The Artist

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source: The Artist

Hollywood has never reconciled with its silent past. Most of the infrastructure that supports the 21st century film industry, from film technique to the studios themselves, have their roots in the silent era. This film (and Martin Scorcesse's Hugo) helps to bridge that gap and does it brilliantly. The two leads, Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, are spot on perfect in their performances. The direction of Michel Hazanavicius was pristine. We're afforded glimpses of the lives of Douglas Fairbanks, John Gilbert, Gretta Garbo and other silent luminaries in this story of how Hollywood learned to talk. This story is not exclusively for young or old, male or female, or any particular nationality. It's for anyone who loves cinema.

Of course it needs huge amounts of courage to make a silent movie nowadays but does only this really deserves an Oscar? Well the movie has nothing new to offer. The same stuff we had seen in the 20s and no innovation. Nothing new in the story or the performance which it seems that actors back in 1920s were much more talented and attractive. It doesn't have the freshness of the original silent movies. Everything seems fake. We are completely aware that that the have " made" a silent movie. they couldn't convince us to believe it was a silent movie. All the efforts of the actors seems unoriginal. Well we expect much more from a movie which promises a lot of originality but as there is no smile of freshness on you face.It is all the same stuff!

WAY overrated. That's the way I felt after watching 'The Artist'. Based on the glowing reviews, I dragged my family to see this mediocre (and, IMHO, retelling of 'A Star Is Born') film. Please understand that I love the silent classics, but c'mon...JOHN GOODMAN? Why was he in this picture -were the producers worried that the two leads, relatively unknown to U.S. audiences, wouldn't be enough to make people buy a ticket ? What a HUGE letdown this was.

OK I get it. It's black and white. I don't want to play the meathead who can't appreciate the artistry of The Artist. But I don't think it's as profound as some have made it. There's a reason that kind of film went away and hasn't return in any significant way for 3/4 century. And I don't see this as a trend either. Jean Dujardin is pretty good playing broad as the matinée heartthrob who couldn't make it in sound. Bérénice Bejo is also pretty good. Without sound, that's one aspect that is missing from their performance and it feels the absence. If there was one way to break thru for me, it's to add much more physicality to the movie. Think of Buster Keaton, or Charlie Chaplin. The action is more cute than daring. The story is also cute and functional. Certainly there nothing ground breaking going on. The whole thing feels more like a homage to the silent era than creating something brand new.

Well, this movie was... okay. Not great, not terrible. It's an interesting idea to try making a silent film (in fact, I thought the places where the film did use sound effects were rather silly), but I think they should have tried to make a more substantial movie instead of relying on the style as a gimmick. The plot was rather thin for the most part and parts of it seemed a bit overwrought. I had no particular problems with the acting, at least not with the lead parts, but there wasn't a whole lot of interest to the characters because their roles were so one-dimensional. I'd be interested to see what could be done with silent films if the filmmakers weren't trapped in the idea of making some kind of "tribute" instead of adding something of their own to the work.

This film is about a silent film star fading, as he could not cope with the fast changing times. "The Artist" is a black and white, and has no dialog. What used to be the norm back in the 1920's is now almost a groundbreaking experience. Stripping a film of its computer effects, lavish sets and even the dialogs, "The Artist" brings back a cinematic experience that is forgotten to the point that is almost foreign. The music is captivating throughout. The story is well presented, with much emotional depth even without the use of dialogs. George Valentin's frustration, shattered pride and depression is portrayed; while Peppy Miller's secret admiration for George is noble and selfless. The climax is gripping, and I like the lighter ending. I think "The Artist" is a gem that deserves to win some Oscars.

I don't get why people are agog over this movie. I wanted to like the movie but it was achingly boring through the first hour that I didn't think I could take the last 40 minutes. It picks up a little in the second half as it gets darker but it's still limp. Not as good as any ordinary silent movie I've ever seen. Overly campy, predictable, and frankly boring. I thought the movie would provide modern movie story-telling to an old art form to transform the medium. It clearly didn't do that and also failed as an ode to the glorious silent films of the past. Simply making a silent film today that is weak, insipid and vacuous does not qualify as homage. Even the independent film house where I saw this movie, which has adoring audiences that tend to applaud at the end of every movie, failed to generate the obligatory applause when this tome ended. I was very disappointed.

Occasionally, I turn on old black and white movies and every time I do, I wonder why I don't watch the classics more. The Artist is like a time capsule of perfection and it's uplifting and magical. It captures the silent film era perfectly.