The Gown Student Newspaper at Queen's University Belfast

REVIEW: Gainsbourg

If the name Serge Gainsbourg doesn’t ring a bell, then you might recognise one of his most famous musical achievements via Jane Birkin’s sensual whisperings, ‘Je t’aime, oh oui, je t’aime’.  France’s iconic maverick is brought to the silver screen by graphic novel artist Joann Sfar in a style that is in a word sublime.  Bringing to life the innermost workings of the visionary Gainsbourg’s mind and madness, Sfar has created a masterpiece.

BY LAURA SHEARER

www.queensfilmtheatre.com

Instantaneously exciting, we are enveloped in his world, starting in World War II Paris as a young boy in a Russian Jewish home.  Everything he does and sees is bounding with bold life and colour, giving us intimate glimpses of an imaginary world into which he reverts for entertainment and the salvation of his sanity during the Nazi occupation.  Young Lucien Ginsburg (Serge Gainsbourg is his stage name) takes with him a giant-headed figure of the terrifying Jew from a Nazi propaganda billboard poster, something which at first he fears, but realising it looks very similar to his own reflection it becomes a companion.  Brash and proud to wear his Star of David, it’s evident from the first few minutes that this young boy has the eccentric potential of the future artistic legend.

Famed for his womanising ways, Gainsbourg’s daring and ability to charm begins in the Montmartre Art Academy where he sneaks glances at female life models.  He progresses to the insatiable and suave genius, able to tweak his talents from painting to song writing as each beautiful woman desires.  Laetitia Castas is marvellous as Brigitte Bardot, acting with such enjoyment that she seems to emphasise all the fantasies her presence gives way to.  Anna Mouglalis takes the role of Juliette Greco and the late Lucy Gordon stars as Jane Birkin, both dazzling actresses that have their own very unique sultry charms in these powerful roles.

From his early watercolour comics doodled late at night he creates a fairytale creature version of himself, who becomes his partner in crime and devil on his shoulder for the rest of his life.  Magically depicted by obscure puppets, his alter-ego gets the luxurious treatment of Doug Jones, who played the fawn in Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth.  In a way Gainsbourg becomes the literal embodiment of the French artist stereotype as he smokes constantly, tires easily, is very melodramatic, and is barely ever satisfied with himself.

Joann Sfar states that he didn’t want to make a realist, journalistic account of Gainsbourg’s life; he wanted to make a cult film.  Sfar’s background is of telling stories through images, so it’s only natural that his film is so visual, but this is what makes it such a huge success and accomplishment.  Production designer Christian Martí was directed to study Russian paintings and films such as Murnau’s Nosferatu, Carné’s Les Enfants and Fellini’s Amarcord for points of reference.  It’s a distinctive style that has been created on screen, but an easily subtle one that makes good references to expressionism.

Everything that makes you fall head over heels in love with Paris is sumptuously exposed before your eyes with an appealing allure unlike that found in any other city and in few other films.  The lighting is mood driven, with jazz clubs temptingly dim and always filled with the eccentric and beautiful people Paris is all too well known for.  The whole film is full of characters that embody art in what they do and in their image, a truly fascinating array that Gainsbourg fits into eloquently.  It’s just such a pleasure to watch from start to finish and I can’t see this project in the hands of anyone else. Joann Sfar has done justice to the man that so many claim inspiration from.

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This entry was posted on Monday, July 26th, 2010 at 11:48 pm and is filed under Arts + Ents. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.