Rent The Artist (2011)

3.7 of 5 from 729 ratings
1h 36min
Rent The Artist Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental
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Synopsis:
Hollywood 1927. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent movie superstar. The advent of the talkies will sound the death knell for his career and see him fall into oblivion. For young extra Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), it seems the sky's the limit major movie stardom awaits. The Artist tells the story of their interlinked destinies.
Actors:
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Beau Nelson, Alex Holliday,
Directors:
Writers:
Michel Hazanavicius
Others:
Jean Dujardin, Michel Hazanavicius, Ludovic Bource, Mark Bridges, Julie Hewett, Guillaume Schiffman, Laurence Bennett, Anne-Sophie Bion, Michael Krikorian, Gérard Lamps, Nadine Muse, Cydney Cornell, Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould, Robert Gould, Thomas Langmann
Studio:
Entertainment In Video
Genres:
Classics, Comedy, Drama
Collections:
10 Films to Watch if You Like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, 2012, 2013, A History of Cinemas in Films, A History of Films about Film: Part 1, Acting Up: Top 10 Performances At Cannes, Award Winners, BAFTA Nominations Competition 2024, CinemaParadiso.co.uk Through Time, Films & TV by topic, Films to Watch If You Like..., Memory Lane: Films Set in 1920s, New waves of Latin American Cinema, Oscar Nominations Competition 2024, A Brief History of Film..., The Instant Expert's Guide, The Instant Expert's Guide to Martin Scorsese, The Instant Expert's Guide to: Billy Wilder, Top 10 Best Picture Follow-Ups, Top 10 French-Language Remakes, Top 10 Palm Dog Winners, Top Films, What to watch by country
Countries:
France
Awards:

2012 BAFTA Best Music

2012 BAFTA Best Original Screen Play

2012 BAFTA Best Cinematography

2012 BAFTA Best Costumes

2012 BAFTA Best Direction

2012 BAFTA Best Film

2012 BAFTA Best Actor

2012 Oscar Best Actor

2012 Oscar Best Picture

2012 Oscar Best Costume Design

2012 Oscar Best Director

2012 Oscar Best Music Original Score

2011 Cannes Best Actor

BBFC:
Release Date:
28/05/2012
Run Time:
96 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 5.1, Silent
Subtitles:
English Hard of Hearing
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Full Screen 1.33:1 / 4:3
Colour:
B & W
BBFC:
Release Date:
28/05/2012
Run Time:
100 minutes
Languages:
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles:
English Hard of Hearing
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Full Screen 1.33:1 / 4:3
Colour:
B & W
BLU-RAY Regions:
B
Bonus:
  • The Artist: The Making Of A Hollywood Love Story
  • Hollywood As A Character: The Locations of The Artist
  • The Artisans Behind The Artist Featurettes
  • Q&A with the Filmmakers and Cast
  • Blooper Reel

More like The Artist

Reviews (7) of The Artist

Good-looking but inconsequential movie about the movie business - The Artist review by PV

Spoiler Alert
05/07/2012

I wouldn't say I didn't enjoy watching this movie - but, frankly, I can't see what all the fuss is about.

It's pleasant enough, with funny moments, some arch scenes and 'dialogue', and the usual sentimentality of the era it parodies. However, I feel clear that the reason this won the Oscars is because most of the voters at the Academy are over 60, live in LA and used to work in the movie business!

My reaction to this movie is 'so what?' - though I suspect women may like this love story more than men. Kids will hate it, for sure!

It looks great though - all the art deco cinemas. Actually, I can't fault a thing about this movie - except that is the whole concept of it: the interesting use of sound is fun, and the 'miniatures' hark back to 'Bride of Frankenstein'.

But it just didn't do it for me or those watching the film with me who were amazed it won any Oscars at all.

And I could see the 'twist' punchline ending coming a mile off.

Three stars then.

2 out of 4 members found this review helpful.

Outstanding - The Artist review by CP Customer

Spoiler Alert
17/09/2012

This is one of those films that totally deserves all the praise it has received. It will probably fall into the love it or hate category. But The Artist surpassed all negativity in this household - my husband stayed awake for the whole duration of the film - something alas many modern films do not achieve. Bravo!

2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.

Over rated - The Artist review by CP Customer

Spoiler Alert
30/09/2013

After all the hype I was looking forward to watching this film. Sadly it did nothing for me. Maybe a twenty first version of black and white films requires a certain outlook and if that's the case, the directors and actors didn't have it. It was wooden, the pace slow, no hook that got me. I couldn't be bothered to watch it to the end and that's not because I'm into Hollwood high colour, high action films. For example, Coppola's Rumble Fish shot maily black and white with flashes of colour shows how it can be done. But this didn't reach the mark and Coppola's a master film maker.

2 out of 6 members found this review helpful.

Critic review

The Artist review by Alyse Garner - Cinema Paradiso

The Anglo-French silent movie that is currently taking the world by storm The Artist is already looking to be a long standing classic. Starring Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman and James Cromwell The Artist tells the story of a young actor living in Hollywood in the late 1920’s George Valentin; with talking movies on the horizon Valentin wonders where his future lies and finds himself sharing his present with a beautiful young dancer with dreams of the big time.

The Artist had me almost from the word go and swept me through it’s runtime with a series of moving and humorous scenes that truly demonstrate the depth of human expression and performance. This movie pulls you into its narrative and holds you there, leaving you with absolutely no desire to escape. It is romantic and fun, interesting and different; nothing about this movie was a disappointment.

In a lot of ways The Artist reminded me of Singin’ in the Rain which too is a movie about the on set of talking pictures; both movies take a comedic look at what was in fact the end of a global phenomenon whilst also fantastically manipulating and indulging in the soundtrack to totally envelope you in the piece.

Where Singin’ in the Rain had Gene Kelly The Artist uses it’s fabulously classic soundtrack to create a secondary dimension to an already hugely impressive movie. You won’t miss Kelly anyway, as the performances in the piece are hugely impressive in themselves, it has been a long time since any actors have been able to demonstrate that emotion and laughter are so well tied into physicality rather than speech, for a writer this idea is a little concerning.

Yet by its completion The Artist will have you utterly blown away, all aspects of its appearance, performances and narrative are enchanting and fantastically well handled. It is not surprise it is pegged to win a lot of Oscar’s this year. I would give it more than four stars if I could.

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