Jacques Tati was a bit underappreciated in his time. Playtime isn't successful when the time it released, and became significant impact to Tati's later career and his personal failings. Glad time proves this film is one of the best
It's such a slow burner it hasn't yet reached its peak. Give it another fifty or even a hundred years and it will be the defining film of the mid twentieth century.
One of the greatest masterpieces of all time. Tati is poignant, funny, sometimes just crazy, but never tiresome. A bottomless reservoir of pure genius.
The other brilliant thing about Tati is that his films didn't take a position assuming that the audience was dumb. There was no over explanation or over acting just to prove that a scene was funny. Tati made simply gags and subtle jokes that the viewer themselves had to interpret and then laugh. There were no over-the-top scenes that you commonly see in today's films that tried to force some laughter down the viewer's throat.
Excellent video on one of my all-time favorite films! Appreciate your effort to parse through and highlight the little details of such a chaotic scene, many of which go unnoticed or under-appreciated by general audiences. With each viewing of Playtime revealing new things, it seems more and more like a miracle that Tati was able to pull it all off.
I'm actually a theatre artist, but I always watch your videos for inspiration because of the way you talk about different ways to communicate a story. I've learned so much from you, and you've been the source of many epiphanies in my artistic process. Thank you!
Amazing work. I've got a new film to add to my watch list, thank you!
6 ปีที่แล้ว +7
make sure you watch the HD bluray version, otherwise you'll miss so much of what is going on, especially in that restaurant scene. I have seen Playtime maybe a dozen times, and I still discover things I have not seen before every time. Hope you'll love it as much as I did (do)!
Just the story of making of the sets for Tati's *Playtime* (1967) is jaw-droppingly epic stuff! - They built an entire functioning city block (with traffic systems and skyscrapers!) just designed around different types of clever visual comedy! Truly Un-believable! @.@
I've felt the very same thing since getting to see this film on its eventual re-release. The beauty of this sequence is of the highest comedy perfection, thank you for a wonderful exploration.
I adore Tati's films (with the exception of "Parade") although "Play Time" has never been my favourite. But now that I've seen your video I have a whole new perspective and so I'm going to watch the film again and I'm sure I'll enjoy it like never before‼️
That was a great explanation of the restaurant scene. It is a favorite of mine. How he did this with the not exactly completed opening of the restaurant with the builders doing the desperate last minute touches was great. And then he weaved it into a story that was so absurd was amazing. There was so much going on there and I don’t think anyone yet has done it so well.
When growing up, occasionally Tati came out with a film. 'Mon Oncle' started it all, it's slow observational gags easy to be missed if you were expecting a 'Laugh or I shoot comedy'. His films held over the years and if this one can be seen in the original 70 mm format, you are in for a treat. A high def on tv does not come close, but with a fairly big screen, you'll get the idea soon enough. Enjoy.
Playtime was Tati's One From The Heart. But just budget wise. Both films succeed in their intentions. Imagine hiring Tom Waits to write a score and it turns out as if Hoagy Carmichael penned it and gets an Oscar nom. Plus the use of scrims is lovely. Playtime is the reason for Blu-Ray. So is It Started In Naples and The World of Suzy Wong.
This movie is wierd but in a good way, I think a lot of modern filmmakers can learn a thing or two from how it was made, sometimes it feels like modern cinema force feeds us information, they are so afraid of showing irrelevant things that it hurts the setting of atmosphere and sensation of a bigger living world around the main cast. Tati shows us there is no need to fear in showing a long wide frame and filling it with activity, it takes good quality control, but also I think it is the thing that makes people want to a watch a film again to better appreciate it.
Thanks for your great take on this film. I first watched it about a month ago and have watched it three times in the past month, and it keeps getting better and better. It reminds me of a couple albums that I bought, played through one time and thought "OK... what the FUCK was THAT?" but then felt compelled to listen AGAIN... and again... and again... and now it's a favorite. Same with PLAYTIME. I keep telling people WATCH 'PLAYTIME'. IT'S UNLIKE ANY MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN. That puts it in my all time top ten already.
The mastership of Tati in organizing chaotic scenes is close to Mozart's in his operas' acts endings where all performers sing the same tune with different words.
Tati was a genius on the order of Chaplin. Tati demonstrates once and for all in Play Time that dialogue is not needed to tell a story. This is largely true in his earlier films, but PlayTime and Traffic go all the way. His treatment as a filmmaker in France is a scandal. It was complicated by the fact that he was Swiss, not French. Also he was Jewish. The history of his treatment is disgusting, just as disgusting of the treatment of Chaplin by America. However, it's great to see an excellent video about some of the glories of Play Time. Keep up the good work!
Great essay, but after your Push Process video and your revelation that video essays are first and foremost films, I expected something more exciting. I know reinvention takes time, that it's easier to have a revelation then execute it and there might be a lot of failures and blind alleyways on the journey, but I, for one am excited to see those experiments, those new directions. Good luck, I'm a big fan.
