The Artist

It's a FAKE silent film! See how clever that is? We are super clever! Award us now for our cleverness!!


Nominated for:
Best Actor (Jean Dujardin)
Best Supporting Actress (Berenice Bejo)
Directing (Michel Hazanavicius)
Best Picture
Original Screenplay (Michel Hazanavicius)


Also nominated for:
Art Direction
Cinematography
Costume Design
Film Editing
Original Score


The set up for this story (talking pictures are putting the silent film actors out of work!) is very cute, but there isn't much depth past that point. There's just the massive Weinstein distribution machine pumping out tons of buzz. The whole movie feels like one big wink, one big novelty act. And hanging an entire film on a punch line is a very tricky thing.


Now, out of all the nominations this film has received (waaaaaay too many nominations), the one that is the most confusing is the Original Score nomination. This score has generated quite a bit controversy due to the fact that a large chunk of the music is lifted from Bernard Herrmann's love theme in Vertigo. Which is, you know, only one of the most recognizable film scores ever written. Why a black and white movie about silent films is "paying tribute" to a 1958 Hitchcock thriller about possession and obsession isn't very clear. I mean, at least have the decency to lift shit from your OWN scores, like John Williams.


Really, I should have loved this thing. I love old Hollywood movies. I love the look of black and white film. I love seeing filmmakers push their creative boundaries. But this mess relies way too heavily on the "silent film" schtick, and the business with the film score stinks of laziness and plagiarism. Booooooo!


Eli


PS - I know I'm going to get in trouble for the John Williams comment. I'm talking RECENT John Williams, not back-when-Spielberg-made-respectable-movies John Williams, ok? I'm talking to you, Ryan.