Tati as a filmmaker is about as consistent as a goldfish, but it works for his stylistic approach. He is meticulous but all over the place, and overwhelmingly so. This attention to detail and obsessive nature makes the film so perfectly crafted. Stylistically, Jacques Tati can be described to use experimental approach to film making. With his use of little audible dialogue, and instead building the film around elaborate, tightly choreographed visual gags and carefully integrated sound effects, Tati’s perfectionist tendencies make him a master of the art of cinema.
The film centers on the socially awkward yet lovable character of Monsieur Hulot and his struggle with postwar France's infatuation with modern architecture, mechanical efficiency and American-style consumerism. While doing research, I learned that with most Tati films, Mon Oncle is largely a visual comedy; color and lighting are employed to help tell the story. We as the audience can tell that the dialogue in Mon Oncle is barely audible, and largely inferior to the role of a sound effect. Consequently, most of the conversations are not subtitled. Instead, the drifting noises of heated arguments and banter complement the other sounds and physical movements of the characters, intensifying comedic effect.
In regards to the film’s theme, I would have to say that the central message of the film relies on the Hulot’s appreciation of the little things in life and the affects those minor details had on him. Most filmmakers of Tati’s genre of comedy would find that to be blasé, especially for an entire feature film, Tati used his attention to every single detail to create a storyline from mere “simple things.” It might not be necessary to others but if this film lacked all the details that Tati employed in the picture, Mon Oncle would be a lackluster and meaningless piece of cinematic garbage.
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