Just had an incredibly frustrating first watch of PlayTime. Definetly see why so many people go for this, but its not for me. Roger Ebert said it gets better on rewatches, but it will take me at least some good 3 years to even consider seeing this again.
Ikr, it feels like such a pointless movie to me, especially since it's overall theme is so simple and not nearly as biting as some people make it out to me. Idk, I really wish I liked this, but it's honestly so hard to enjoy.
Very good indeed.... A shame, however, that most people nowadays will only see it through some form of home video. If ever a film needed the sprawling canvas of the big screen.... If you're ever gifted with the chance to see PLAYTIME theatrically, run don't walk....
Nope, but good catch! Tati shot PlayTime on 70mm but with an aspect ratio of 1.7:1 rather than the 70mm standards of 2.20:1 or 2.75:1. Criterion went with the 1.78:1 (16x9) ratio when they released it on DVD/BluRay since it's the closest ratio to 1.7:1 that's currently used.
ANYONE AGREE, OR HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT?---Blake Edwards' THE PARTY gives a major nod to PLAYTIME (and prior Tati films). Worth a watch. Steve Franken's waiter in Edwards' film would've been very much at home in PLAYTIME, as well as the mumbling, unflappable General played by J. Edward McKinley.
That's a much harder film to talk about in the modern age, but yeah, it clearly borrowed a lot of Tati's ideas and pulled off some amazing things with them.
There's definitely an interesting study that could be done comparing and contrasting the two films. Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of The Party and I definitely think PlayTime succeeds with flying colors over it.
While Chaplin and Keaton both had more illustrious and vast careers, I think Playtime is better than any movie either of them made, as much as I love The General and City Lights
Jacques Tati was a bit underappreciated in his time. Playtime isn't successful when the time it released, and became significant impact to Tati's later career and his personal failings. Glad time proves this film is one of the best
Still underappreciated imo.
It's such a slow burner it hasn't yet reached its peak. Give it another fifty or even a hundred years and it will be the defining film of the mid twentieth century.
One of the greatest masterpieces of all time. Tati is poignant, funny, sometimes just crazy, but never tiresome. A bottomless reservoir of pure genius.
Some of the best physical comedy from cinema history and Tati's career.
Thanks for paying attention to this great artist
The other brilliant thing about Tati is that his films didn't take a position assuming that the audience was dumb. There was no over explanation or over acting just to prove that a scene was funny. Tati made simply gags and subtle jokes that the viewer themselves had to interpret and then laugh. There were no over-the-top scenes that you commonly see in today's films that tried to force some laughter down the viewer's throat.
my family watched without subtitles by accident and loved it
Excellent video on one of my all-time favorite films! Appreciate your effort to parse through and highlight the little details of such a chaotic scene, many of which go unnoticed or under-appreciated by general audiences. With each viewing of Playtime revealing new things, it seems more and more like a miracle that Tati was able to pull it all off.
Brilliant as always! Definitely going to have to give PlayTime a watch.
Tati's best film, that ruined him. But what a gift to the world.
I'm actually a theatre artist, but I always watch your videos for inspiration because of the way you talk about different ways to communicate a story. I've learned so much from you, and you've been the source of many epiphanies in my artistic process. Thank you!
Amazing work. I've got a new film to add to my watch list, thank you!
make sure you watch the HD bluray version, otherwise you'll miss so much of what is going on, especially in that restaurant scene. I have seen Playtime maybe a dozen times, and I still discover things I have not seen before every time. Hope you'll love it as much as I did (do)!
PlayTime is my 8th favorite film, I would recommend it to anyone.
Excellent, young man. I've watched Playtime many times in the last 40 years, and you pull together the best bits and why they work.
Coming back to this after the Dunkey video- you beat him to it on a lot of commentary, and I’m glad I watched it after seeing this vid!!
Thanks for not just covering blockbusters and easy pieces everyone else has done. I actually get to learn about films I've never heard of from you!
I like that this channel is really diverse, like he talks about older movies.
Was on holiday in Vienna when they were playing this in 4K at Vienna's first cinema. Needless to say that we were all entertained.
Absolutely one of the greatest films ever!!!!!!!! Every time I watch it, I'm just so astounded!
Just the story of making of the sets for Tati's *Playtime* (1967) is jaw-droppingly epic stuff!
- They built an entire functioning city block (with traffic systems and skyscrapers!) just designed around different types of clever visual comedy! Truly Un-believable! @.@
I've felt the very same thing since getting to see this film on its eventual re-release. The beauty of this sequence is of the highest comedy perfection, thank you for a wonderful exploration.
Intricate, brilliant film. Must be watched in 70mm restored film to appreciate all of its cinematic details.
