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Product Description
French Cancan
A film by Jean Renoir
The legendary Jean Gabin plays Danglard, mentor to, and lover of, the stage stars of 1890s Paris. When he discovers a naïve young laundress (Francoise Arnoul) dancing in a nightclub he is inspired by her talent to revive the forgotten cancan in a show that the whole of Paris, rich and poor, will never forget.
Based on the true story of Moulin Rouge founder Charles Zidler, Jean Renoir's exuberant tale of an impresario s commitment to his art is a masterpiece of Technicolor brilliance, which features luminaries of the 1950s Parisian café-concert scene, Edith Piaf and Patachou, as period artistes.
Special Features:
- Brand new restoration presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition
- The show must go on! The joys of life by Jean Renoir (2010, 57 mins): documentary on the making of French Cancan
- Fully illustrated booklet with new essays, biographies and notes on the soundtrack
Review
A vibrant cascade of color, energy and sheer elegance --Variety
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
Simply a delight! But I guess you may want me to elaborate a little on that? This is a superb restoration that brings out the vibrant colours of Jean Renoir's 1955 vision of the Moulin Rouge. These are the sort of colours that his famous artist father Auguste Renoir would have identified with in his own glorious work. I loved John Huston's wonderful film "Moulin Rouge" about the life of the artist Toulouse Lautrec which also used colour to such powerful effect. I despised Baz Luhrman's ludicrous recent film of the same name, with an insipid Nicole Kidman and a ridiculous Ewan McGregor, who both looked like they had been on something any self respecting hippy would avoid. This film is definitely up there with Huston's film.
The movie was restored in France from film held by the BFI. The original French theatrical release was 20 minutes longer than the American version, who sanitised much for their home consumption. For instance a scene where a prostitute is ushered out of a bar by the owner is now reinstated. The film now, and quite rightly has a more daring Gallic flavour. Theatre impresario Jean Gabin is an unashamed philanderer with an eye for the younger woman. He is usually verging on bankruptcy and is on first name terms with the bailiffs. But he still has style, and a vision, which is lots of pretty girls dancing the cancan in the yet to be built Moulin Rouge. This fictional account is very lighthearted with lots of back stage shennanigans. Gabin turns washerwoman Francois Arnoul into a star attraction, and also aquires her as his mistress, thus infuriating old flame Lola 'La Belle Abbesse' played by a scene stealing Maria Felix. We head to one of films great dance routines in the newly opened Moulin Rouge. The main event being of course the cancan.
This film certainly helps cement Renoir's reputation as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. I have only watched his superb "La Grande Illusion", which influenced me greatly in my youth. I must really, really see more of his work! In truth the storyline is insubstantial, but that matters not a jot. It is all about the rioutous singing, dancing, and the on stage and off stage bust ups. The sumptuous sets are reminiscent of a Vincent Minnelli musical. We even get to see the legendary singer Edith Piaf appear all too briefly. There are two extras on this DVD about Renoir and the restoration work, which is indeed a worthy one. Well worth adding to your collection. For readers may I suggest Renoirs book "Renoir, My Father", which does much to explain his great fathers influence on his own film career.
The movie was restored in France from film held by the BFI. The original French theatrical release was 20 minutes longer than the American version, who sanitised much for their home consumption. For instance a scene where a prostitute is ushered out of a bar by the owner is now reinstated. The film now, and quite rightly has a more daring Gallic flavour. Theatre impresario Jean Gabin is an unashamed philanderer with an eye for the younger woman. He is usually verging on bankruptcy and is on first name terms with the bailiffs. But he still has style, and a vision, which is lots of pretty girls dancing the cancan in the yet to be built Moulin Rouge. This fictional account is very lighthearted with lots of back stage shennanigans. Gabin turns washerwoman Francois Arnoul into a star attraction, and also aquires her as his mistress, thus infuriating old flame Lola 'La Belle Abbesse' played by a scene stealing Maria Felix. We head to one of films great dance routines in the newly opened Moulin Rouge. The main event being of course the cancan.
This film certainly helps cement Renoir's reputation as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. I have only watched his superb "La Grande Illusion", which influenced me greatly in my youth. I must really, really see more of his work! In truth the storyline is insubstantial, but that matters not a jot. It is all about the rioutous singing, dancing, and the on stage and off stage bust ups. The sumptuous sets are reminiscent of a Vincent Minnelli musical. We even get to see the legendary singer Edith Piaf appear all too briefly. There are two extras on this DVD about Renoir and the restoration work, which is indeed a worthy one. Well worth adding to your collection. For readers may I suggest Renoirs book "Renoir, My Father", which does much to explain his great fathers influence on his own film career.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
French Cancan: Blu ray. Alexander S Carter February 2012.
For me the most important aspect of a DVD/Blu Ray review, and one that is often neglected, is the quality of the transfer. The new Blu Ray release of Renoir's FRENCH CANCAN passes with honours. Clarity, colour and sound are superb. It is a worthy addition to my collection though the film,itself,is a little disappointing. I find it (as I do most of Jean Renoir's works) rather like watching a theatrical performance. Throughout, one lives in hopes that he will break out and give it an injection of cinematic realism. The performances are very professional and all parts are well cast.I saw the film on its first release in Melbourne many years ago, and I know that over time memory often plays tricks, but the relationship between the young dancer and her baker-boy lover is not quite as I remember it. Concerning films about the Moulin Rouge my favourite is still John Huston's effort about the artist Toulouse-Lautrec. Here the "Red Mill" is alive with swirling figures; loud, brash, hazy atmosphere; vulgarity, but bursting with the Joy of Life. If only Renoir had been able to do so his film would have become, in my humble opinion, a cinematic masterpiece.
For me the most important aspect of a DVD/Blu Ray review, and one that is often neglected, is the quality of the transfer. The new Blu Ray release of Renoir's FRENCH CANCAN passes with honours. Clarity, colour and sound are superb. It is a worthy addition to my collection though the film,itself,is a little disappointing. I find it (as I do most of Jean Renoir's works) rather like watching a theatrical performance. Throughout, one lives in hopes that he will break out and give it an injection of cinematic realism. The performances are very professional and all parts are well cast.I saw the film on its first release in Melbourne many years ago, and I know that over time memory often plays tricks, but the relationship between the young dancer and her baker-boy lover is not quite as I remember it. Concerning films about the Moulin Rouge my favourite is still John Huston's effort about the artist Toulouse-Lautrec. Here the "Red Mill" is alive with swirling figures; loud, brash, hazy atmosphere; vulgarity, but bursting with the Joy of Life. If only Renoir had been able to do so his film would have become, in my humble opinion, a cinematic masterpiece.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Brilliant in conception and colour, wow, check it out and see if you can find fault! Made me want to rush out and get the biggest television I could buy so I could wallow in the visual pleasures.
And hey, not just good to look at!
And hey, not just good to look at!
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