That’s a very particular look… was it filmed with a 16mm camera off of a CRT screen? A… Sony Trinitron screen? I remember I used to film the screen; it’s an interesting effect…
Oh! These really are audition tapes? I assumed that Akerman was making faux audition tapes for some reason.
But these are the auditions for a movie I haven’t seen yet; it’s the next one in this box set: Golden Eighties, which is a musical!!!
Although Les Années 80 was poorly received at the 1983 New York Film Festival, Akerman eventually secured financing. Filming took place in Brussels over eight weeks in 1985. Budget constraints resulted in a more modest production; for example, choreography was simpler than originally envisioned.
So… this has a 7.0 rating from the 201 people who’ve rated it.
C’mon.
Yes, Akerman is a genius, but this isn’t fantastic.
Heh heh. And this is Brian14Leonard‘s ratings in general:
So… harsh!!!
I haven’t seen that one, but I remember seeing Paul Newman’s version when I was like 20 — that was a good movie… I should see whether that’s available anywhere now.
Yes!
A Spanish release! *yoink*
Oops, I was watching this movie, wasn’t I?
Because… this isn’t a good movie. I mean, I forgot to pay attention there for a goodly amount of time.
But at least there’s music now. It’s so generic, though. It’s like they made a guy generate some music in half an hour and said “make it sound kinda musicalish”.
OK, this is better.
And that’s Akerman directing!
This one’s good, too. Perhaps the music in the first half was just placeholder music…
Oh, I guess this is from Golden Eighties? I mean, a test for that movie.
This looks great. Now I’m excited about watching that movie.
Needs some training in how to make ice creams!
Heh, even for her musical, Akerman can’t resist shooting scenes through doorways, centred. It’s her signature way to compose a scene.
Well! That was different.
I admire Akerman’s chutzpah — she had filmed some auditions, some rehearsals, and some proof-of-concept scenes from the musical. And then she was totally unable to get the movie financed. So it’s a Hail Mary Pass thing — why not send out what she’s got on the film festival circuit and see whether she’s able to get anybody interested?
And it worked! She was apparently not able to get as much financing as planned, but she got the movie made, and that’s what it’s all about.
But is this thing worth watching? No, I’m sympathetic to Brian14Leonard’s plight — sitting in a movie theatre watching this pitch probably wasn’t very entertaining, but his one star rating is overdoing it. The final 20 minutes, which has scenes from the proposed musical, is amusing, has some pretty good music, and is shot gorgeously.
The first hour is basically a ☐ — there’s no reason to watch it. Then there’s 15 minutes of ⚅ — it that had been a 15 minute short, I would have been befuddled, but happy. But instead it’s a melange, so:
Les annees 80. Chantal Akerman. 1982. ⚂
