"The Artist"; Contemporary film classic wins 5 Academy Awards

It may be hard to imagine a full length, black and white silent movie as being an amazing and refreshing breath of fresh air in the current climate of Holiday popcorn fare.

But this awesome new silent "classic" film  picked up five awards in all, including best picture, actor for Jean Dujardin and directing for Michel Hazanavicius. The last time a silent film earned the top prize was when the World War I saga "Wings" was named outstanding picture at the first Oscars in 1929.

"The Artist" is not only a visual homage to the silent screen era, but a creative recognition of the artistic process and it's perilous pitfalls.

The story takes place in Hollywood, 1927. Red-hot silent movie star George Valentin

(Jean Dujardin) enjoys his success until the arrival of talking pictures threaten to end his career.

George has an accidental photo op with a cute young flapper named Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo).

After he helps her get work on the set as an extra, she gets a big break in the "talkies", captures the nation's heart and catapults to stardom.

The story's villain is George's pride (yes, it has it's own music) that rears it's ugly head, causing George to downward spiral into a dark world of self doubt and bottles of booze.

But he is fortunate to have at his side his trusty limo driver (James Cromwell) and faithful co-star/pet dog(2011 Palm Dog award winner UGGIE) to help him regain his muse and return to the silver screen.

An amazing original score by Ludovic Bource weaves a sonic tapestry of Ragtime, Classical and Jazz into an audible narrative that advances the story at a comfortable pace.

 This serves as an impressive canvass by which to paint the extraordinary black and white cinematography. 

The Weinstein Company are considering putting together a live orchestra concert tour with French composer Ludovic Bource behind the score for Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist.

Harnessing inspiration for performance and maintaining a "real world" sense of identity are two of the seldom seen burdens of the artist and, as the film warns, may be rough terrain to navigate for artists unprepared for drastic life changes.

TICKET WORTH: Full price. $12.50
RENT THIS MOVIE?: Yes without a doubt.
BUY THE DVD?: Yes. A soon as it's released.

J/A

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