playtime

Michael Louis Hill · October 27, 2004

I just saw playtime and i was wondering if anyone had any history of the film and technical facts about it. it was so beautiful.

Laurent Andrieux · October 27, 2004

(Jacques Tati, 1967)

It was shot in 65 mm.

It's a huge story.

The whole set was built in the parisian suburb, took ages to be built.

The film costed a very loud of money, took ages to be shot as well. Tati was a real perfectionnist,especiallty with this one, may be his best afet "Jour de fête".

in 1961, he began preproduction

in 64, buiding the set.

shooting began in october 64. 150 technicians and cast members.

1 year for sound editing. First screening december 1967.

Unfortunatly, it didn't meet the audience when it was first sceened and issued. The critics weren't good, though Truffaut sustained the film.

Then Tati was nearly "banned" and had a lot of problems for making films again. He shot "trafic" in 1971, only could he work for TV then and stopped working in 1974.

Mitch Gross · October 28, 2004

I've always loved Tati. I think "Mon Oncle" to be one of the most astute studies on modernization and the loss of culture ever made, plus it's so very funny. For many a very misunderstood and under-appreciated artist.

Dirk DeJonghe · October 28, 2004

I've always loved Tati. I think "Mon Oncle" to be one of the most astute studies on modernization and the loss of culture ever made, plus it's so very funny. For many a very misunderstood and under-appreciated artist.

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What a coincidence, yesterday I just delivered a digital 3K scan from a scene of Mon Oncle for digital restoration. Had do do some tweaking as it is an old type of negative not supported by current film LUT.

A landmark film indeed.

Playtime should be seen in 70mm, several times and from several different positions in the theatre.

Mitch Gross · October 28, 2004

Glad to hear great cinema is being preserved.

Laurent Andrieux · October 28, 2004

Did you work on Sophie Tatischeff's restaurationss as well ?

What a coincidence, yesterday I just delivered a digital 3K scan from a scene of Mon Oncle for digital restoration. Had do do some tweaking as it is an old type of negative not supported by current film LUT.

A landmark film indeed.

Playtime should be seen in 70mm, several times and from several different positions in the theatre.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I had forgotten to mention that playtime had been recently restaured (by his daughter before she died) and it might be this isue that you've seen, Michael Louis ?

But the craziest about filming technics and restauration is the story of "Jour de fête"

Edited October 28, 2004 by laurent.a

Dirk DeJonghe · October 28, 2004

Laurent,

No I did not work on previous films by Tati, I saw Playtime (restored) in 70mm projection last year and it was impressive.

Laurent Andrieux · October 28, 2004

Playtime should be seen in 70mm, several times and from several different positions in the theatre

There should be any problem about that, as Tati didn't allow in 35 mm print of the film...

Adam Frisch FSF · October 28, 2004

It's such a gorgeous film. Cinematography, production design, art direction - all in a perfect combo. It's very inspiring to see and a great source of inspiration. And just madly sharp!

Christian Appelt · October 29, 2004

More about PLAY TIME can be found here:

PLAY TIME restoration (from in70mm.com)

PLAY TIME facts

Laurent Andrieux · October 29, 2004

Very interesting. You know that the technical story of "Jour de fête" is even more amazing...

It should have been the first color french film ever made.

Tati shot the film with a special color process -Thomson color - because Tati didn't like Technicolor (too saturated ro him) but it happend to be impossible to print !

Fortunatly, they had doubled all of the shooting in standard black and white with a B camera so the film was first released from this neg.

Sophie Tatischeff (his daughter) worked for years to have the original color negative to be printed. It's a wonderfull work. The color appears in the film - the firts part is black and white- and it's just magic ! The color of the ballons and different elements of the foran fest gives you the look that one would have with the eyes he had when he was a kid. It's because Tati painted grey most of the set, but the parts he wanted to be in color. Just magic...

Edited October 29, 2004 by laurent.a