The Magnificent Tati

Jacques Tati’s magnificent cinema is the subject of Paris-based American filmmaker Michael House’s fine new documentary, the first film in English to explore the life and work of the legendary French director. The film traces the ups and downs of Tati’s remarkable career: his origins as a mime on the musical-hall stages of Paris; his rise to international success as the maker of the Oscar-winning Mon Oncle and other celebrated films; his fall from grace after the commercial failure of Playtime, the ambitious, massively expensive production — still considered by many to be Tati’s greatest achievement — that bankrupted him and effectively derailed his career; and the post-Playtime projects, Traffic and Parade, that were Tati’s swansongs. The wealth of archival material includes clips from Tati’s films and excerpts from television appearances. The eclectic interview subjects include individuals who worked with Tati plus a variety of admirers, including alt-rocker Frank Black, Thumbsucker director Mike Mills, Tati scholar David Bellos (author of Jacques Tati: His Life and Work), and The Triplets of Belleville animator Sylvain Chomet, whose latest project, The Illusionist (scheduled to receive its North American premiere at the Toronto Internationals Film Festival this month), is based on an unrealized script by Tati. Colour, Digibeta video, 60 mins.