Playtime
d. Jacques Tati, 1967
Jacques Tati's Playtime is definitely one of the greatest films I've seen. I'm glad I was introduced to Tati through M. Hulot's Holiday (1953) and Mon Oncle (1958) before taking on this movie, as it's certainly his most ambitious film, and - in more ways than one - his best. Much like the aforementioned works, Playtime does not rely on dialogue or narrative to be efffective. Tati crafts his films around visual occurrences, rhythms, and intricate compositions and Playtime succeeds in every one of those aspects. Tati built a tremendous set called "Tativille" for Playtime, and I was blown away by how beautiful everything was. The huge modernist buildings with glass doors and windows must have been that much more astonishing back in 1967. Monsieur Hulot, the famous character acted by Tati himself, returns in Playtime, but plays a smaller role than in Tati's previous films. Instead, Tati gives us a cast of hundreds that include American, German, and French tourists that wander through the world he's created. I would go on about the way this movie has affected me, but I think it's the kind of film that has to be absorbed with as little knowledge as possible. As one of the most breathtaking films in history, Playtime is an unparalleled experience that I presume will get better with subsequent viewings.
P.S. I can not wait for the Criterion release of Playtime.
