Complete films of Pierre Etaix restored

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Uli Ruedel
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Pierre Etaix in Bristol - Slapstick 2012

Postby Uli Ruedel » Thu Dec 01, 2011 7:42 am

Richard Warner wrote:I'm hoping that someone will release a Pierre Etaix set in the UK - maybe Masters of Cinema or the BFI.


Even better, exciting UK news from the friends in Bristol: Pierre Etaix himself will be present for an afternoon Q&A with Sir Christopher Frayling, and for the closing night screening of next January's Slapstick 2012 festival (http://www.slapstick.org.uk/events.htm#). The rediscovery continues, apparently there's even Oscar talk (http://www.lefigaro.fr/cinema/2011/11/15/03002-20111115ARTFIG00744-un-oscar-pour-pierre-etaix.php)...

Uli

Gary Johnson
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Re: Complete films of Pierre Etaix restored

Postby Gary Johnson » Thu Dec 01, 2011 10:12 pm

Well, there's the kiss of death...

Uli Ruedel
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Re: Complete films of Pierre Etaix restored

Postby Uli Ruedel » Fri Dec 02, 2011 3:45 am

Much better than the well-meant, but somehow rather ambiguous honors awarded to his friend Jerry Lewis, no?

Uli

Uli Ruedel
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Re: Complete films of Pierre Etaix restored

Postby Uli Ruedel » Sat Mar 24, 2012 4:59 am

Thanks to the friends in Bristol, the remarkable Q&A with Pierre Étaix and Christopher Frayling is now available online:
http://www.watershed.co.uk/dshed/laughter-returns-christopher-frayling-pierre-%C3%A9taix-conversation

Uli

Ed Watz
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Re: Complete films of Pierre Etaix restored

Postby Ed Watz » Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:13 pm

Uli Ruedel wrote:Thanks to the friends in Bristol, the remarkable Q&A with Pierre Étaix and Christopher Frayling is now available online:
http://www.watershed.co.uk/dshed/laughter-returns-christopher-frayling-pierre-%C3%A9taix-conversation

Uli


Thank you Uli for sharing this - I've always enjoyed Pierre Etaix more than Tati, to me Etaix's films are better paced and wittier, without the lugubrious setups common to Tati.

Pierre Etaix and Louis DeFunes were two of the best international comedians still to be discovered in the U.S. (RABBI JACOB being DeFunes' one U.S. hit, when all the American reviewers compared him to Leon Errol).

Recently I was in a Russian-themed delicatessan here in New Jersey, and spotted on a food rack a Louis DeFunes 12-pack of DVDs for $20! The gal behind the counter explained that the films contained the usual version of Russian dubbing: a narrator droning over the original French dialogue...otherwise I would've grabbed them just to see them.
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

Uli Ruedel
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Re: Complete films of Pierre Etaix restored

Postby Uli Ruedel » Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:02 am

Well, I admire both Étaix and Tati and luckily we don't have to choose -- but it's true that they are much more different than their mutual influence and shared comic (gag and sound) techniques suggest at first sight. It also appears to me that Étaix is best appreciated once you know other works of the time such as Tati's or Lewis' - much like Langdon is even more amazing when seen in contrast to Chaplin/Keaton/Lloyd.

Although I wouldn't consider him an auteur like the two - and rooted in stage farce rather than in music hall and pantomime - I agree about the talent and importance of de Funes. I've always preferred his gendarme films - and OSCAR of course - over the slightly overrated RABBI JACOB though. And of course the 007-ish FANTOMAS trilogy is great fun in its own right, by the third film having become a de Funes showcase in its entirety. By the way, there are some English friendly releases, such as a Dutch DVD box where most of the films do have either English subtitles or dub tracks. I can check for more details if you like.

As to the US appreciation of Étaix, I'm sure the upcoming Eclipse set will be of much help in making his works more generally accessible. And I'll be happy to double dip just for the extra English subtitles -- although a Blu-Ray release would be even lovelier!

Uli

Uli Ruedel
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Re: Complete films of Pierre Etaix restored

Postby Uli Ruedel » Wed Jan 16, 2013 3:24 pm

Criterion has now made it official -- and not just as an Eclipse DVD set, but rather with the full Criterion treatment -- that is, with substantial new extras, and in Blu-Ray at that:
http://www.criterion.com/boxsets/947-pierre-etaix,
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/t/326883/criterion-press-release-pierre-etaix-blu-ray.
Can't wait...!

Uli

Ed Watz
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Re: Complete films of Pierre Etaix restored

Postby Ed Watz » Sat Oct 18, 2014 5:07 am

Just taking a chance that someone sees this who might be able to help. Would anyone here have an address or contact email for Pierre Etaix? Thanks in advance -- Ed
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)


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