The Complete Jacques Tati

The films of the great French actor/filmmaker/stage star Jacques Tati (1907-1982) are notable for their celebrations of silent comedy and pantomime. This boxed set gathers all six features that Tati directed and starred in, as well as seven shorts that he wrote and/or directed, in new digital restorations. Two make their disc debut here: his first movie, Jour de Fête (1949), with Tati playing a small-town postman who's inspired to “modernize” his delivery methods; and his final offering, Parade (1974), a celebration of circus performers (with Tati as ringmaster) made for Swedish television. In between are his four masterpieces, starting with Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953), which introduces Tati's gangly signature character in an affectionate, gently satirical slapstick piece set at a beach resort where the cheerfully oblivious bachelor leaves minor disasters in his wake. Mon Oncle (1958) drops the distracted gentleman into the modern world of empty consumerism, social status, and electronic gadgets that take on a life of their own. Playtime (1967) sends Hulot into Paris, re-imagined by Tati as an impersonal modern city of steel and glass where the streets are packed with commuters, buses, and pedestrians; it's a sublime celebration of individualism in the alienated landscape of urban life. Trafic (1971) is built around an automobile show and a new car-camper designed by Hulot with oddball accessories right out of a cartoon. Throughout, Tati's warm humor and inventive comic style transcend the language barrier in these films that will appeal to all ages. Although Criterion previously released Playtime on Blu-ray, the rest make their Blu-ray debuts in this boxed set, which is also available on DVD. In addition to alternate versions of three of the films (all created by Tati), extras include archival documentaries on Tati and his movies, new and archival interviews, visual essays, and a booklet. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (S. Axmaker)