Review
The Artist
Director: Michel Hazanavicius
Release Date: 6 January 2012
The transformation of cinema since its inception is vast and there are few silent movies that don't look dated today. Carefully paced, with an unparalleled attention to detail, The Artist has managed a rare feat: timelessness. This love letter to film, more specifically Hollywood, seems simultaneously old and contemporary and, despite its silent status, features some of the most clever uses of sound in recent memory.
Set in the golden age of cinema, the 1920s and 30s, The Artist follows Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), a rising star of the talkies, and George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a former star of the silent pictures who refuses to accept the changes happening around him. It's a film about communication, and while the characters sometimes struggle to make their voices heard, at no point is the message not clear. The superb cast, including John Goodman and James Cromwell as Valentin's loyal butler - not to mention coveted Palm Dog winner Uggie the terrier - achieve a careful balance between the "mugging" required of silent actors and the subtlety of modern acting. Despite never hearing their footsteps across a hard floor, the engines in their cars or, indeed, their voice, they are completely believable, effortlessly drawing viewers into their world.
The music is a delight, evoking bygone days of Hollywood, and director Michel Hazanavicius pays direct homage to legendary composer Bernard Herrmann, setting one of the film's most important scenes to his achingly poignant Vertigo score. It is not the only nod to its historical roots; Valentin oozes the charm and masculinity of Errol Flynn and the likeability of Jimmy Stewart. Much like It's a Wonderful Life, The Artist tells of a man's downfall, yet is uplifting, full of joy and a true delight to watch.
Becky Bartlett
