Sunday 29 April 2012

Les Enfants Terribles (FR, 1950)

I read Les Enfants Terribles some time in the mid 90's, probably thinking myself quite the clever boy for buying it...(in my defence, it had an attractively aged and dried monochrome cover). A difficult 'literary' read it was however; arty, overly mannered, figurative, and centered around the claustrophobic carry-on between a brother and sister.

Notwithstanding this, I came to the film primarily as a fan of JP Melville, whose work is often cited as a precursor to, and influence on, the nouvelle vague, arguably outdoing some of its directors, particularly the grossly overrated and achingly pretentious JL Godard.

Although somewhat 'easier' than the book, the film remains faithful to it in its difficultness, presenting it with what are probably very French emoting and melodramatics.

There's some vaguely interesting photography (the seaside shot, and towards the end) but the film does not stand up to Melville's later, far superior work.

Editor's Note: Another worthless, gonzoid review...which no-one's gonna be reading anyway.

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