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Amazon.co.uk Review
Jean-Jacques Beineix (Betty Blue) made a catchy debut as a director with this slick, defiantly superficial 1982 movie about a young mail carrier who illegally records a performance by an opera singer, then gets the tape mixed up with evidence that could incriminate gangsters. Wearing flashy commercialism like a badge, Beineix fills the screen with explosions of disposable pop kitsch. Yet he also tells a fairly compelling story in the process, one that only seems to get more interesting the closer one gets to the end. An unusual experience, Diva should be seen also for the influence it had on the look and feel of movies and music videos in the 1980s. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Young Parisian mail courier is content with his bohemian lifestyle, his circle of friends and listening to opera, particularly one exceptional American diva who refuses to be recorded. So enamored with her, he makes an illegal tape of her at a concert. But when the tape is confused with one implicating a police chief with the mob, he must use all his ingenuity to survive. Particularly notable for its stylish New-Wave production values and extended motorcycle chase scene. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Ceasar Awards, Moscow International Film Festival, ...Diva
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Jules, the Parisian postman who is the central character, makes an illicit "live" tape recording of the opera singer with whom he is obsessed, his diva. She has never made a recording and Jules is pursued by two Taiwanese dealers who will ignore copyright proprieties and mass produce the tape.
Intertwined with this plot is a second, in which Jules is pursued by two mobsters, and the police, hunting a second tape; this time an account of the rackets run by Mr Big by his mistress. Jules has two allies however who help him through a series of scrapes.
A brilliant "chase based" thriller set in the seedy underworld of Paris. Well paced, the use of plot and sub-plot captures the raw atmosphere of contemporary Paris and results in the finest of a genre of films such as Le Cop, Subway and Dede.
Not to be missed
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Jules (Frederic Andrei) is a young special delivery messenger in Paris who loves opera and worships the singer Cynthia Hawkins (Wilhemenia Wiggins Fernandez). She's famous for never making recordings. Jules secretly tapes her, and the action starts. Two Taiwan hoods learned of his plans and are determined to steal the tape so they can make bootleg copies. At the same time, a prostitute lets the police know that she made a tape implicating the chief of police in some very nasty crimes involving prostitution and drugs. The tapes get mixed up, and the Taiwan hoods and two ruthless killers working for the police chief go after Jules. He meets and is helped by a young Viet Namese girl and her protector, played by the first-rate French actor Richard Bohringer. Things sort themselves out but only after two hours of stylish, exciting film making, the development of interesting characters you start to care about, especially Jules, and a first-rate chase involving Jules on his moped in and out of the Paris Metro.
The opera recording Jules made is of Hawkins singing an aria from La Wally. The actress playing the role, Wilhemenia Wiggins Fernandez, is an opera singer (and a good actress). She probably had a lot of movie goers running to record shops trying to get her stuff. It's a beautiful, haunting piece of work and is heard several times.
I think Diva is an excellent, high-class mystery/chase movie that holds up very well. Watching it again reminded me of how much I liked it the first time I saw it. The DVD transfer is acceptable.
The opera recording Jules made is of Hawkins singing an aria from La Wally. The actress playing the role, Wilhemenia Wiggins Fernandez, is an opera singer (and a good actress). She probably had a lot of movie goers running to record shops trying to get her stuff. It's a beautiful, haunting piece of work and is heard several times.
I think Diva is an excellent, high-class mystery/chase movie that holds up very well. Watching it again reminded me of how much I liked it the first time I saw it. The DVD transfer is acceptable.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I saw this film a few years after it came out, thought it was absoloutly stunning, certainly one of the new wave of chic French films that paved the way for other such classics as Betty Blue. Watching it again as an adult wasn't quite as fulfilling as the last time I saw it as an impressionable youth.
