Showing posts with label Paris in July. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paris in July. Show all posts

Saturday, 23 July 2011

Let's face the music - and talk (2. AMƉLIE)

I said this month I would participate in PARIS IN JULY – so the soundtrack of the month is from a French film – which is very surprisingly set in Paris..

NO!!! Who would have ever guessed that?!?


It's AMƉLIE by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (2001).

The original title is LE FABULEUX DESTIN D’AMƉLIE POULAIN which can be very easily translated into “the fabulous destiny of AmĆ©lie Poulain”.

It’s an absolutely lovely film – and I think it was the first French film I ever watched in cinema. It is one of my favourite films and AmĆ©lie is one of my heroines – I can relate to her very much.

In the film she personated by Audrey Tautou, who you may know from THE DA VINCI CODE (2006).

Here you have the US trailer for AMƉLIE – so you can take a first glance at it (some of the really beautiful pieces of music of this film can be already heard in this clip):


Maybe you recognized the young man: It’s Mathieu Kassovitz who also was in THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997) and in MUNICH (2005) and he will be in HAYWIRE (2011)…

Now let’s talk about the music:

Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet originally wanted composer Michael Nyman to write the music for this film but changed his mind after listening to a CD by Yann Tiersen. So he bought the rights of Yann Tiersen’s melodies and used them for this film.

Yann Tiersen (who you can see in the picture above) also wrote one piece of music for this film which is used in different variations: LA VALSE D’AMƉLIE (= "the waltz of AmĆ©lie")

This is the orchestra version:


Another beautiful melody - A QUAI (hm.. I would say this means: "at the dock" - but I am not 100% sure about it..):


Not every song of this score was written by Yann Tiersen – here is GUILTY which was very popular in the 1930s - and it’s a wonderful song if you like to whistle… guess who does?!? ;”)

It was published in 1931 and is in this version sung by Al Bowlly – a very popular British singer back then. There are many more versions e.g. by my beloved Billie Holiday respectively my equally adored Ella Fitzgerald:


One track is not to be found on the actual soundtrack CD: THE CHILD by Alex Gopher which is played in a scene set in a porn shop. - None of my favourites – but maybe it's just YOUR cup of cafĆ© au lait..


I can truly tell you – it’s a great soundtrack for long-distance trips by train (I checked that in several self-experiments..) – I can’t say anything about its “car-trip qualities” – yours Irene isn’t allowed to drive a car.. – mostly because she hasn’t got a driver’s license.. So you have to find that out by yourself.

I will add a poll again – you’ll have two weeks to decide which of those tracks I presented here is your favourite.


Well, and just for fun a little scene from the movie – AmĆ©lie behaves pretty much like I would do.. Very coltish..

I am sorry that I only found a scene with subtexts and nothing dubbed in English – but you know: international rights and such stuff.. *sigh* oh, poor me – and you! ;”)

Anyway: I hope you’ll like this scene.. and maybe start to think about watching this magnificent magical movie..




Yours (very well and) truly,

Irene

Saturday, 4 June 2011

Que sera?



My very good friend Monty of ALL GOOD THINGS has started the CLASSIC MOVIE ACTOR TOURNAMENT !!- and the Silent/ 30's Era is halfway through - today it is Clark Gable vs. James Cagney and William Powell vs. Errol Flynn. - and as always I am in the hm.. how shall I call it..: "non-winning team".. *sigh* - but maybe you can help that.. ;")

Just kidding - but I'd love you to go and vote for your favourite! But stay fair and vote just one time and don't push your favourite by unfair voting, please!


(Buster Keaton seems to be a bit depressed because he is out - don't be sad, Buster! I still love you, honey!!)


This month I am also a guest at Monty's blog who will asking me some questions and tries to make a star out of me.. Gee, I am feeling a bit like Judy Garland - you think I may get socked in the night I am finally going to win the Oscar? ;") ~ I am frequently training my Thank-you-speech for that Oscar night.. you all will break out in sobs, that's nothing you can avoid. Trust me! I am just about to look for the perfect dress.. ;"p well, not really.. ~


For I am a social star I am not the only leading lady this month on Monty's blog - I share top billing with Doris Day!! Can you imagine that?! ~ I am going to faint any minute.. ~


(Gee - Doris is almost ready - I got to get my make up, too!!)



That's it for June - and now we're talking about July:



I will attend PARIS IN JULY of BOOKBATH - which means on my bookblog ALL THAT GLISTENS COULD BE OLD I will be talking about books I read, which are setted in France or from French authors or whatever else, on my blog NOT SOPHISTICATED I will post some French music and maybe some other things connected with that theme - and of course here I will concentrate on films that are setted in Paris or France at all or have French actors in it or whatever - some tiny bits and pieces I think.. ;")


And for not being too onesided and also being a good guest I will ask Monty to be my guest in return here. Then he will answer some questions and I hope that he will tell us something about his blogs.. (That man is quite engaged.) This way I think there will be some post to release you from my french fixation in July.. ;")


Well, that's it for now - you now may enjoy your week-end!


Yours (very, very well) and truly


Irene