So happy someone's finally done a vid on this! It's been one of my faves for a few years.
I have seen this movie so many times along with Tati's other classics. Love them all!!!! He was brilliant!! 😀
This film looks great, I'm going to seek it out. My favourite kind of video from you - I would not have heard of this director without your channel.
I adore Tati's films (with the exception of "Parade") although "Play Time" has never been my favourite. But now that I've seen your video I have a whole new perspective and so I'm going to watch the film again and I'm sure I'll enjoy it like never before‼️
That was a great explanation of the restaurant scene. It is a favorite of mine. How he did this with the not exactly completed opening of the restaurant with the builders doing the desperate last minute touches was great.
And then he weaved it into a story that was so absurd was amazing. There was so much going on there and I don’t think anyone yet has done it so well.
Yet another technique more animated films could benefit from.
I guess you could argue Emperor's new groove kinda did it
@@AF-nh2ux I'd love to see some opinions on The Illusionist (2010) the animated Hulot film made from an unproduced Tati script...
When growing up, occasionally Tati came out with a film. 'Mon Oncle' started it all, it's slow observational gags easy to be missed if you were expecting a 'Laugh or I shoot comedy'. His films held over the years and if this one can be seen in the original 70 mm format, you are in for a treat. A high def on tv does not come close, but with a fairly big screen, you'll get the idea soon enough. Enjoy.
Playtime was Tati's One From The Heart. But just budget wise. Both films succeed in their intentions.
Imagine hiring Tom Waits to write a score and it turns out as if Hoagy Carmichael penned it and gets an Oscar nom. Plus the use of scrims is lovely.
Playtime is the reason for Blu-Ray. So is It Started In Naples and The World of Suzy Wong.
Excellent video.
playtime is so goooood
This movie is wierd but in a good way, I think a lot of modern filmmakers can learn a thing or two from how it was made, sometimes it feels like modern cinema force feeds us information, they are so afraid of showing irrelevant things that it hurts the setting of atmosphere and sensation of a bigger living world around the main cast.
Tati shows us there is no need to fear in showing a long wide frame and filling it with activity, it takes good quality control, but also I think it is the thing that makes people want to a watch a film again to better appreciate it.
Imagine the choreography and rehearsals 0_0 Also, the production design is sooooooooooooooooo good.
Royal Ocean Film Society makes some of the best video essays (a category of video which has EXPLODED recently)
The shot @ :18 is amazing. Especially if you know its context in the film.
I watched this while trying to make a Where's Waldo style picture
Now I'm erasing everything
Thanks for your great take on this film. I first watched it about a month ago and have watched it three times in the past month, and it keeps getting better and better. It reminds me of a couple albums that I bought, played through one time and thought "OK... what the FUCK was THAT?" but then felt compelled to listen AGAIN... and again... and again... and now it's a favorite. Same with PLAYTIME. I keep telling people WATCH 'PLAYTIME'. IT'S UNLIKE ANY MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN. That puts it in my all time top ten already.
My favourite film of his too, no question. It was just brilliant.
The mastership of Tati in organizing chaotic scenes is close to Mozart's in his operas' acts endings where all performers sing the same tune with different words.
I agree that this is perhaps the greatest film ever. It has to be watched over and over again to TRY to catch all of the action.
Thank you for this video! I watched this movie last night and it was absolutely amazing
Could someone please recommend me other movies besides this one that depicts modern life ?
Great video and explanation of a masterpiece.
Tati was a genius on the order of Chaplin. Tati demonstrates once and for all in Play Time that dialogue is not needed to tell a story. This is largely true in his earlier films, but PlayTime and Traffic go all the way. His treatment as a filmmaker in France is a scandal. It was complicated by the fact that he was Swiss, not French. Also he was Jewish. The history of his treatment is disgusting, just as disgusting of the treatment of Chaplin by America. However, it's great to see an excellent video about some of the glories of Play Time. Keep up the good work!
The greatest film of all time to me needs to have characters you can connect with. Vertigo is technically perfect and has characters to connect with.
Holy shit well gotta add this to the list
Great essay, but after your Push Process video and your revelation that video essays are first and foremost films, I expected something more exciting. I know reinvention takes time, that it's easier to have a revelation then execute it and there might be a lot of failures and blind alleyways on the journey, but I, for one am excited to see those experiments, those new directions. Good luck, I'm a big fan.
I appreciate that man! It does take time though, but keep watching- I've got a lot of fresh ideas and exciting ideas I'm working on as we speak!
Just as I was watching your Jacques Tati video this is uploaded. What are the chances?
Dunky sent me
6:29 Hmmm... Many gags in just one view. Sounds like Waldo is at it again.
Jacques tati
Paused the video after 1 minute. Gonna watch it and come back =)
I loved Mon Oncle when I was a kid but didn't enjoy PlayTime as much. However watching it again as an adult I appreciated it a lot more.
Great font choice, dude. I don't know if that's the font associated with the movie, but it fits perfectly, so if you found it yourself, kudos.
This movie drives me crazy, my eyes want to see everything and subconsciously gets frustrated. Such a cool movie, but it’s so hard for me to watch.
😎
Yeah this movie is where's waldo illustration but in motion.
Just had an incredibly frustrating first watch of PlayTime. Definetly see why so many people go for this, but its not for me. Roger Ebert said it gets better on rewatches, but it will take me at least some good 3 years to even consider seeing this again.
Ikr, it feels like such a pointless movie to me, especially since it's overall theme is so simple and not nearly as biting as some people make it out to me. Idk, I really wish I liked this, but it's honestly so hard to enjoy.
I do hope that someday you can see it theatrically.
got recommended this by a gaming memer
Please make a video on Satyajit Ray !
Thanks. Need to get this film
Thanks. Love this movie.
So I'm guessing that this film inspired Blake Edwards to film The Party??? Because I can see that.
this was fantastic
Superb!
Jeez, how many times have I watched this movie? At least fifteen.
its a movie about extras.
2:25 - I know I'm not the best at maths, but I'm pretty sure that 22 minutes is not 10% of 48 minutes...
4.8 is 10% of 48...
4:08
Even if a dialog is technically a story, I wouldn't say that he sets two stories against one another in this shot.
(sry for my english)
Also one of my top 5 choices.
Thanks for this great video essay.
Very good indeed.... A shame, however, that most people nowadays will only see it through some form of home video. If ever a film needed the sprawling canvas of the big screen.... If you're ever gifted with the chance to see PLAYTIME theatrically, run don't walk....
Very good! Tati is AMAZING!
I've never seen any of Tati's films, but I'll have to after watching this!
Tati's stuff always reminds me of a Tex Avery cartoon, which ain't bad, if you ask me.
This movie gives me hope to go on living whilst everything else is painful.
Also, I notice that the aspect ratio is 16x9, which was not used at the time. Is it cropped in on 1.85:1?
Nope, but good catch! Tati shot PlayTime on 70mm but with an aspect ratio of 1.7:1 rather than the 70mm standards of 2.20:1 or 2.75:1. Criterion went with the 1.78:1 (16x9) ratio when they released it on DVD/BluRay since it's the closest ratio to 1.7:1 that's currently used.
Existe-t-il une version sous-titrée ou traduite de ce documentaire qui paraît fort intéressant. ?
These movies look awesome I have to watch them
Blake Edwards' inspiration for "The Party"?
ANYONE AGREE, OR HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT?---Blake Edwards' THE PARTY gives a major nod to PLAYTIME (and prior Tati films). Worth a watch. Steve Franken's waiter in Edwards' film would've been very much at home in PLAYTIME, as well as the mumbling, unflappable General played by J. Edward McKinley.
Thanks for the tip.
I love this movie too!
I love LOVE your vids!!
Liked and subscribed!
i m absolutely with you...
Imagine if this was how LoTR was directed
A Masterpiece ....
Half disappointed, half relieved that there's no mention of Blake Edwards' 'The Party' in this essay.
That's a much harder film to talk about in the modern age, but yeah, it clearly borrowed a lot of Tati's ideas and pulled off some amazing things with them.
There's definitely an interesting study that could be done comparing and contrasting the two films. Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of The Party and I definitely think PlayTime succeeds with flying colors over it.
There was a time when cinema was alive.
Great. Thanks.
While Chaplin and Keaton both had more illustrious and vast careers, I think Playtime is better than any movie either of them made, as much as I love The General and City Lights
but not "freshly painted chairs." It is, rather, the impress of the metal chairs on fabric. Much subtler.
totally agree, superb movie
I've lost it at 6:03 hahahahhaha
I do like Tati's films but at 48 minutes the restaurant scene really is too long. I remember thinking in the cinema, "Does this film ever end?"
Mon Oncle is hilarious. But isn't PlayTime about three hours long?
AlbieHay 40012 Time flies when you watch it. Just give it a try, you won't be disappointed :)
2h 4min
It's soo good I wish it were
Mon Oncle is actually 3 minutes longer would you believe haha
It's pronounced Tati, with the stress on the i.
It's prounounced "tah-TEE". The accent is on the second syllable.
@@lilypondlane That's what I said but didn't dumb it down in English.
yer background music made this impossible
Support this man on Patreon if you can. One buck, anything helps. 2019 should be the year Royal Ocean goes full time.
These colors....omg
You forgot the fish
a great movie
great movie!!! love the lady in white with black short hair dancing !!!!! 🥰😍😇😇😉😉
Noticed the the Caucasian dance routine at 3:30
I would have to agree😃. A real movie connoisseur. Although.... Well, I better not get started....😀
Feeding Steven tunes