating to star Pierre Richard [pictured].
Memento Film International (Mfi) has boarded sales on French film-maker Stéphane Robelin’s upcoming romantic comedy Mr. Stein Goes Online, starring Pierre Richard as a widower who decides to explore the world of online dating.
Richard will play an elderly widower Pierre who has been a living a solitary life since the death of his wife. His daughter gets him a computer in the hope it might stimulate him and lead to him socialising online at least. With the help of young computer teacher Alex, he starts surfing the net and falls on an online dating website.
Under Alex’s identity, Pierre starts up a conversation with a fascinating young physiotherapist, going by the alias of Flora63. She in term is charmed by the elegant profile he has given himself. Caught up in the thrill of the online encounter, he accepts...
Memento Film International (Mfi) has boarded sales on French film-maker Stéphane Robelin’s upcoming romantic comedy Mr. Stein Goes Online, starring Pierre Richard as a widower who decides to explore the world of online dating.
Richard will play an elderly widower Pierre who has been a living a solitary life since the death of his wife. His daughter gets him a computer in the hope it might stimulate him and lead to him socialising online at least. With the help of young computer teacher Alex, he starts surfing the net and falls on an online dating website.
Under Alex’s identity, Pierre starts up a conversation with a fascinating young physiotherapist, going by the alias of Flora63. She in term is charmed by the elegant profile he has given himself. Caught up in the thrill of the online encounter, he accepts...
- 2/4/2016
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Romantic comedy exploring world of online dating to star Pierre Richard [pictured].
Memento Film International (Mfi) has boarded sales on French film-maker Stéphane Robelin’s upcoming romantic comedy Mr. Stein Is Online, starring Pierre Richard as a widower who decides to explore the world of online dating.
Richard will play an elderly widower Pierre who has been a living a solitary life since the death of his wife. His daughter gets him a computer in the hope it might stimulate him and lead to him socialising online at least. With the help of young computer teacher Alex, he starts surfing the net and falls on an online dating website.
Under Alex’s identity, Pierre starts up a conversation with a fascinating young physiotherapist, going by the alias of Flora63. She in term is charmed by the elegant profile he has given himself. Caught up in the thrill of the online encounter, he accepts...
Memento Film International (Mfi) has boarded sales on French film-maker Stéphane Robelin’s upcoming romantic comedy Mr. Stein Is Online, starring Pierre Richard as a widower who decides to explore the world of online dating.
Richard will play an elderly widower Pierre who has been a living a solitary life since the death of his wife. His daughter gets him a computer in the hope it might stimulate him and lead to him socialising online at least. With the help of young computer teacher Alex, he starts surfing the net and falls on an online dating website.
Under Alex’s identity, Pierre starts up a conversation with a fascinating young physiotherapist, going by the alias of Flora63. She in term is charmed by the elegant profile he has given himself. Caught up in the thrill of the online encounter, he accepts...
- 2/4/2016
- ScreenDaily
Film Movement continues with its Classic series and delivers their next title in a continuing line-up of new Blu-ray presentations, The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe, a seminal French comedy of the period from director Yves Robert. A stylized paean to the comedic tradition of Jerry Lewis, this is straight-faced screwball comedy not quite as daring or inventive as the title’s sterling reputation promises (it did win the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival). Notable, especially considering the significant talent in front of and behind the camera, it’s a comedy classic of uncomplicated froth, though its ability to amuse now seems dwarfed by expectation.
Traveling violinist Francois (Pierre Richard) is misidentified as a superspy by France’s national intelligence. As a host of people desperately attempt to interpret Francois’ strange actions, everyone becomes more and more assured of his significant skills. Meanwhile, Francois is embroiled...
Traveling violinist Francois (Pierre Richard) is misidentified as a superspy by France’s national intelligence. As a host of people desperately attempt to interpret Francois’ strange actions, everyone becomes more and more assured of his significant skills. Meanwhile, Francois is embroiled...
