movie rec: Tatie Danielle...
A week or so ago B and I watched "Tatie Danielle" on the Belgian channel "Canvas". Not a new movie, it's been released in 1990, but I had never heard of it - shame on me. A hilarious black comedy about a nasty old widow (played by Tsilla Chelton) who makes life miserable to anybody who cares about her with her foul temper, nasty remarks, manipulations and terrorizations, but has this aptitude to play the innocent at appropriate moments in such a way that everybody falls for her charms... initially. But, believe me, she's a downright bitch until... she meets her match in Sandrine (Isabelle Nanty, Georgette in Amélie) a young woman who takes care of her while the family with whom she lives is on vacation in Greece! This girl won't be manipulated and treats her exactly how she's treating others, with contempt. A totally different "granny" than we're used to see in movies, that's for sure! We both had to ROTFL...
Some time ago we discussed the fact that producers opt for celeb to guarantee the success of a movie, well Tsilla Chelton, who's practically only known as a stage actor in France, so quite unknown in the world of cinema, did such a fantastic job that she definitely didn't stand in the way of making this movie a success. Quite on the contrary.
Every so many years the French bring out a brilliant movie and this is one of them, together with for instance Amélie and Cyrano de Bergerac (bought the DVD today). Everything about "Tatie (auntie) Danielle" is perfection: the script with it's underlying criticism of French middle class people, the acting and the way it's filmed.
I immediately ordered a special DVD release in France for my best friend Joyce with whom I studied French. She will have her birthday next week. It's already in my possession and I just can't wait to offer it to her. I'm certain she'll love it as much as I. :)
Some time ago we discussed the fact that producers opt for celeb to guarantee the success of a movie, well Tsilla Chelton, who's practically only known as a stage actor in France, so quite unknown in the world of cinema, did such a fantastic job that she definitely didn't stand in the way of making this movie a success. Quite on the contrary.
Every so many years the French bring out a brilliant movie and this is one of them, together with for instance Amélie and Cyrano de Bergerac (bought the DVD today). Everything about "Tatie (auntie) Danielle" is perfection: the script with it's underlying criticism of French middle class people, the acting and the way it's filmed.
I immediately ordered a special DVD release in France for my best friend Joyce with whom I studied French. She will have her birthday next week. It's already in my possession and I just can't wait to offer it to her. I'm certain she'll love it as much as I. :)