Delicatessen (1991)
La crème de la crème of French quirkiness.
Presentation:
Dark, gritty, apocalyptic and dystopian, Darius Khondji creates one of the most impressionistic visuals in this quirky masterpiece. It’s everything Tim Burton and Wes Anderson try to accomplish, but it feels more honest and genuine here with fittingly foreign French identity. After you get past the yellow look, you’ll realize it’s not a horror, amplifying it uniquegritty atmosphere while still managing to have a ton of charm and wit like Amelie. The cinematography is excellent, utilizing silent visual storytelling, dramatic closeups, unique angles and classic camera movement harkening back to classic French cinema. It also seems to pay tribute to films like The Third Man with tasteful dutch angles and contrasty shadows reminiscent of film noir. There’s just a ton of clever camera technique that make the experience a ton of fun if you can get past the abstract plot. Somehow they managed to make this collapsing apartment bustling with life and feel like an adventure.
Conclusion:
A film that doesn’t take itself seriously, you should know whether you’ll like this surrealist black comedy from the opening 5 minutes. For those that love quirky experimental films, this is the creme de la creme, a goldmine of refreshing originality. And the satire is super hilarious too, adding to the oozing charm of an oddball romance. If you have never watched a French film, this might be the one to capture the essence of what makes French cinema so unique. Similar to Yorgos Lanthimos films, this weird experience will not be for everyone. As for me, it’s one of my favorites, overflowing with magic. A delicacy I couldn’t get enough of!
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