The Films of Jacques Tati by Michel Chion

The Films of Jacques Tati Reviews

• 
  Tosh

  This is a very charming elegant small book by Michel Chion about the huge talent - Jacques Tati. Chion is a filmmaker (never seen his work) who also wrote various books on Kubrick and David Lynch. Tati belongs in that grouping of visionary filmmakers. Criterion has put out most of his films on DVD, and all of fantastic. But really recommend the 70mm print of "Playtime" in a movie theater of course. Tati's work is incredibly visual, and in many ways he reminds me of Buster Keaton. Forgetting the actual time-frame and of course gender, but Tati is like the son of Jean-Luc Godard and Buster Keaton. Or wait is it big brother to Godard, and step-son of Keaton. Whatever!
• 
  Greg

  For the hardcore only - interesting thoughts, though as an essay by a French writer for Cahiers du Cinema, it reads like - well, an essay by a French writer for Cahiers du Cinema. I kind of want to tell the guy to get the beret out of his eyes occasionally. I love me the Tati films (or I'd never have gotten the book), but nothing makes comedy, even complex comedy, less funny than pretentious people holding it up to the light and proclaiming that it's not even comedy, for eet eez too byooteeful. Ok. Fine.
  
  Am I going to have to call off books-about-film the way I've done (about 95%) with books-on-music? Almost never works unless it's pure anecdote and zero analysis, because the temptation to get all hopped up on your own metaphor because you're blinded by the greatness reflecting off your forehead from the actual artist at work just exhausts me.
  
  Still, though, I seem to have given this three stars because it's about M. Tati and if it keeps my mind on his work, I'm generally happy.
  
  
• 
  Joe

  If you've seen all 6 films, watched the Criterion extra features, read the excellent biography by Bellos, and you're still hungry for more Tati, then this little book is an enjoyable little adventure.
• 
  Mark

  A great companion to Tati's films: explores his stylistic uniqueness, tracks his evolution, decodes -- or, at least, reveals -- his private hieroglyphics as well as actually fitting in your back pocket. Every strong filmmaker should have such a book about them.
• 
  Simon Popek

  3,5 ⭐️
• 
  Eric

  Chion likes to wander around a bit, but if you can handle that and its anecdotal-like structure, you get some interesting musings and tidbits from a great film critic. If you're looking for an overarching argument, you'll be disappointed.
• 
  Eileen

  "Jacques Tati(scheff) had a number of good labels attached to his name; it was not difficult for him to be an artist. Little effort was needed for him to sign his name as an artist does. All he had to do was place the letter "r" between the "a" and "t" of his surname."
  
  GROAN.
• 
  Chadwick

  You'd think that a serious French critic who writes for the Cahiers would be able to do a little better than this imagistic twaddle.
• 
  Wendy Crittenden

  for my thesis, and for pleasure, i thus far love the way this is written... complements tati's aesthetic. quick read.
• 
  Jacob

  This features a lot of useful information/observations about Tati's films, but at the same time it goes on too many useless tangents and the prose itself is occasionally unbearable.