#les vacances de m hulot

[jours-feries]

'Les Vacances de M. Hulot' (1953) Jacques Tati

#jacques tati #mr hulot #movie #cinema #saint marc sur mer #hotel de la plage #saint nazaire #loire atlantique #ocean #beach #vacances #summer holidays #days offf #jours-feries

[latenightcinephile]

#876: ‘Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot’, dir. Jacques Tati, 1953.

I’ll come right out with it, and start this year off on a great note: I don’t really get this film. Far from being the uproarious comedic spectacle that I was led to expect by some of the critical writing, I don’t think this film provoked more than an occasional chuckle. This might be because of my generally melancholic outlook after one too many war documentaries, but I think it’s also largely because this kind of comedy is no longer as affecting as it once was. We expect our farces to be more firmly rooted in a culturally-specific context, and Les Vacances seems to be trying to parody an ill-defined thing. Nevertheless, it’s inflential, so let’s give it a go.

One of the most immediate things about this film is its general lack of dialogue. Most of the comedy in this film is through slapstick and sound comedy that functions independent of language. A group of travelers hustles from railway platform to railway platform, constantly missing their trains by seconds. A squeaking restaurant door makes precisely the same noise whenever anyone passes through it. When this comedy works, it’s mostly because the lack of dialogue gives the impression of an awkward or shamefaced silence - two characters staring at each other trying not to express the obvious. It’s no wonder M. Hulot (Tati himself) resorts to hiding in coatracks to avoid the consequences of his klutzy actions.

Les Vacances was created at a time of social change in France, with the middle classes becoming more fond of summer holidays that allowed them to leave the large cities in exchange for a simpler resort experience. Tati’s parody is of these people’s inability to completely shed their social roles in this new place, and so the film is full of pretentious political students, straight-laced older people with simple ideas of fun, and bratty children with parents whose long-sufferingness tends towards hostility. Into this mishmash of character types comes Hulot, who doesn’t seem to fit into any of these categories, but is more inept than any of them.

Where this film’s comedy is lacking, though is in a sustained response to any of these character types or deeper themes. Take, for example, the elderly couple who are often shown meandering around the beach, with the wife taking a keen interest in the sights and the husband outright rejecting this enjoyment. For most of the film, Tati merely shows us these two going about their business. Here’s the wife handing her husband some pretty shells, which the husband turfs away the moment her back is turned. It’s a chuckle-worthy moment, with the target being the husband’s obvious disgust. But that’s all it is - a moment. We don’t know anything about these characters beyond these moments, and so the film doesn’t have any ability to spin this out into a sustained parody. The same goes for that squeaky restaurant door: beyond the bit where the door makes a funny noise, Tati doesn’t play with tempo or anything. There are no characters annoyed by the noise, where comedy could stem from their ineffectual attempts to stop it. It’s an observation and nothing more.

These jokes are reasonably clever on their own, but the film overall keeps jumping between unconnected moments with little explanation. There’s no overarching plot, like with Keaton or Chaplin, and not even a metatextual rejection of narrative, which is what made Monty Python more endearing than annoying. At the end of the film, Hulot is shown in a shed at night, trying to find his way by matchlight. Why he’s in the shed is unclear, and so is why the shed is full of fireworks. It’s a funny event, but it doesn’t bear any resemblance to a logical event, and so it’s ultimately dulled.

Of course, it’s an important film - Tati was an influential comedy director, and there’s now a statue of Hulot at the hotel where this was filmed. But there’s no immediate connection to the subject of the film any more, and even if there was, there’s no narrative development. What it reminds me of is one of those Norman Thelwell books about horse-riding, if you tried to turn it into a film. A bunch of moments that are funny on their own, but would become meaningless if you tried to impose a plot on them.

[365filmsbyauroranocte]

Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Jacques Tati, 1953)

[annoyingthemesong]

SUBLIME CINEMA #429 - LES VACANCES DE M. HULOT

Jacques Tati was a genius, not just as a performer but as a director and designer. His movies were impeccably shot - and only became more detailed and beautiful as time went on, and he proved himself a master of color in later films. This 50′s film is a masterpiece; an early proof of comedy in wide being funnier than in close up; Tati is closer to a French Chaplin than Mr Bean.

[moviemosaics]

Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday

directed by Jacques Tati, 1953

[itcanbefilmed]

Mr. Hulot’s Holiday (Jacques Tati, 1953)

[illustraction]

Les VACANCES DE M. HULOT (1953) - The VISUAL GENIUS OF JACQUES TATI (Part 6/10)

Further to the success of Jour de fete (see Part 3 and 8), JACQUES TATI decided to create an alter ego, Mr. Hulot, largely influenced by one of his movie idols, Buster Keaton.

