112 Playtime

[psufootball07]

I'd like to thank justeleblanc for suggesting me to watch Hulot films in chronological order, havent yet got my hands on Trafic, but it is at the top of my Netflix Queue. I rented these from the library and was blown away, in particular not just by the films, but the shorts and extras available. In fact, the Tati Story extra in Playtime was magnificent, and a great look at Tati's life. While I would love to see Mon Oncle and Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot get a re-issue, I'm left to wonder what they could add, except maybe better picture quality? Either way, if you rent Playtime, make sure you get the second disc as well, those extras are sure worth at least one viewing.

[HerrSchreck]

If you're a member of this board, and you rent instead of own outright Playtime, for shame! for shame! Such an endlessly rewarding classic of classics, endlessly inspirational-- always imitated, never duplicated-- and one of CC's best SE's...

Definitely one of the "obligatory" CC's, along with titles like Seven Samurai & La Regle de jeu.

[swo17]

If you're a member of this board, and you rent instead of own outright Playtime, for shame! for shame! Such an endlessly rewarding classic of classics, endlessly inspirational-- always imitated, never duplicated-- and one of CC's best SE's...

Definitely one of the "obligatory" CC's, along with titles like Seven Samurai & La Regle de jeu.

And it's 49% off right now at Amazon.com. No better time than the present...

[colinr0380]

The Spectacular Attractions blog has an excellent post up about Playtime.

[aox]

The Spectacular Attractions blog has an excellent post up about Playtime.

fascinating article. Thanks for posting that. Not enough can be said or written about this film. It is the best discovery I have made this year as well as DVD purchase. I think I have watched it at least 10 times.

I can't wait for NYC to have a Tati retrospective or even just a single showing of Playtime. I have to see this on the big screen.

[Cash Flagg]

For those of you in the Boston area, the Harvard Film Archive will be screening this for free on 12/3 at 7 P.M.

[Fierias]

70mm or 35mm?

[Cash Flagg]

70mm or 35mm?

Their web site doesn't seem to specify, I'm going to assume 35mm.

[tavernier]

aox won't have to wait much longer...

Film Society of Lincoln Center press release:

NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2008—The Film Society of Lincoln Center will present Jacques Tati’s masterpiece “Playtime” in its original, rarely screened 70mm format at the Walter Reade Theater, Monday, Jan. 5. The comedy will screen four times—at 1:00, 3:30, 6:00, and 8:30 p.m.—while giving New Yorkers an exclusive opportunity to see the filmmaker’s most celebrated work in the visionary scope and depth he intended.

[aox]

aox won't have to wait much longer...

Film Society of Lincoln Center press release:

NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2008—The Film Society of Lincoln Center will present Jacques Tati’s masterpiece “Playtime” in its original, rarely screened 70mm format at the Walter Reade Theater, Monday, Jan. 5. The comedy will screen four times—at 1:00, 3:30, 6:00, and 8:30 p.m.—while giving New Yorkers an exclusive opportunity to see the filmmaker’s most celebrated work in the visionary scope and depth he intended.

Holy Shit! Wishes do come true!

I will be there! =D>

[StevenJ0001]

It's a great experience on 35mm, but the 70mm prints are mindblowing.

[aox]

just a reminder that this is playing today only in NYC.

[J]

Blu-ray announced for August 18.

[Jun-Dai]

This was definitely something of an obvious choice for Blu-ray: shot on 65mm, recently restored, mastered in HD. Nevertheless, I have to say I'm more excited about having this on Blu-ray than just about any other film.

[Se7en082]

This was the Blu-Ray release I was waiting for! So happy!

[denti alligator]

This was the Blu-Ray release I was waiting for! So happy!

Join the club! I've been harping on not having this on HD ever since CC announced going blu. This is one of the most obvious choices, though maybe it's not as big a seller as some of the other titles they've chosen for the format. I am very, very pleased.

The problem for me is that I'd like to take advantage of the trade-in offer with three titles to make it worthwhile ($22 per disc with $6 shipping spread out over three discs) and by the time this release hits the stores there will be only two titles I haven't yet traded for blu versions (this and Wages of Fear). I'm not really willing to wait on a third to get my hands on this ... Oh well, I guess I can always sell the SD version.

[atcolomb]

Lets hope Mon Oncle and Hulot's Holiday are not that far behind...

[Jun-Dai]

Lets hope Mon Oncle and Hulot's Holiday are not that far behind...

Sadly, I'm guessing they will be. If they were within arm's reach down the schedule, I'd imagine Criterion would have held Playtime back in order to release all three at once.

[dad1153]

Criterion's experience with their rights for "Ran" and "Contempt" going away have probably made them rethink any plans of withholding the release of any Blu-ray title they have until other movies from the same director/genre become available. Their new motto must be 'We've got the rights to it now, let's release it ASAP before the sharks come swipe it away' (or words to that effect ).

[Michael Kerpan]

Just got a new TV (Samsung plasma) and am trying out various DVDs. I was surprised to find that the _new_ Criterion DVD of Playtime is one of the least good-looking DVDs I've sampled so far. I hope that the blu-ray version will offer a considerable degree of improvement.

(On the other hand, Criterions release of Naruse's Woman Ascending the Stairs has been one of the best looking DVDs I've sampled).

[Magic Hate Ball]

Do you have your sharpness all the way down? I can imagine edge enhancement artifacts would scrub out most of the details, and since the film's composed entirely of long shots...

[Finch]

I was surprised to find that the _new_ Criterion DVD of Playtime is one of the least good-looking DVDs I've sampled so far.

I was similarly underwhelmed, Mike. Playtime is one of the few available Blu-Rays that could eventually convert me but I think I'll hold out for at least another year or two before I make the plunge if ever. In the meantime I hope the BFI make good on their announcement to reissue M Hulot's Holiday and Mon Oncle on SD DVD as well as Blu. The Criterions of these two films definitely show their age.

[psufootball07]

The current edition of Playtime is just fine, it was their original release without the wacky c that was horrible.

[Michael Kerpan]

The current edition of Playtime is just fine, it was their original release without the wacky c that was horrible.

We have the new version -- and it is pretty substandard looking. (Edge enhancement is off, btw).

[gokinsmen]

Some words on Playtime from filmmaker Jon Jost that articulate my ambivalence towards the film better than I could. He doesn't mention the wonderful (post-production) sound, but the rest is pretty spot-on, IMO.

Back when it was released audiences apparently voted with their feet, and this film, costly by the standards of the day, was a flop from which Tati never recovered. The critics of the day were mixed, but slowly Playtime has clawed its way to a place of reverence in critical circles. In my view the audience was right – this film is a turkey, and despite occasional flashes of brilliance (mostly at the beginning), it fails to sustain anything, uses its threads (Hulot, the American tourists) as cheap devices to string together a sequence of essentially unrelated set-pieces, and collapses in the unfunny chaos of the closing night-club passage. Its handful of funny concepts are usually driven into the ground with repetition, just as its satire tilts towards the overly obvious and far too easy. It was apparently unscripted, and in the pejorative sense of it, looks it. That Tati shows flashes of brilliance in his use of the screen space does not salvage the utter failure to orchestrate time, an essential element of any work which operates in time – be it music, theater, or cinema, or cover for many of his jokes which are facile and worn.

That quote in bold also sums up my ambivalence to Elia Suleiman's Divine Intervention -- the only Suleiman I've seen, admittedly. It feels like a bunch of (individually brilliant) short films strung together into a tiresome repetitive feature by a very loose, very dull thread.