The endless trailers and adverts finally end, the room temporarily brightens before sinking once again into darkness. A twinkling light tune, not unreminiscent of some synth-dominated European soundtrack from the 70s, plays as we see a man in an open jeep bumping down the road. The man is dressed in an army uniform and the light is at a constant angle on his face despite the clouds behind. He rides down this road for a good long moment, the camera holding on him from the waist up. Suddenly, an unusual combination of wind and bump combine to pull off his toupee. He turns around quickly and the jeep flips over.

This is the beginning of SteaK, a marvelous film by Quentin Dupieux, also known as Mr. Oizo. It stars two well-known french comics, Eric & Ramzy, and is set largely in the future. Well, 2016 to be precise. In this new world people drink milk like vodka, smoking and beards gets you beaten up, everyone has some kind of plastic surgery, and instead of saying hello, you say “bottine.” (mini-boot)

Those familiar with Eric & Ramzy’s work, looking for cheap gags which modern French cinema embarassingly reveals itself to be desperately prolific, will be surprised. Surprised, shocked, and horrified. In fact, I counted no less than five people who left the theatre and the critics on allocine.fr leave no doubt. The film is a horrorshow for the “bof”s from the banlieue, the usual fodder of Eric & Ramzy’s previous work. It’s satirical edge, it’s strange beauty and it’s terrifyingly empty message could only be incomprehensible and thus repulsive to them. It is in a way understandable. The mockery is aimed partially in their direction. (more…)

Lesson 1 of the French Cultural Education Series

François de Roubaix is probably one of my favourite composers and a first rate musical genius of the 20th century. Famous for his soundtrack compositions to such films as Le Vieux Fusil or La Scoumone, his music often incorporates diverse instrumentation with completely addictive melodies. He was one of the first to use early electronic sounds and the variation on themes owes much to de Roubaix’s early love of jazz. A self-taught musician, de Roubaix’s curiosity led his drawing from a wide range of musical styles. He’s known not only for his melodic prowess, but also for fusing mind-boggling genres in a three pop minute song, such as the theme to Dernier Domicile Connu which features Las Incas, a pan pipe Peruvian duo.

Unfortunately he died quite early from a diving accident in the Canary Islands, and was awarded a posthumous Cesar that year for his work. De Roubaix continues to influence a new young generation of french musicians, and his influence can be felt in Sebastien Tellier (the most interesting French musician at work right now) and Air’s work.

Here he sets the music to kid’s show Chapi Chapo, another endearing French institution. I not only love the Chapi Chapo characters and their adventures, I think de Roubaix’s music does an excellent job complementing the feel of the animation. I highly recommend watching L’homme Orchestre just for the rehearsal scene which surely is one the most sinfully pleasurable pairings of music and dance in film.