With his trademark  style (cap, smoking pipe and trench coat), Mr. Hulot exemplified slapstick comic art form in the gentlest style while creating havoc and confusion on a coastal French town during summer.

It has reached national status in France as well as in many countries since most of the movie was understood by everybody, the jokes being silent.

Above are posters from the US, Switzerland and East Germany

Details for each poster can be found by clicking on each image

All our JACQUES TATI posters are here

If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog as well as our Blog Archives and all our NEW POSTERS

All our ON SALE posters are here

The posters above courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY

[transfemgeorgecostanza]

It’s interesting to see what critics more or less collectively think is a film maker‘s greatest work as opposed to what your own feelings are. I am watching Tati‘s Play Time rn and hmmm I am enjoying it, it is impressively done and looks amazing, but... so far? Mon Oncle was funnier and Les Vacances de M Hulot is a lot more charming... so im just kinda waiting for this one to earn its reputation but I don’t think that’s gonna happen.... hmm

[dakotadanger]

Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday) (1953) is about a well-meaning but clumsy man on a beach holiday. There’s not much of a plot, just different characters he interacts with throughout his vacation.

There are a lot of really funny gags in this film set against the backdrop of a beautiful seaside. The film sort of pokes fun at how people can’t let go of who they are in the city. They’re still playing their same roles, they can’t just be. Monsieur Hulot shakes things up and forces people to just try new things, have fun, act wild. 

This is a fun vacation film. I’m going to watch at least one other M. Hulot film by Jacques Tati, because I think he continued to use the character for social critique rather than just silly slapstick for its own sake.

[peter-tschirky]

Les Vacances de M. Hulot - Jacques Tati

[marlenecollineau]

Rubrique écologie !

Parfois, j’essaie d’écrire des trucs pas trop idiots pour le magazine de la Gauche démocratique et sociale. Depuis 2016, je suis la principale rédactrice de la rubrique Écologie de la revue éditée par ce groupe de discussions. Principale car quelques autres s’y sont également collés, parfois parce qu’elles∙ils en avaient envie. Parfois parce c’est moi qui n’en avais pas envie… !

Pour celles et ceux qui aiment débattre biodiversité, climat, qualité de l’eau ou lobbies industriels ou pour celles et ceux qui sont curieux∙ses, suivez les liens...

sept-16 Un monde fini et finissant

oct-16 L’obsolescence programmée

nov-16 Qualité de l’air et qualité de vie

déc-16 La France, mauvaise élève de l’écologie ?

févr-17 Sanctuariser les biens communs : l’eau

mars-17 L’eau, bien commun de l’humanité

mai-17 Droit du consommateur vs. lobbies : Ils ont privatisé  la couleur des salades !

juin-17 Quand le capitalisme investit l’agriculture biologique

oct-17 Très « cher » Bio

févr-18 Le mensonge de la « finance verte »  

juin-18 La  vacance de M. Hulot ou le bilan carbone de Macron

sept-18 L’économie circulaire : révolution ou gadget ?

mars-19 À quoi sert un ministre de l'écologie ?

mai-19 Aménager le territoire et repenser la ville

juin-19 Biodiversité : le capitalisme sur le banc des accusés

sept-19 Le numérique, ça pollue énormément !

oct-19 Végétaliser : l’arbre qui cache la forêt

[365filmsbyauroranocte]

Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Jacques Tati, 1953)

[kinocube]

Les vacances de M. Kinocube: recomendacións de verán

Hai días que non chegan para todo. Por circunstancias persoais, teño que tomarme un descanso esta quincena para rematar o máis prioritario da miña lista de cousas pendentes. Aproveito para anunciar que imos ampliar o número de seccións desta bitácora para tratar un novo enfoque sobre a historia e os arquetipos do cinema e incluso contaremos con algunha colaboración; e tamén para suxerirvos que esteades atentos ás nosas redes –nominalmente, Twitter, ó que podedes acceder neste enlace: https://twitter.com/KinocubeCinema ou procurándonos baixo o nome @KinocubeCinema– se queredes recomendacións semanais e adiantos dos novos episodios. Séguenos tamén a través de https://agora.gal!

Agora que chegou plenamente o estío e, como compensación por non traervos un novo episodio esta semana, ofrézovos unhas cantas ideas para ver durante este verán. Filmes de diversas nacionalidades, filmes dirixidos por mulleres, filmes calorosos, filmes con conciencia de clase, tedes onde escoller! Ofrézovos desta vez seis clásicos e unha estrea para tódolos gustos:

Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Jacques Tati, 1953)

Algún día tocará falar de Tati, o herdeiro do talento e da vis comica do cinema silente que aproveita ó máximo o partido do sonoro. Para daquela, tedes deberes: ver este filme perfecto para os meses estivais. 

