January 5, 2005
Jacques Tati's Playtime Today
If you have a chance, don't walk but run to Lincoln Center to see Jacques Tati's Playtime at the Walter Reade Theater. There's a restored 70mm print (the only French film to be made in 70 mm), and Gothamist hears it's gloriouis. Playtime has Tati's Monsieur Hulot trapped within Paris, and Tati constructed his own "cinema town" (aka "Tativille) in Ile de France, made up of modern buildings and artificial light, specifically for the 1967 film. Today is the last day of Playtime screenings, with showtime of 1, 3:30, 6:15 & 8:45.
Playtime was released on DVD by Criterion in 2001, but it needs to be reissued; also, there is a question about whether that DVD's transfer is any good. And Tativille is the offical Jacques Tati site.
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In case anyone is thinking this is a boring, heavy French film, it is HILARIOUS and a treat to look at. You will look at NYC differently after watching it, and it will cheer you up, no matter how dark your mood.
When a restored print like this is publically shown, it's usally the prelude to a DVD release. In this case, if you go to the screening and see the Criterion logo on the screen that means Criterion did the restoration. Which means they are in negotiations or are planning a rerelease soon.
Like it or not, the main reason releases like this get pulled or delayed or SNAFUed has to do with rights and permissions. In this case the Tati family is at odds over what print was used originally.
And for those who care, when "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" was screened at the Film Forum it was a Criterion print. And my good guess is Russ Meyer's nutty business behavior is to blame for that not being on DVD yet. And perhaps 20th Century Fox mixed into the mess.
the print is gorgeous, and the film is gently humorous, but really, it dotes far too long on each gag--sometimes hammering a charming bit of physical comedy or a site gag until it becomes completely flat. beautiful to look at, admirable for the vigorous visual design and wry insights about modernity, but tedious at times.
I have this Criterion disc and I personally think the x-fer is gorgeous. (though I've never seen the actualy film print) It's not my favorite Tati film, that would be Mon Uncle.
I thought viewers of your site might like to know that Roger Ebert recently said that he has recorded a commentary track for an upcoming Criterion DVD release of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. The disc is supposedly coming out sometime in 2005. There has been a lot of buzz back and forth on message boards about the release. It is my hope that Criterion will be as thorough as ever with this film and will search all the nooks and crannies in the Fox vaults as well as anything the late Russ Meyer might have had stored away... rumors have abounded for years that he filmed more than one version of some scenes in the film and then turned in the version he thought would get an 'R' rating. When the MPAA stamped it with an 'X', he intended to re-edit with some of the harder footage but Fox was sinking in debt and rushed the film into theatres. Rumor has it that Fox is embarassed by this film even though it saved them from the grave.