From the Desk of Jim R: At the Movies

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

En souvenir : Célébrer la vie et les films de la star emblématique du cinéma français Jean-Paul Belmondo - "À bout de souffle", "L' Homme de Rio", "Borsalino" et "Le Magnifique"

Par James V. Ruocco

Jean-Paul Belmondo, proclame a juste titre "1'enfant gate du cinema francais," est decede discretement le 6 septembre 2021. Il avait 88 ans.
Acteur de cinema pendant plus de 50 ans de sa vie, le beau Francais etait l'incarnation d'un grand cinema francais - "A bout de souffle," "L'Homme de Rio," "A double tour," "Le Professionnel" - avec une carriere qui a debute en 1957 a la suite de la sortie de "Les coupains du dimanche," realise par Henri Aisner.

"Il restera a jamais 'Le Magnifique,' " a declare Emmanuel Marcon, president de la France. "Jean-Paul Belmondo etait un tresor national, tout en panache et en eclats de rire, le verbe haut et le corps leste, heros sublime et figure familiere, infatigable casse-cou et magicien dest mots. En lui, nous nous retrowions tous."

Les eloges durables de Belmondo - des choix de carriere allant des films d'art et d'essai aux comedies legeres et aux drames d'action avant-gardistes - l'ont maintenu au sommet de son art face a des sommites du cinema comme Alain Delon, Jeanne Moreau, Sophia Loren, Jean Gabin, Catherine Deneuve, Anna Karina et Claudia Cardinale.

Delon, un ami de longue date qui est apparu dans "Paris brule-t-il?" et "Borsalino" et trious autres films avec Belmondo, s'est dit "completement devaste" par la more de la star francaise. "Je vais essayer de resister a ne pas faire la meme chose dans cinc heures.

"Ce ne serait pas mal si nous partions ensemble. Il fait partie de ma vie. Nous avons commence ensemble il y a 60 ans."

Cardinale, comme Delon, ne pouvait pas non plus cacher son emotion. Au cinema, elle a joue face a Belmondo dans "La Viaccia" et "Cartouche." "Jean-Paul, c'etait le sourire, la joie de vivre, l'audace et la simplicite," a-t-elle avoue.
"Ma plus profonde affection va aux membres de sa famille et en particulier a ses enfants.
"Maintenant, je me retrouve seul. Je suis profondement attriste. Pour moi, Jean-Paul etait et restera, comme pour beaucoup d'autres, l'image de vitalite."

Et a juste titre, donc.

Le 10 septembre 2021, a la suite d'un hommage national la devant l'hotel des Invalides, les Francais ont fait leurs adieux a Belmondo en l'eglise Saint-Germain-de-Pres a Paris. Ce furent des funerailles marquees de larmes, de sourires, de discours, d' applaudissements et d'une ovation debout - tour dignes de ceux qui connaissaient et aimaient Belmondo.

Pour celebrer la longue et precieuse carriere cinematographique de Belmondo, ce qui suit est une liste de certains de ses plus grands efforts cinematographiques, sans ordre particulier.

Frais.
Magnetique.

Sans effort.
Sexy.
Passionne.
Rebelle.

C'etait (et c'est) Jean-Paul Belmondo.

A bout de souffle

(1960) réalisateur: Jean-Luc Goddard

L'Homme de Rio

(1964) réalisateur: Philippe de Broca

Leon Morin, pretre

(1961) réalisateur: Jean-Pierre Melville

Le Magnifique

(1973) réalisateur: Philippe de Broca

Borsalino

(1970) réalisateur: Jacques Deray

Stavisky

(1974) reréalisateur: Alain Resnais

Paris brule-t-il?

(1966) reréalisateur: Rene Clement

Pierrot Le Fou

(1965) réalisateur: Jean-Luc Goddard

Un femme est une femme

(1961) réalisateur: Jean-Luc Goddard

Un singe en hiver

(1962) réalisateur: Henri Verneuil

Moderato cantabile

(1960) réalisateur: Peter Brook

Le Doulos

(1963) reréalisateur: Jean-Pierre Melville

La Viaccia

(1961) réalisateur: Mauro Bolognini

Le Professionnel

(1981) réalisateur: George Lautner

La Ciociara

(1960) réalisateur: Vittorio De Sica

A double tour

(1959) réalisateur: Claude Chabrol

Cartouche

(1962) réalisateur: Philippe de Broca

Les Miserables

(1995) réalisateur: Claude Lelouch

Week-end a Zuydcoote

(1964) reréalisateur: Henry Vernevil

Monday, September 13, 2021

In Remembrance: Celebrating the Life and Films of Iconic French Film Star Jean-Paul Belmondo - "Breathless," "That Man From Rio," "Borsalino" and "Le Magnifique"

By James V. Ruocco

Jean-Paul Belmondo, rightfully proclaimed "the spoiled child of French cinema," quietly passed away September 6, 2021. He was 88 years old.
A film actor for more than 50 years of his life, the handsome Frenchman was the embodiment of important French cinema - "Breathless," "L'Homme de Rio," "A double tour," "Le Professionnel" - with a career that began in 1957 following the release of "Les coupains du dimanche," directed by Henri Aisner.

"He will forever remain 'The Magnificent,' " said Emmanuel Marcon, President of France. "Jean-Paul Belmondo was a national treasure, full of panache and bursts of laughter, with loud words and swift body, sublime hero and familiar figure, tireless daredevil and magician of words. In him, we found ourselves."

Belmondo's lasting acclaim - career choices from art-house films to lightweight comedies and edgy action dramas - kept him at the top of his game playing opposite such film luminaries as Alain Delon, Jeanne Moreau, Sophia Loren, Jean Gabin, Catherine Deneuve, Anna Karina and Claudia Cardinale.

