L'écume des jours [Mood Indigo] (Michel Gondry, 2013)

[rohmerin]

My favorite novel, ever, written by Boris Vian, L'ecume des jours, directed by Michel Gondry opens in France in late April.

[Cold Bishop]

I truly had no clue this was being made. This makes what? Adaptation #3?

My dream adaptation would have been by Leos Carax - or even WKW, if you could reel in some of his improvisational impulses - but I'm not angry about this. It seems a better match for Gondry's sensibilities than his last few films, and the trailer certainly displays the whimsy of the novel, if not quite the aching melancholy or final pessimism.

If he can successfully pull off the scene where the room shrinks to Ellington's "Chloe", Gondry will be halfway there. Or design a convincing heart-snatcher. I'm also curious whether Gondry will be making the film as jazz-obsessed as the novel.

[rohmerin]

I have not seen the 60's version with Jacques Perrin, has anyone ? And there's a Japanese one, titled Kuroe.

The Weinsteins can buy it and marketing it as Amelie 2 in the States.
She, Audrey, is still very pretty but I think she's too old for the character.

I am intrigued after watching the trailer like 3 times. I like it but I think I will dislike the film.

[ianungstad]

Great trailer. Hopefully the film is just as good. I would love to see a return to form for Gondry. Here's a look at some of the other strange vehicles designed for the film.

[JMULL222]

Has Paladin set a release date for Gondry's THE WE AND THE I in the US yet? The first hour may be the best filmmaking he's done yet; the following 40 minutes... are not.

[rohmerin]

Video interview to Goldry in French.
http://cineuropa.org/vd.aspx?t=video&l=en&did=236709" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Great Box-Office opening in a few cinemas, only 45 in France.

http://boxofficemojo.com/intl/france/?y ... =17&p=.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[domino harvey]

Version for all non-French markets to run 36 minutes shorter

[zedz]

Yikes. I commented on this film in my 10 Best list (as an also-ran). It's a strangely paced film, for sure, with a drawn-out, enervating and alienating second half, but that's utterly intrinsic to the story it's telling. I fear that this magnitude of hacking (which I'm picking will be disproportionately directed at the section of the film that's not much fun by design) will wreak all kinds of havoc.

Or they could just cut out Audrey Tautou entirely (I can understand the temptation) but that would never work in terms of the narrative.

[zedz]

If he can successfully pull off the scene where the room shrinks to Ellington's "Chloe", Gondry will be halfway there. Or design a convincing heart-snatcher. I'm also curious whether Gondry will be making the film as jazz-obsessed as the novel.

The film is drenched in Ellington (including a lot of "Chloe"), though that steadily seeps out of the film, along with the joy and whimsy of the first half. I don't think you'll be disappointed with how the jazz is integrated into those early scenes, though.

[mfunk9786]

I guess I'm waiting on this. The same thing recently happened to Enter the Void, but the full cut was a whole lot better.

[Fred Holywell]

I have not seen the 60's version with Jacques Perrin, has anyone ?

I've seen it. It's been a while, but I remember it being pretty wonderful -- well played, nicely designed, attractive photography and some great light jazz. Admittedly, my French wasn't strong enough to completely appreciate the film (no subs), but knowing the story-line, it was, for the most part, fairly easy to follow. It seems a movie ripe for rediscovery -- and DVD. The main cast features some of the best French actors of the day: Jacques Perrin, Marie-France Pisier, Sami Frey, Alexandra Stewart, Bernard Fresson. Unfortunately, the actress who plays Chloe, Annie Buron, didn't impress me too much -- no real spark. Apparently, it was her only film. I'd like to think that Tautou is better casting; at least, I hope so.

[Fred Holywell]

Came across a few caps from a VHS-rip of "L'écume des jours" (1968) that's floating around the net. Plus a couple from the more recent Japanese version, "Chloe". Apparently, Studio-Canal now owns the rights to the '68 edition; hope they'll get it out on DVD soon.

