Jacques Tati | One of The Best Directors of All Time

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Jacques Tati is One of The Best Directors of All Time. From masterpieces of cinema like Playtime, Mon Oncle, and Monsieur Hulot's Holiday, to his lesser known films like Jour De Fete, Trafic, and Parade. A lot of his work bears resemblance to early silent film comedians like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, but Tati's unique style and satirical attitude separates him from his contemporaries. Not only is he one of the best directors of all time, but one of the best French filmmakers of all time.
Jacques Tati Films:
Jour De Fete
Monsieur Hulot's Holiday
Mon Oncle
Playtime
Trafic
Parade

[@juniorjames7076]

I discovered Jacques Tati in college in the early 80s. I was early to a midnight keg party on campus and decided to kill time by sitting in the science lab auditorium, where some foreign film festival was going on. In that vast basement auditorium, there must have been less than 10 people, but when I sat down I was transfixed by the weirdness on screen. It was the middle part of Mon Oncle. After that they played Playtime, and I was hooked. The next day I went straight to the campus film library to track down every Tati film they had. Fan for life.

[@slimman77]

I’m French and every time I see A Jacques Tati movie, it makes me dream about old times. Being part of the newer generation, I think it is very important to reapprove this type of cinema

[@drimmies6358]

Jacques Tati has been one of my most favourite director actors since I first saw Traffic in the 70’s. He was a genius and still makes me laugh every time I see his films, which is more than can be said of current rubbish. Thank you for putting this together and praising his talent. 👏

[@davidhalperin9773]

Thank you for your selection of Tati clips and your commentary. Tati is the only man I never met, but I deeply love. Because of his films I see "Tati" moments in my daily wanderings. Thank you Jacques Tati for enriching my lived experience.

[@skopox]

A few years ago, in summer, I made a pilgrimage of three weeks on the filming locations of the movies of Tati (Sainte Sévère sur Indre, Saint Marc sur Mer,...etc...) I live in France. He was a genius like Chaplin or Keaton.

[@christiandubois1578]

Jacques Tati was more famous abroad. In France we say "No one is a prophet in his country". His cinema remains visual and therefore universal.

[@BerlietGBC]

You nailed it, my dad introduced me to his work when I was young, his observational comedy of real life is something that’s still with me as a people watcher

[@ElijahCinema]

Thanks! As someone who observes and analyzes way more than I should, I can relate haha.

[@BerlietGBC]

@@ElijahCinema For many years i was a bus driving instructor in London 90% of that is observation you never stop looking and noticing all kinds of small funny things as drive about

[@ElijahCinema]

Ah haha. Any good stories to tell? I visited London last year and loved it!

[@BerlietGBC]

@@ElijahCinema Its not the place it was we moved out to leafy Surrey 9 years ago a bit more country but still plenty of people watching, there is so much humour in the world if like Jacque you watch the world around you

[@ElijahCinema]

I definitely agree. Humans and people in general are hilariously weird, observing life through the lens Tati did really brings out the joy in almost every situation. It was nice talking and connecting with you! One of the many reasons I enjoy making videos and sharing them with others. :)

[@JaredGriffiths2000]

I'm a massive fan of his films. My favourite of his films would probably have to be Playtime but M. Hulot's Holiday is the only one of his I saw as a child, his other films I saw when I was older so I do have a very strong soft spot for M. Hulot's Holiday.

[@mariag4696]

This is lovely. I just discovered him a couple of months ago on the Criterion channel and am obsessed! What a genius in so many ways. I am listening to a Tati film playlist as the background to much of life, and it makes me so happy. It's tragic what happened to his finances and house after Playland. Didn't he get some royalties once someone bought his collection? (I can't imagine he actually died bitter. Did he really?)

[@ElijahCinema]

I'm not too sure. I can only imagine a big amount of that bitterness steamed from the inability to make the films he wanted for the last two decades of his life. While his last two films are good, they're nowhere near the level of complexity and scale as his earlier work. It is quite tragic and sad.

[@mariag4696]

@@ElijahCinema Yes that makes sense. It makes me a little sad that he lost his house and finances bc of the costs of Playtime. I hope he can somehow see how beloved his work is, and how many people are viewing it after he has gone to the big Playtime in the sky. (Oops I said Playland in my original comment bc I live hear what used to be Playland in San Francisco! )

[@ElijahCinema]

@@mariag4696 agreed. His films are beyond lovely and a pleasure to watch. And it's all good haha. I knew what you meant.

[@markbeauchamp1592]

An excellent homage - thank you for putting this together; it is much appreciated x

[@ElijahCinema]

Thank you. I greatly appreciate that! Hopefully I can get the ball rolling and start releasing more videos like it soon.

[@harperhellems3648]

Seeing this excellent overview makes me think of one especially exceptional contemporary director: Wes Anderson.

[@dominichemphill]

loved this!! Tati is my favourite director ever, and you nailed it! Automatic like!!

[@ElijahCinema]

Yeah I adore him too haha. Glad you enjoyed it! Should start working on more directors sooner than later!

[@antoinepetrov]

This was such a great and professionally constructed video essay. You must get more recognition!

[@nikshmenga]

2;38 husbands off to work -''Don't Worry Darling'''

[@malachismith6444]

Thank you for this. I got the Criterion set and started watching them, and while I thought they were alright I didn’t really get the hype. This totally changed how I’m going to view his films. Thank you !