- 7/14/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Section to also include celebrations of Ingrid Bergman and Orson Welles as well as screenings of The Terminator and Jurassic Park 3D.
Costa-Gavras has been named guest of honour at this year’s Cannes Classics section of the Cannes Film Festival (May 13-24).
The Greek-French film director and producer won the Palme d’or with Missing in 1982, was member of the jury in 1976 that crowned Taxi Driver and picked up the award for best director with Section spéciale in 1975.
The filmmaker will be present for a screening of Z, which won the jury prize in 1969, and has had the original negative scanned in 4k and restored frame by frame in 2K, supervised by Costa-Gavras.
Orson Welles
Marking 100 years since the birth of Orson Welles, Cannes will screen restorations of films from the legendary Us actor, director, writer and producer, who died in 1985.
The titles include his staggering debut Citizen Kane (1941), which has received a 4k restoration completed...
Costa-Gavras has been named guest of honour at this year’s Cannes Classics section of the Cannes Film Festival (May 13-24).
The Greek-French film director and producer won the Palme d’or with Missing in 1982, was member of the jury in 1976 that crowned Taxi Driver and picked up the award for best director with Section spéciale in 1975.
The filmmaker will be present for a screening of Z, which won the jury prize in 1969, and has had the original negative scanned in 4k and restored frame by frame in 2K, supervised by Costa-Gavras.
Orson Welles
Marking 100 years since the birth of Orson Welles, Cannes will screen restorations of films from the legendary Us actor, director, writer and producer, who died in 1985.
The titles include his staggering debut Citizen Kane (1941), which has received a 4k restoration completed...
- 4/29/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Read More: Watch: The Women Will Rise in New 'Game of Thrones' Season 5 Trailer New York-based distribution company Film Movement announced today the launch of Film Movement Classics, a new label to release restored versions of older films, specifically those out of print in the U.S. The first two releases will both be Eric Rohmer films: "Full Moon In Paris" (screening at the Film Society of Lincoln Center) and "The Marquise of O" (in select cities alongside Jessica Hausner's "Amour Fou"). Company Co-President Michael E. Rosenberg said of the project, "Launching our Classics label allows us to expand how we can serve our audience. Our core business will remain with highly-acclaimed new independent films, but now we can also bring back favorite titles from decades ago, newly restored." The two other titles announced for a 2015 re-release (and restoration) are Yves Robert's "The Tall Blond Man With One Black Shoe" and Peter.
- 3/19/2015
- by Elizabeth Logan
- Indiewire
Above: Lancelot du Lac (Robert Bresson, France, 1974).
One of France’s most beloved and recognizable poster designers, Raymond Savignac (1907-2002) created some 600 posters over a 50 year career, working almost exclusively in advertising. His simple, whimsical, colorful designs, reminiscent of children’s book illustrations, famously promoted Dunlop, Bic, Perrier, Air France, Cinzano and many other companies with an ineffable charm and wit. As far as I can tell, he designed only ten movie posters during his career, all of which I have gathered here. Five of them were created for the director Yves Robert (best known for The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe, the poster for which was designed by Savignac’s friend and peer Hervé Moran) and three for the later films of Robert Bresson. In fact one of Savignac’s final works was for a retrospective of Bresson in 2000.
A protegé of the great designer A.M.
One of France’s most beloved and recognizable poster designers, Raymond Savignac (1907-2002) created some 600 posters over a 50 year career, working almost exclusively in advertising. His simple, whimsical, colorful designs, reminiscent of children’s book illustrations, famously promoted Dunlop, Bic, Perrier, Air France, Cinzano and many other companies with an ineffable charm and wit. As far as I can tell, he designed only ten movie posters during his career, all of which I have gathered here. Five of them were created for the director Yves Robert (best known for The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe, the poster for which was designed by Savignac’s friend and peer Hervé Moran) and three for the later films of Robert Bresson. In fact one of Savignac’s final works was for a retrospective of Bresson in 2000.
A protegé of the great designer A.M.
- 1/10/2015
- by Adrian Curry
- MUBI
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