There's a character in Under The Roofs Of Paris who bears a remarkable resemblance to John Cleese, I have no point in bringing this up other than I found it amusing.

This charming little movie from the 1930's is one of the early "talkies" and it's interesting to see how it still retains much of the conventions of silent film, whilst seeming to be a little uncertain what to do with this new fangled sound thing. Consequently music is featured prominently. Not a musical, per se, but many of the scenes focus around groups of people singing a song as this must have seemed like the most obvious thing to do with the new technology.

The story revolves around a song selling Frenchman and his pursuit of a beautiful young woman who is being pursued by the evil John Cleese look alike. Complications ensue. It's most worth watching for the glimpses of Parisian life and cityscapes from the early part of the 20th century. Fun movie.

Labels: europe, france, movies, paris

There's a scene in Blue where Juliette Binoche is sitting on her own in a café, she orders a coffee and when it arrives she picks up a sugar cube and dips the corner of it into the cup. The camera holds on the cube as it slowly absorbs the coffee and turns brown. It's little moments like these that make this film such a pleasure.

Binoche plays Julie Vignon, the wife of France's most celebrated composer. The movie opens with a car accident that claims the life of her husband and child and leaves Vignon in the hospital. When she recovers she decides to start her life over, selling her house and all her possessions and moving into a small Paris apartment.

The plot revolves around her attempts to get her life together and various outsiders attempts to her husbands final composition which was almost complete at the time of his death. By the end of the movie we're not entirely sure that it wasn't in fact Vignon herself who was responsible for her husbands music.

It's a beautiful film, and I highly recommend it. It is the first in the Three Colors Trilogy by Krzysztof Kieslowski. They are all well worth seeing, but Blue is the only one set primarily in Paris.

Labels: europe, france, movies, paris

Cinèma Trail is a new website produced by PDIF.com, the official tourist website for Paris, to coincide with their new promotion campaign "Paris au Cinèma". Here is an article from the New York Time about it.

I must say I love the idea behind the promotion, but the web site is a bit flawed in the execution. For instance there is a section called Wanders and Walks. Now a title like that would lead one to believe that is contained walking tours of locations used in various films, but not really. It instead offers general descriptions of films shot at in a particular location without providing details.

I was hoping for something more along the lines of the Rick Steves walking tours. In particular, a map with spots marked off and a short description of what was shot there and when.

I think this is still a good idea, and perhaps someone will come up with something along these lines sometime.

Labels: europe, france, movies, paris

Virginie Ledoyen stars in A Single Girl

I'll warn you right up front that this movie is not for everyone. There's not much plot and nothing major really happens, it is rather, what French films do so well and American films don't, a slice of life drama.

The action centers around a young woman who just found out she is pregnant, is starting a new job, and is breaking up with her boyfriend all on the same day. A lot of the film takes place in real time as she goes about her new job as a room service waitress at a posh hotel, and chronicles her interactions with her coworkers and the hotel guests, most of whom are insane.

If you like quite and thoughtful films, this is a good one with good performances all around. If, however you are just looking for mindless action, look elsewhere.

Virginie Ledoyen also starred in another fun French film that I would recommend called 8 Women

Labels: europe, france, movies, paris

I'm going to add a new category to the left sidebar for movies about Paris.

The first one I'm going to recommend is Amélie which I'm sure you've probably all ready seen, or at least heard about. This movie is really a love letter to Paris, granted it's a prettified, fanciful version the real thing but still...

It's a charming heart-warming movie you can't help but enjoy. As a reviewer for The Stranger noted: You don't have to be an asshole to not like this film, but it helps (or something like that, I'm quoting from memory).

Update: These have been moved onto the country/city resource pages.

Labels: europe, france, movies, paris

Located at 51 rue de Bercy The Cinèmathéque Française is housed in the former home of the American Center. A building designed by Frank Gehry.

Here is a page with a little information about it.

When we were in Prague last year, I very much wanted to go see the Gehry building known as Fred and Ginger but completely spaced it until near the end of the last day of our visit, by which time it was too late. I hope I will not make the same mistake this time.

Labels: architecture, europe, france, movies, paris