Diva basically has 2 plots that run side by side, the story of 2 tape recordings, One a Illegal recording of an Opera Diva made by a postman and the other a testimony by a local prostitute about a powerful Drug Lord, The postman ends up in possession of both and is chased by 2 sets of criminals, 2 Chinese chaps and 2 french hitmen, Dominique Pinon, one of the hitmen seems to be dressed exactly like the Terminator, Theres even one scene in the film that shares more than a passing resemblance to a scene in T2, Coincidence???. Anyway, these 2 plots don't seem to mesh that well and either one on there own would have been sufficient to carry the movie. Although not too much of a weakness they do make the film a little over long. Having said that apart from the slightly clunky scenario Diva has more than enough cool moments and characters to keep you hooked. It's also a triumph in cinematography, each scene and shot seems to have been lite and structured as if it was a painting, each frame being as important and well thought out as any masterpiece in the Lourve.
If your into foreign of French cinema you just have to have this, it's probably THE most important French film of the 80's and you can see it's influence on nearly every French production since .
Diva basically has 2 plots that run side by side, the story of 2 tape recordings, One a Illegal recording of an Opera Diva made by a postman and the other a testimony by a local prostitute about a powerful Drug Lord, The postman ends up in possession of both and is chased by 2 sets of criminals, 2 Chinese chaps and 2 french hitmen, Dominique Pinon, one of the hitmen seems to be dressed exactly like the Terminator, Theres even one scene in the film that shares more than a passing resemblance to a scene in T2, Coincidence???. Anyway, these 2 plots don't seem to mesh that well and either one on there own would have been sufficient to carry the movie. Although not too much of a weakness they do make the film a little over long. Having said that apart from the slightly clunky scenario Diva has more than enough cool moments and characters to keep you hooked. It's also a triumph in cinematography, each scene and shot seems to have been lite and structured as if it was a painting, each frame being as important and well thought out as any masterpiece in the Lourve.
If your into foreign of French cinema you just have to have this, it's probably THE most important French film of the 80's and you can see it's influence on nearly every French production since .
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Quintessential 80s French film-making
In the same way 'The Breakfast Club' defined a certain kind of 1980s
American filmmaking, and 'Blow Up' defined 1960s London hipness, 'Diva'
defined a certain kind of... Read more
American filmmaking, and 'Blow Up' defined 1960s London hipness, 'Diva'
defined a certain kind of... Read more
Published 4 months ago by K. Gordon
A cult film - deservedly so
The real stars of the film are the sets and locations - the theatre itself, where the film begins and ends; the immense abandoned industrial building in which the main character... Read more
Published 5 months ago by tim
An underestimated French classic.
From the moment this film starts with its moody and stylish shots coupled with a serene soundtrack you know you are in for a sensual treat. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Gregory Baser
A great French film
We watched this film years ago on TV & thoroughly enjoyed it, kept a look-out for it being released & used some vouchers to treat myself to a copy. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mrs. G. Bedford
Mr Gorodish
Diva (Dir: Jean-Jacques Beineix, 1981) was twenty years ahead of its time and still looks good today - thirty years after it was made. Read more
Published on 14 April 2010 by Oliver Twist
Brilliant film!
My favourite film so I am biased! Great price and a must have for me! Delivered very quickly too!
Published on 28 Jan 2010 by N. Farrell
Stylish
This is a very stylish film. Almost a triumph of style over content, but there is enough plot to maintain interest whilst looking at the style.
Published on 10 Aug 2009 by Mr. P. J. Meade
Diva was the first
in a long string of really good french movies that made it to Sweden. We even got the dubious pleasure of seeing some of them remade by Hollywood. Read more
Published on 16 Jun 2009 by F. Jonas
Classic 80's French Film
"Diva" now looks slightly dated (it is nearly thirty years old) but it is still a very stylish and visually appealing film. Read more
Published on 2 Sep 2007 by L. Davidson
Powerful and beautiful.
This is a fantastic film. It is wonderfully directed with an absorbing mixture of images and sound that resonate and linger in the mind long after you have finished watching it. Read more
Published on 18 April 2007 by JFP
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