A Joyous Romp, Sans Words
"The Artist" almost dares moviegoers to see it.  It's a black-and-white silent picture shot in the old standard boxy aspect ratio, much as movies were made and exhibited until sound, color, and widescreen transformed cinema dramatically.  Mel Brooks played with the idea for comic effect in 1976's "Silent Movie," incorporating a slew of big-name actors to boost box office.  In contrast, "The Artist," a foreign film about old Hollywood, offers no superstars and does not strain after jokes.  Instead, a touching script, the humanity of its characters, and the talent of its principals turn this unusual project into a commercially viable movie.<br /><br />The time period spans 1927 to 1932, a time of enormous upheaval in Hollywood.  "The Jazz Singer," the first talkie, hit screens in October, 1927, and sounded the death knell for silent pictures.  Some silent film makers and stars succeeded brilliantly, many did not, and opportunity boomed for new talent.  "The Artist" focuses on two characters whose Hollywood careers move in opposite directions.  George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a Chaplin-like star of the silent era.  He gives a fan of his, Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), her first break in show biz. In 1929, the head of the studio, Al Zimmer (John Goodman), announces that the studio is ceasing all silent film production and getting on the talkie bandwagon. As Valentin resists the change to sound, his star dims while Peppy's career blossoms.<br /><br />There are clearly plot similarities to "A Star Is Born," "Singin' in the Rain," and any backstage picture in which the ambitious, talented kid makes good.  But "The Artist" has a tremendous charm all its own.  The old-fashioned filming techniques become secondary to the story, which is a simple tale told extremely well and with great humor.<br /><br />Dujardin is a master of physical comedy and will remind the viewer of those little moments in Chaplin films when he enacts a comic bit, such as the dance of the rolls in "The Gold Rush" or his roller skating acrobatics in "The Rink."  Dujardin's Valentin is an agile performer and a snappy dancer who can enchant an audience by improvising a series of hilarious curtain calls.  He loves his star status and regards the coming of sound as a threat.<br /><br />Peppy, on the other hand, is as game for the challenge of sound as she is talented and charming. Pretty, spunky, with an ebullient personality and a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she lights up the screen.  Ms. Bejo is a wonder. She has a face made for movies;  when she's on screen you can't take your eyes off her.  Reminiscent of the young Mary Tyler Moore and Debbie Reynolds, she is perky, frisky, and adorable.<br /><br />There is also on hand one of the funniest canine stars in years -- Valentin's dog, who not only appears with him in movies, but also is his constant companion, whether at home, attending a premiere, or sitting in a movie theatre.  The dog is always at his side and goes into Lassie-mode when Valentin's life is in danger, insisting that a cop follow him to the rescue.<br /><br />Director Michel Hazanavicius has taken great care in presenting the period of the Roaring Twenties and beginning of the Depression. Costuming and set design, down to the vintage film equipment depicted, are flawlessly incorporated. The actors perform in the style of the silent era, but the director strikes exactly the right balance to keep the movie from becoming a spoof.  That would be very easy.  It's far richer as it shifts from broad comedy leading to elements of tragedy before culminating in one of the best movie finales of the year.<br /><br />It's rare for a movie to be this exhilarating.  As you watch "The Artist," you are simultaneously entertained, impressed, moved, and overjoyed.  When a film does all that, it must be attributed to creative genius -- the perfect blending of script, performance, and direction. This is one such case when everything comes together to produce a perfect movie.<br /><br />What makes "The Artist" more than just a gimmick film is its sincerity and obvious love of cinema.  It transports us to a distant era and treats its characters as real people, not cliches.  Director Hazanavicius has created a loving tribute to the medium of film that both celebrates the past and acknowledges the inevitability of progress.<br /><br />Blu-ray extras include a 22-minute overview of the film's production; the featurette "Hollywood as a Character;" short vignettes dedicated to production design, cinematography, costuming, and the musical score;  blooper reel; and a 45-minute on-stage Q & A with the stars, director and producer.
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This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Featured Categories, Blu-ray and Comedy. 
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 {"Genre": "Drama, Romance, Comedy", "Format": "Dolby, Blu-ray, Black & White, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC", "Contributor": "Katie Wallick, Brian Williams, Bill Fagerbakke, Sarah Scott, Jean Dujardin, Kristian Falkenstein, Adria Tennor, Mark Donaldson, Nina Siemazko, Bob Glouberman, Matt Skollar, Dash Pomerantz, Andy Milder, Penelope Miller, Jen Lilley, James Cromwell, Ezra Buzzington, Malcolm McDowell, Berenice Bejo, Andrew Wynn, France 3 Cinema; Jouror Productions; La Classe Americaine; La Petite Reine; Studio 37; uFilm, Matthew Albrecht, Beth Grant, Annie O'Donnell, Beau Nelson, Ben Kurland, Stuart Pankin, Joel Murray, John Goodman, Brian Chenoweth, Michel Hazanavicius, Basil Hoffman, Stephen Mendillo, Tasso Feldman, Cletus Young, Lily Knight, Clement Blake, Thomas Langmann, Bitsie Tulloch, Chris Ashe, Sarah Karges, Katie Nisa, Fred Bishop, Missi Pyle, Wiley Pickett, Maize Olinger, Cleto Augusto, Ed Lauter, David Cluck, Tim Dezarn, Uggie, Ken Davitian, Harvey Alperin, Patrick Mapel, Alex Holliday, Hal Landon Jr.Katie Wallick, Brian Williams, Bill Fagerbakke, Sarah Scott, Jean Dujardin, Kristian Falkenstein, Adria Tennor, Mark Donaldson, Nina Siemazko, Bob Glouberman, Matt Skollar, Dash Pomerantz, Andy Milder, Penelope Miller, Jen Lilley, James Cromwell, Ezra Buzzington, Ma\u2026   See more", "Language": "English", "Runtime": "1 hour and 40 minutes", "Digital Copy Expiration Date": "December 31, 2017", "Aspect Ratio": "1.33:1", "Is Discontinued By Manufacturer": "No", "MPAA rating": "PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)", "Product Dimensions": "0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 3.2 Ounces", "Item model number": "25290999", "Director": "Michel Hazanavicius", "Media Format": "Dolby, Blu-ray, Black & White, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC", "Run time": "1 hour and 40 minutes", "Release date": "June 26, 2012", "Actors": "Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, James Cromwell, Penelope Miller, Malcolm McDowell", "Subtitles": "Spanish", "Producers": "Thomas Langmann", "Studio": "Sony Pictures Home Entertainment", "Number of discs": "1"}

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