Cannes Check: "The Artist" Charms and Endears
Sunday, May 15, 2011 at 11:36PM 
Alex here (Nathaniel's back tomorrow).
Cannes has its first darling. My eye has been on The Artist ever since it was announced to join the competition at Cannes this year (I love when they add latecomers. It feels like it'll be a ringer for sure). From filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius of the amazingly hilarious OSS:117 films (best spy spoofs ever!), this movie has garnered a lot of buzz since its screening last night. With a cast that includes Jean Dujardin (star of the OSS:117 series), James Cromwell, and John Goodman among others, no wonder this film was snatched up by The Wienstein Company before its premiere. Harvey even called the film, " a delicate flower." Sensitive guy, eh?
Todd Macarthy, Guy Lodge, Indiewire and pretty much every review gush about its homage to the silent and golden eras of filmmaking, but emphasize how it's so much more. Sasha Stone of Awards Daily had this particularly sweet closing comment in her review.
But as the credits rolled for The Artist I already knew I didn’t want it to end. I knew that I didn’t want the lights to come up and I certainly didn’t want to face the world outside. I had no idea it still existed: The magic of the movies.
Dave Karger of Entertainment Weekly is the first to start speculating on its Ocscar chances. Cannes isn't even over yet! I guess with the Wiensteins backing it, it is a fair question. Can't wait to see it. Us regular folk will just have to settle for the trailer for now.
People have also pegged the canine costar as a shoe for the Palm D'og. Yes, its real, people.
Cannes, Jean Dujardin, Michel Hazanvicius, Oscars (11), The Artist
Reader Comments (3)
Wow, I'm impressed. I remember taking a cinema class where we watched silent films, and they were so hard to sit through sometimes. When I saw this trailer I picked up on so many of the conventions of silent cinema and got got a little turned off but then I sat through it all and it looks spectacular.
I would love to see making of specials on this movie
When Jean Dujardin (that is who is playing the lead, yes?) smiled at the girl for the first time (about 30 seconds in) he had me - he looked so very, very much like an authentic silent film matinee idol, suave and handsome, and his smile conveyed so much charisma and charm.
I also see a lot of nods to Citizen Kane in this.
Oh, this looks like fun. How unexpected, and it looks to be beautifully realized. Seeing James Cromwell in there - I recently saw the 1950s film Daddy Long Legs and Cromwell was one of the singing dancing university students. I had no idea that he had been a dancer.
Can't wait.