Denis. Claire Denis is here because of the strength of her 1999 film – Beau travail– a gorgeously and rhythmically shot tone poem. Denis has thirteen films since her debut in 1988. I’ve seen seven of them, and, thus far, archived four. Her signature is really eschewing the traditional narrative and even forgoing a clear cinematic style. Her films are most often studies of the human condition and social prejudices.

from Beau travail— a visual tone poem– and a meditation on envy

Best film: Beau travail. This is easily the most visually stunning and beautifully photographed film from Denis. Here she favors long shots of bodies in motion—edited to a set rhythm to give it a splendid grandeur– operatic.  (hard not to think of Riefenstahl’s Olympia). It is also meditation on envy.

This is easily the most visually stunning and beautifully photographed film from Denis. Here she favors long shots of bodies in motion—edited to a set rhythm to give it a splendid grandeur– operatic

total archiveable films: 4

top 100 films:  0

top 500 films:  0

top 100 films of the decade:  1 (Beau travail)

most overrated: Lots to choose from here which is not surprising- I’m pretty far away from the consensus on Denis. There are whopping eight films from Denis that land in the TSPDT consensus list for the 21st century. And both Beau travail and The Intruder land in the top 1000 of all-time. Even her best work- Beau travail– is overrated at slot #118 on the TSPDT consensus list (which puts it #5 for the entire decade of the 1990’s. If forced to single one out- I’ll go with High Life from 2018. I look forward to revisiting it to see if I missed anything- but for now, #8 for all of 2018 seems lofty. I’d have it closer to #58.

most underrated :  I do not have an underrated film for Claire Denis.

gem I want to spotlight :   After Beau travail I would recommend White Material– though currently I do think slightly more of Isabelle Huppert’s lead performance—than Denis’ achievement.

from White Material – her films are most often studies of the human condition and social prejudices.

stylistic innovations/traits:                             

  • Shunning conventional cinema—lead to an unpredictability (Denis herself talks about how she hates control and prefers to “capture moments…pieces of time” – “What I like during filming is that these are moments when you have the right not to reply and to let things happen”
  • Lyrical—freedom in the choices with the camera
  • The subjects in her works are cultural discord, racism

top 10

  1. Beau travail
  2. White Material
  3. The Intruder
  4. 35 Shots of Rum

 

By year and grades

1999- Beau travail HR
2004- The Intruder R
2008- 35 Shots of Rum R
2009- White Material R

 

*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film

MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film

HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film

R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives