Tati - just released and going OOP

[Uli Ruedel]

Just a quick heads-up (thanks to a couple friends for the alert!) that the Criterion DVD of TRAFIC will already be going OOP any time now. This is a seminal release, as it includes Sophie Tatischeff's remarkable feature length documentary on her father.

Meanwhile, both the newly restored HULOT and, as a bonus, its original 1953 version, have been released on DVD in France.

Still missing in action on DVD or BR: JOUR DE FETE's original all-b/w release version, FORZA BASTIA and a couple early Tati shorts...

Uli

[Rob Farr]

Just ordered it and while I don't have much optimism that Traffic will be a lost comedy classic, I am looking forward to seeing the doc. Tati often plays better in excerpts without the ponderous stretches between inspired comedy bits.

[Uli Ruedel]

Don't know how much Tati you've seen so far, but in the course of his career, he was pushing his approach to comedy to (intersting) extremes, only starting from a classic comedy approach around a comic star figure. By PLAYTIME, comedy was virtually evenly shared with even the tiniest figure in the 70mm frame, non-professionals or "real" people that is, and with TRAFIC, as a logical next step, Dutch documentarian Bert Haanstra (GLASS) joined the creative team.

TRAFIC is the only Tati feature I haven't seen yet, so I can't comment (but look forward to that treat), but the bottom line is, if you haven't seen much, best to start with his early features and continue chronologically. Or perhaps, start with either the documentary included in the Criterion edition, or even his later PARADE, his Swedish TV film which is essentially a return to his pantomime stage roots with the usual subdued "democratic" gags added for good measure (best DVD should be BFI's for that one).

Incidentally, if I remember correctly, once again the documentary only has stills to illustrate Tati's meetings with Sennett and Laurel, Keaton and Lloyd. Wonder whether there is any moving image material of this remarkable summit.

Uli

[Uli Ruedel]

Just got the disc, and alas there's a brief glitch in TRAFIC, at about one hour playing time, where the image switches to some sort of 16:9-like squeezing. Barely noticeable, but it means that just for the film, the German and Scandinavian DVDs might be preferable.

The FOOTSTEPS two-part documentary, of course, is worth the money in its own right (despite what is probably a TV master and a slightly darkish transfer in places), and there are a couple extra, remarkable pieces from the early 70s, a cast interview and a piece where Tati demonstrates his pantomime.

So still, recommended while it's out there and still affordable.

Uli

[Uli Ruedel]

Correction: FORZA BASTIA was released on DVD, as a bonus DVD with a special edition of Vol. 46 of the football magazine SO FOOT:
http://www.sofoot.com/so-foot-46-ete-2007-99337-article.html
French residents can currently order the back issue for a mere 2 Euros directly from the publisher, those not so lucky have to look out for a used copy...

Uli