As a massive fan of Sylvain Chomet’s last feature-length film, Belleville Rendez-Vous (Les Triplettes de Belleville outside the U.K.), it may come as some surprise to hear that it’s taken me so long to get round o seeing his latest, The Illusionist. Oscar-nominated and lauded by just about every critic in the land, I was expecting pretty great things; luckily, get them I did.
Originally conceived by French silent-film legend, Jacques Tati, in 1956, the script had lain untouched for half a century. Somewhat mired in controversy, it has been reported that the screenplay was created as a way of reconnecting with the star’s daughter, whom he had abandoned as a baby. Whether or not that is factually accurate, we do see the famous physique of Tati brought magnificently to life by the hand-drawn animation, in which the main character, M. Taticheff, is essentially the great man himself. With almost no dialogue, the movie is a clever adaptation of the original concept.
Jacques Tati
Taticheff is an elderly variety magician, or illusionist, struggling to find an audience and make ends meet. In his search for a job, he leaves Paris and goes to London, where he finds the audiences equally unreceptive. Most young people are more interested in the effete British pop group, Billy Boy and the Britoons, whose pre-Beatles swagger is reminiscent of Cliff Richard and The Shadows. Conjuring and sleight of hand are passé. After a more successful gig in the British countryside, the illusionist is invited to perform at an isolated pub in the Scottish Highlands, where he meets an unnamed young girl. She is immediately drawn in by his old-school charm and magic, eventually following him back to Edinburgh, where they share an apartment together.
Entirely free of any sinister overtones one might expect from such a situation, Taticheff takes the girl under his wing in a fatherly or avuncular way, buying her a new pair of shoes and offering protection. While in the Scottish capital, the man begins to be disillusioned with his life, profession and lack of success, whereas the girl is more in her element. Smeared with an over overarching feeling of melancholy and nostalgia, brought vividly to life in the precise period detail, the movie has a wistful longing for a disappearing world that may just be completely gone.
Innocent, plaintive and weirdly joyous, The Illusionist is a unique artefact in today’s Pixar-dominated environment. And it is actually all the better for that, as some of the swooping aerial shots of Edinburgh are among the most gorgeous I have ever seen. But it is slow-moving and short at only eighty minutes. Less dark yet more heart-breaking than Belleville Rendez-Vous, it is a worthy companion piece. I strongly advise anyone who likes grown-up animation to find the DVD. It’s incredible.
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