Delon, a lifelong friend who appeared in "Is Paris Burning?" and "Borsalino" and three other films with Belmondo, said he was "completely devastated" by the French star's death. "I'll try to resist not doing the same thing in five hours.
"It wouldn't be bad if we left together. He is a part of my life. We started together 60 years ago."

Cardinale, like Delon, could also not hide her emotion. On film, she played opposite Belmondo in "La Viaccia" and "Cartouche." "Jean-Paul was smiles, joie de vivre, audacity and simplicity," she confessed. "My deepest affection goes to his family members and in particular to his children.
"Now I am left alone. I am deeply saddened. For me, Jean-Paul was and will remain, as for many others, the image of vitality."

And rightly, so.

On September 10, 2021, following a national tribute the day before outside the Hotel de Invalides, the French bade farewell to Belmondo at the Saint-Germain-de-Pres church in Paris. During the ceremony, Delon hugged the actor's coffin, a loving, emotional act, which, in turn, left everyone crying.
It was a funeral marked with smiles, speeches, applause, tears and a standing ovation - all fitting for those who knew and loved Belmondo.

In celebration of Belmondo's long and treasured film career, what follows is a listing of some of his greatest cinematic efforts, in no particular order.

Cool.
Magnetic.
Effortless.
Sexy.
Passionate.
Rebellious.
That was (and is) Jean-Paul Belmondo.

Breathless (A bout de souffle)

(1960) director: Jean-Luc Goddard

That Man From Rio (L'Homme de Rio)

(1964) director: Philippe de Broca

Leon Morin, Priest (Leon Morin, pretre)

(1961) director: Jean-Pierre Melville

Le Magnifique (The Magnificent)

(1973) director: Philippe de Broca

Borsalino

(1970) director: Jacques Deray

Stavisky

(1974) director: Alain Resnais

Is Paris Burning? (Paris brule-t-il?)

(1966) director: Rene Clement

Pierrot Le Fou (Crazy Pierrot)

(1965) director: Jean-Luc Goddard

Un femme est une femme (A Woman is a Woman)

(1961) director: Jean-Luc Goddard

A Monkey in Winter (Un singe en hiver)

(1962) director: Henri Verneuil

Seven Days...Seven Nights (Moderato cantabile)

(1960) director: Peter Brook

Le Doulos (The Finger Man)

(1963) director: Jean-Pierre Melville

La Viaccia (The Lovemakers)

(1961) director: Mauro Bolognini

The Professional (Le Professionnel)

(1981) director: George Lautner

Two Women (La Ciociara)

(1960) director: Vittorio De Sica

Web of Passion (A double tour)

(1959) director: Claude Chabrol

Cartouche

(1962) director: Philippe de Broca

Les Miserables

(1995) director: Claude Lelouch

Weekend at Dunkirk (Week-end a Zuydcoote)

(1964) director: Henry Vernevil

Sunday, August 15, 2021

Staying Indoors Watching Movies at Home as COVID-19 Pandemic Continues, Part 7

By James V. Ruocco

Crowds.
Tickets.
Popcorn.
Soda.
New Releases.
Social Distancing.
Masks.

It's happening.

Movie theaters are open.
The pandemic continues.
Cases of COVID 19 are up and down.
And it doesn't look like they're going away anytime soon.

The big question: What to do?

Do you go to a movie theater with your mask in place?
Are you, like others, concerned about who's vaccinated and who has yet to receive the vaccine?
Do you want to put yourself at risk?
Do you feel safe?
The option to go (or not to go) is yours.

On the other hand, watching movies at home is still the preferred choice. And rightly, so.

You don't have to deal with an audience that talks, texts and spills popcorn and soda all over the floor.
You don't have to turn around and tell these people to '"Shut the fuck up."
You don't have to listen to them laughing, crying, gasping or delegating who's going to bring back what from the concession stand.
And finally, you don't have to suffer through 25 minutes of previews while waiting for the movie to begin.

At home, you are completely in charge.
You can stream.
You can rent a DVD from Netflix.
You can record films from yesteryear on Turner Classic Movies and view them whenever you want.
You can watch or subscribe to Hulu, HBO MAX, Showtime, YouTube, Disney Plus, Paramount Plus, Peacock and Amazon Prime Video, to name a few.

You can also purchase lots of brand new films ($19.99 to $29.99 ) on the same day they are released in theaters. Or opt for cheaper ones at $5.99 or $7.99.

It's that simple.
It's great fun.
It's affordable.
It has many benefits.
And better yet, you don't have to leave the house.

Think about it.

You pop the popcorn.
You make the ice cream sundaes.
You can enjoy hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza bites, sandwiches, sushi, chicken wings, fried mozzarella sticks and nacho chips.
You supply the drinks.
You pick the candy, the cookies, the gummy bears, the chips, the crisps, the cheese sticks and the chocolate.
You order the pizza, the Chinese food and the tacos from your favorite local eatery for home delivery.
And finally, you call the shots in terms of what you want to watch and when.

More importantly, there is no dress code.
You can wear your own pajamas. Or your favorite bathrobe, socks and fuzzy kitty-cat slippers.
You can hit pause, rewind or replay a movie's big moment any time you want. You can adjust the sound - high and low - whenever you so choose.

It's that simple.

To make life easier, here's yet another list of 20 films that offer the perfect, eclectic mix of entertainment. Some are new. Some are old. Some are classics. Some are in a different language. Some are personal favorites.

You pick. You decide.

Joker