DIVA

Directed by: Jean-Jacques Beineix Written by: Jean-Jacques Beineix and Jean Van HammeBased on a novel by Daniel Odier Starring Frederic Andrei, Roland Bertin, Dominique Pinon, Thuy An Luu, Wilhelmenia Wiggins FernandezAvailable from Amazon from June 3rd 2008 at $22.99 Review by Ray DeRousse FILM:

rating:4

DVD:

rating:3.5

THE FILM A young postal carrier, desperately in love with a glorious opera singer, manages to make a perfect copy of the diva's greatest live performance. Unwittingly he falls into a mysterious plot to blackmail the singer into signing a contract, with his precious recording in the center of the intrigue. Most films remain content to unravel in straight time, allowing their narrative to unspool in such logical fashion that conscious thought is barely required to follow them. When a film deviates from this straightforward storytelling - PULP FICTION, for instance - the result can oftentimes be mesmerizing. Such is the case with DIVA, which rewards the patient and attuned viewer with pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that eventually comes together perfectly. The first thirty minutes of the film introduce us to several concurrently-running plot threads, each of which is intimately tied to the others without our knowledge. As the film lurches along, the various strands weave together into a strong and beautiful fabric. Released in 1981, DIVA introduced the world to writer/director Beineix in spectacular fashion. Here Beineix not only reveals a keenly unique narrative sense; he also shows himself to be an artistic force with the film's art direction and cinematography, both of which are stunning. Dramatic lighting and shadow play with the sounds of classical musical compositions, creating an atmosphere of art just as surely as it documents the art world. Despite the cacophony of plot threads, the film also lingers on images and moments that cause the viewer to reflect and draw deeper into the story and the plight of its characters. Frederic Andrei stars as the young postal worker in love with a star. Often acting in silence, Andrei conveys a sense of longing and desire with his chiseled cheek bones and doe-like eyes. Also impressive is Thuy An Luu as Alba, a young Chinese prostitute with a lot of spark and spunk. Even opera singer Wilhelmenia Fernandez is impressive in a unique acting role, and her singing is wondrous. However, the breakout performance belongs to Dominique Pinon as a hired goon in one of his very first roles. Many English films fans will know him as the paraplegic Vreiss in ALIEN RESURRECTION. With his short blond hair and ever-present mirrored sunglasses, Pinon is ruthless and charismatic. While the film has aged somewhat and is very indicative of its time period, it remains a mysterious, unusual, and artistic thriller. TECHNICAL I was a little surprised that the film did not receive a clean-up for this DVD presentation. Films this old generally contain a lot of noticeable grain unless they are scrupulously cleaned up for DVD release, and this is definitely the case here. This unfortunately mars the amazing cinematography on display here. The DVD claims to be remastered to Beineix' specs, but I find that hard to believe. EXTRAS The extras included in this set involve a series of interviews, mostly of a technical angle. We have individual interviews with Beineix, set designer Hilton McConnico, and Director of Photography Phillippe Rousselot. While enlightening, more involving documentaries could have looked at the impact of this important international film, as well as a look at several of the actors that made their debuts here. I particularly would have loved to learn more about Fernandez and her experiences making this film. It's a bit lacking overall. OVERALL The film is an ambitious and artsy thriller that any fan of international filmmaking should experience. Much of the ambition on display here puts newer films to shame, particularly on the American side of things. However, the extras are a little slight, but certainly pay off to fans of French cinema.