Os fuzis (Ruy Guerra, 1964)

Película do Cinema Novo Brasileiro, unha das correntes menos coñecidas dos novos cinemas que chegaron nos anos 60, cunha potente carga social e a atmosfera máis abafante e calorosa do cinema. Eu, polo menos, non lembro un filme que me fixera pasar máis calor!

Faccia a faccia (Sergio Sollima, 1967)

Spaguetti western moi particular, afastado da epicidade de Leone coa súa triloxía do dólar e dos filmes de explotación de Bud Spencer e Terrence Hill, cun carácter notablemente dramático para contar a historia dun profesor idealista e enfermo e dun salvaxe foraxido que se unen, se enfrontan e sacan a relucir a súa verdadeira natureza.

Harlan County, USA (Barbara Kopple, 1976)

Un documental brillante, valente e arriscado sobre a loita duns mineiros polos seus dereitos. Michael Moore non é tan bravo como Kopple enfrontándose ós poderes a risco do seu propio pelello. Cada personaxe –real!– é un verdadeiro working class hero con todo o que iso implica.

Cinema Paradiso (Giuseppe Tornatore, 1988)

Que dicir que aínda non se dixera da primixenia “carta de amor ó cinema”! Que máis podería aportar sobre o coming-of-age capaz de facer que os cinéfilos boten de menos unha infancia que nunca viviron? E todo isto, regado coa mellor banda sonora composta polo xenio Morricone. Que máis pedir?

Kikujirô no natsu (Takeshi Kitano, 1999) 

Un ex-yakuza acompaña a un neno na procura da súa nai nunha das máis fermosas road movies da historia do cinema. O enfrontamento entre a sordidez da yakuza e a tenrura da infancia pasado por un filtro que lembra ó Chaplin de The Kid (1921), con humor e morriña a partes iguais.

E a estrea: 

Miss Marx (Susanna Nicchiarelli, 2020) 

A figura de Eleanor Marx a través das súas contradicións que non desmerecen a súa labor na loita de clase e de xénero, senón que outorgan unha ollada honesta e lonxe da idealización da causa. Un filme tan punk como o personaxe ó que homenaxea!

Até –esta vez si– o episodio vindeiro!

[elcinelateleymickyandonie]

Filmografía

Como director

1947: L'école des facteurs (cortometraje).

1949: Jour de fête (Día de fiesta).

1953: Les vacances de M. Hulot (Las vacaciones del Sr. Hulot).

1958: Mon oncle (Mi tío).

1967: Playtime.

1971: Trafic.

1974: Parade.

1978: Forza Bastia (cortometraje).

Como actor

1932: Oscar, champion de tennis de Jack Forrester (cortometraje + guionista)

1934: On demande une brute de Charles Barrois (cortometraje + guionista)

1935: Gai dimanche de Jacques Berr (cortometraje + guionista)

1936: Soigne ton gauche de René Clément (cortometraje + guionista)

1945: Sylvie et le fantôme de Claude Autant-Lara

1946: Le Diable au corps de Claude Autant-Lara

1947: L'école des facteurs de Jacques Tati (cortometraje)

1949: Jour de fête de Jacques Tati

1953: Les vacances de monsieur Hulot de Jacques Tati

1958: Mon oncle de Jacques Tati

1967: Cours du soir de Nicolas Ribowski (cortometraje + guionista)

1967: Playtime de Jacques Tati

1971: Trafic de Jacques Tati

1972: Obraz uz obraz (serie de la televisión yugoslava, Belgrado)

1974: Parade de Jacques Tati

1978: Forza Bastia 78, co realizador de este documental con Sophie Tatischeff.

#HONDURASQUEDATEENCASA

#ELCINELATELEYMICKYANDONIE

[lelapin]

Saved on Spotify "Générique de début (Les vacances de M. Hulot) [Quel temps fait-il à Paris ?]" by Alain Romans https://ift.tt/2ScgHKr

[abraxas-libris]

Les vacances de M. Hulot roman d'après le film de Jacques Tati, illustrations de Pierre Étaix par Jean-Claude Carrière chez Robert Laffont. #jacquestati #jeanclaudecarriere #pierreetaix #pierreétaix #robertlaffont #cinema #lesvacancesdemonsieurhulot (à Librairie Abraxas-Libris) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7yWjK3oAth/?igshid=hjop8macwqr8