[rohmerin]

Really a big disappointment. All the Paris, gadgets and Boris Vian "retro visonary" descriptions are very well translated into film images (specially Colin's house) but the feelings... there's no passion, no conflicts, nothing, where the hell is the love ? and the life ?
Colin seems a jerk (il est trop con) and Cloe is boorish, nasty. All the dialogues sound stupid.

130 minutes are too much, and what it's worse, it's very boring.

[Jeff]

Drafthouse picked up the U.S. rights.

[domino harvey]

Version for all non-French markets to run 36 minutes shorter

Comment on Blu-ray.com's news item for this pointed out that the longer cut has been released in Hong Kong on Region A Blu-ray with English subs here

[Gregory]

Another Boris (I'm going to pretend Boris Vallejo doesn't exist) is Boris Kozlov—a bassist, arranger, and musical director of the Mingus Big Band (talk about having shoes to fill!).

[knives]

Drafthouse picked up the U.S. rights.

I wonder given that Drafthouse to the best of my knowledge hasn't delivered a cut version on DVD if they will choose to ignore it?

[domino harvey]

Drafthouse picked up the U.S. rights.

I wonder given that Drafthouse to the best of my knowledge hasn't delivered a cut version on DVD if they will choose to ignore it?

This is a bit different since it's Gondry's call to cut it for non-French audiences

[zedz]

Zedz, would you recommend a blind buy of this over the shorter releases?

I missed all cinema screenings here and in OZ largely because it was cut, but I have several other problems. Main one is I don't really care for any of Gondry's films I've seen.

But the most important one is "Chloe" and its resonance with Dainah la Metisse (something I missed totally first time around when I reviewed the film from that then bootleg disc.) And the other, of course is Ellington. If you are saying the film starts withdrawing from its Ellington immersion at half way point I might not bother. And on the subject of Chloe does the film resonate in any way with the Gremillon, via Boris Vian? (My younger dog is after all named Boris. So the Boris-es of this world are very important to me -Boris Lermontov, King Boris of Bulgaria, Boris Yeltsin, Boris Godunov, Boris Badenov, Boris Johnson and of course Dr Boris Winkler of The Third Sex. )

HAIL BORIS!

I haven't seen the shorter release, and the film is definitely overlong, but I can't imagine the truncation is much of an improvement. The manic invention of the first part of the film is quite delightful and so dense that it will probably stand up to re-viewings, but if you're averse to Gondrian whimsy, proceed with caution. Gondry is only a really great filmmaker in short forms - music video primarily - so the success of this film (and others) comes in brief, concise bursts of invention. The way they're strung together into longer forms is horribly hit and miss, but this feature is more successful than most of his have been.

The biggest problem I had with the film is Audrey Tatou, who I've yet to find watchable in anything, and who completely fails to bring any emotional heft to the second half of the film, when it really needs it to haul us through the deliberate sluggishness.

EDIT: You missed out the first Boris that sprung to my mind.

[Mr Sausage]

EDIT: You missed out the first Boris that sprung to my mind.

And the first one that sprung to mine.

[zedz]

EDIT: Domino since the last time I used yesasia, they no longer seem to ship outside the US or Canada.

David, I've never had any trouble ordering from yesasia (and their website cheerfully offers me "free shipping to New Zealand" when I logged in just now). You might need to set up your account with updated address and log in for it to do the same.

[domino harvey]

Wow, that's awesome news David! Thanks for sharing before I took the plunge on the HK disc-- would rather have both versions anyways

[Cold Bishop]

Glad to hear this isn't a complete disaster (although I still want to see my imagined Leos Carax version )

I am curious about whether or not

SpoilerShow

the heartsnatcher murder

is retained, and whether, if so, its played too cutsie?

[Cold Bishop]

Well, thank you for risking life and limb for that answer.

[domino harvey]

Not spending too much time on keyboard at the moment, we had a quake ten minutes ago and I wanna keep close to the front door and the car if necessary.

Mood Ineedtogo