[@andrewtomlinson18]

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone…….absolute genius.

[@matthewstokes1608]

A beautiful soul. He made these amusing long-shot commentaries - in love with human beings - individuals - and the panoply of human characteristics on display in every crowd… - and what he left us were 5 movies of a stylized, lyrical near-perfection. He lamented the need for constant change - ‘progress’ (but for what end?) - in the modern world - like so many others - but was rueful, satirical and melancholic rather than cynical, bitter and vengeful. He was interested in the small detail and the painterly quirk rather than the obvious belly-laugh… He was an artist who seemed to love people and life. His films will never die. I like them all… But ‘mon oncle’ - wow… those street dogs of every physical description - and then that rich little sausage dog in the tartan coat that joins them!… Man, that was sweetness.

[@RSEFX]

And, seems likely, a big influence on people like Peter Sellers and Blake Edwards (PINK PANTHER films!).

[@ElijahCinema]

Oh definitely without a doubt. I'm not too well versed with both, although I love Sellers in Dr. Strangelove, from what I do know I completely agree with your assertion.

[@jimmyj1969]

And, above all, "The Party", a real hommage to Tati!

[@RSEFX]

@@jimmyj1969 Absolutely!

[@sebastiancifuentes3753]

Damn, never expected to see this... Good video as always :)

[@ElijahCinema]

Thank you so much!

[@msg3415]

Beautiful Film essay Elijah!

[@ElijahCinema]

Thanks!

[@martinchujfi4914]

fantastic video, thank you :)

[@ElijahCinema]

No thank you for watching it! It means so much to me :)

[@marette2845]

Fun fact : the house of Prof Plutonium in Cartoon Network's Powerpuff girls (the original one) is the modern house from Mon oncle.

[@MejiaComedy]

Epic man

[@garethbeare8741]

Encyclopedia Brittanica many years ago when it was still paper gave Tati's birth year as 1908. Later Internet sources give 1907. No idea which is correct. Tati was either 74 or 75 when he died in Paris 4 November 1982.

[@TheTristanmarcus]

C'est vrai ❤

[@jimmyj1969]

Tati created whole worlds in every single one of his film - and we, the viewers, were invited to inmerse into them for a few hours! Oh, yes, fine comedy was taking place in those films - but it was always somewhere around there, in some corner of this world - not under the spotlight, like "look-look, here's a comic stuff, isn't it funny? Go on, laugh!". There are almost no comedians ever since who do NOT own a lot to him - from Blake Edwards in "the Party" (and, to a lesser extend, all of his comedies) to Rowan Atkinson.

[@amaliaf.9072]

I LOVE this 🥺

[@ElijahCinema]

The video? Or Jacques Tati? Haha.

[@amaliaf.9072]

@@ElijahCinema Definitely both! Glad I found this video :)

[@ElijahCinema]

Thanks! Comments like these always makes the work that went into the video worth it! I definitely plan on creating more again soon! Always nice to talk to someone who adores the same films I do!

[@kuukeli]

Tati

[@karmenska]

A real filmmaker

[@Mario-tx4ll]

Does anyone know what the beautiful piano music is called that starts at 3:08?

[@ElijahCinema]

Give me 10 minutes and I'll letcha know!

[@ElijahCinema]

Take My Hand by Dave Stein. It's played in Tati's film Playtime. You can find it on Sonorama!, a compilation of songs played within Tati's films. The compilation released back in 2009. Hope that helped!

[@Mario-tx4ll]

@@ElijahCinema I can not begin to explain how much I appreciate it, i've been searching for the song like crazy without any luck for a long time. Thanks!

[@ElijahCinema]

@@Mario-tx4ll No problem. Glad I could help you out!

[@richardmullins1883]

I'm not a fan of Mr Bean so I'm not sure if I'll like Monsoir Tati's films. I do like Chaplin though, so maybe? Thanks for the insight into Tati's filmmaking mind. Now I will have some grasp of the man when I check his movies out. He has peaked my interest so I'm going to watch a full film of his. Any suggestions?

[@ElijahCinema]

Yeah, well all of his films are avaliable on the criterion channel or accessible through the criterion boxset. He only has seven feature length ones overall. I'd recommend either starting with Mr. Hulot's Holiday. It's easily his most accessible and relatable film. His other must see work following that would be Mon Oncle and Playtime. Of course, if you are more familiar and interested in arthouse cinema, Playtime is the perfect start. It's much more thematic and conceptual in nature, really pushing the mold of structure and pacing as a whole, but still keeping it true to Tati's personalized voice and comedy. It is, however, his longest film and his least conventional. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts after delving into his work. If you don't forget, swing back around and leave your thoughts! It's always a pleasure to hear!

[@nealc.6927]

Don't like Jour de Fete, though I've tried it several times. It misses me completely, even though it pretty much sets the Tati Genre. I'm also fairly Meh! regarding Parade. It's clever in its own way but, welll, I'd prefer one of his other films . . .

[@sotony7483]

If you look on the internet you can find out how to pronounce simple French words like 'jour' and 'monsieur' correctly.

[@Grabboo]

Un ktu jom prek syriganes🥱

[@bogunnarakesson4416]

För mycket prat och för litet original Tati ljud!

[@notroll1279]

Good synthesis... but your French pronounciation needs work 😕

[@ElijahCinema]

Thanks! I really tried my best with the pronunciation, but I barely know any French. Glad you still enjoyed it! :)