Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris [Blu-ray]

Director: Denis Heroux

Overview

This filmed version of the popular (1800 performances!) off-Broadway musical by Eric Blau and Mort Schumann incorporates 26 songs written by Belgian-entertainer Jacques Brel. Three actors--Elly Stone, Mort Schuman and Joe Masiell--interpret Brel's sometimes angry, sometimes poignant ballads with strength and compassion. In the movie, the three are brought together when they seek refuge from a rainstorm. The songs are accompanied by vignettes which highlight the imagery and story in them. Jacques Brel himself sings a melancholy composition at intermission time. It's ironic that this film was produced by the American Film Theatre; Brel disliked America and refused ever to set foot in the country.

Product Details

Release Date:	06/19/2018
UPC:	0738329231569
Original Release:	1975
Rating:	PG
Source:	Kino Classics
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Language:	English
Time:	1:37:00
Sales rank:	28,986

Special Features

Audio commentary by film historian Bret Wood, with Addison Wood; Interiview with Edie Landau; "Ely Landau: In Front of the Camera," a promotional film for the American Film Theatre; Gallery of trailers for the American Film Theatre

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Elly Stone	Lady with Shopping,Lady with Shopping Bag
Jacques Brel	Himself,Performer,Composer
Joe Masiell	Marine
Mort Shuman	Taxi Driver,Actor
Francois Rauber	Composer

Technical Credits

Eric Blau

Claude Heroux	Executive Producer,Director,Producer
Paul Marshall	Producer
Eric Blau	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

It was, in 1975, a bizarre idea to try to make Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, the landmark off-Broadway revue, into a film musical. That said, it is still a bizarre idea -- but today the film probably seems less strange, thanks to the advent of MTV and the onslaught of thousands of music videos. Being a revue, Brel has no storyline and the filmmakers wisely chose not to impose one on it; instead, they created a "situation" and used that as a jumping off point to creating vaguely surreal visual interpretations of each individual song. In other words, they have created a long string of music videos, in which one can see the nascent origins of many techniques that would become part and parcel of the music video industry within a decade. There's a use of color to convey mood, quick alterations of close-up and long shots, fast editing (though nothing compared to what would become common in later years), and a willingness to visually interpret portions of lyrics without necessarily worrying about how they relate to the overall meaning of a song. One's ultimate reaction to Brel will depend largely upon one's attraction to the songs themselves and to the performers singing them. Many find Brel's lyrics insightful and cutting; others think them pretentious or arch, and there are similar differences of opinion concerning the music. Brel himself is on hand to give a marvelous rendition of "Ne Me Quittes Pas," and his delivery is perfect. Elly Stone and Mort Shuman have many memorable moments; Joe Masiell does less well, pushing too hard too often.