Jacques Demy's films are filled with vibrant color and constant song. His Umbrella's of Cherbourg was released in the mid-60s and starred a young Catherine Deneuve as a young saleswoman in love. The colors and the fashion in this film take my breath away!
I think Catherine Deneuve's mother in this film may have the most fascinating wardrobe. She has red suits and green coats. Everything she wears is incredibly distinct.
Deneuve's coat is scalloped! So fabulous!
Demy's Demoiselles de Rochefort is (dare I say it?) more chic than Parapluies de Cherbourg. For one, the film features Gene Kelly, George Chakiris, Catherine Deneuve, and her (real) sister Francoise Dorléac. This movie does similar things with color and song, fashion and dance.
In this picture, I think the orange on Chakiris' shirt is such a beautiful addition to the color palate of the room.
One thing about Démy is the suspension of disbelief piece. Because these films are so whimsical, they really make themselves enjoyable and endearingly over-over-top.
In Peau D'Ane, Démy literally adapted a fairy tale to film. The story is about a young princess who is turned into a donkey. The princess is (obviously) played by French film royalty Catherine Deneuve. This movie is predictably totally fabulous.
Agnes Varda makes equally delicious films, but they are nowhere near as visually arresting. Varda makes smart movies (and is a woman in a field dominated by men) and many of her films display playful camera techniques.
In her first film, La Pointe-Courte, a couple spends time in a small French fishing village. The stills from this film are beautiful.
She also directed Les Glaneurs and La Glaneuse which is a movie about people who glean in a variety of ways. People who glean for food, for objects, for art, and people who glean ideas. This shot is relevant in today's world and is one of my favorite movies. Varda does not judge her subjects, she presents them and allows them to represent themselves. She is a great director.
She begins, of course, with this painting titled The Gleaners by Jean-Francois Millet:
Although she does not present it in her movie, this painting by modern artist T.F. Chen (titled City Gleaners) suggests that the subject of gleaning is relevant in today's world:
Varda recently released an autobiographical film, Les plages d'Agnes, that I have yet to see. I can't wait!
I can't recommend these two directors highly enough. If you don't have much time, I recommend watching Les Demoiselles de Rochefort and The Gleaners & I.
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