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Les Créatures
1966 Drama / Fantasy
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Credits
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Director: Agnès Varda
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Script: Agnès Varda
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Photo: Willy Kurant
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Music: Pierre Barbaud
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Cast: Catherine Deneuve (Mylène),
Michel Piccoli (Edgar Piccoli),
Eva Dahlbeck (Michele Quellec),
Marie-France Mignal (Viviane Quellec),
Britta Pettersson (Lucie de Montyon),
Nino Castelnuovo (Jean Modet),
Jacques Charrier (René
de Montyon),
Bernard La Jarrige (le docteur Desteau),
Lucien Bodard (Monsieur Ducasse),
Pierre Danny (Max Picot),
Jeanne Allard (Henriette),
Joëlle Gozzi (Suzon),
Louis Falavigna (Pierre Roland)
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Country: France
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Language: French
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Runtime: 92 min; B&W
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Aka: The Creatures
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Summary
After a road accident, a writer, Edgar, and his wife, Mylène, take up residence
on an island off the coast of France to recuperate. Edgar soon recovers from his
injuries and begins writing his next novel, seeking inspiration from the local people.
His wife, however, has lost her voice and can only communicate through written notes.
The islanders grow suspicious of the reclusive couple, their unease soon turning to aggression.
Edgar is equally anxious about his neighbours, particularly a solitary widower, Ducasse,
who has taken charge of a large consignment of crates. What secret project is Ducasse
engaged on - and can it explain the strange behaviour of the islanders...?
Review
Les Créatures is the most intriguing work - certainly one of the most provocative
- from Agnès Varda, arguably France’s greatest woman filmmaker. The style
of the film - in particular its mélange of genres (comedy, thriller, fantasy and
eroticism) - mirrors that of Varda’s New Wave contemporaries, notably Jean-Luc Godard.
The film begins almost as a parody of the psychological drama, with the kind of eerie
music that has become the trademark of another of Varda’s contemporaries, Claude Chabrol.
Then, about halfway through, the film veers off in a totally unexpected direction and
becomes unlike anything seen before, certainly in French cinema. It is funny,
chilling and baffling, allowing a myriad of interpretations whilst cheekily exploring
some serious philosophical issues, such as the question of free will.
Despite its star billing - the improbably pairing of Catherine Deneuve and Michel Piccoli
being one of the film’s biggest charms - Les Créatures was poorly received
when released in 1966. The reaction of the critics to the film was hostile and effectively
slammed the brakes on Varda’s film making career. Undeterred, Varda went on to make
some significant films in the following decades and she would ultimately - and deservedly
- regain her reputation as a serious film maker.
Paradoxically, what most make Les Créatures so original and intriguing are
most probably the very things which would put off many spectators. The disjointed
editing, where real life is inter-cut with a bizarre fantasy chess game; the grotesque
caricatures who behave more like animated puppets than creatures with a mind and soul
of their own; and the seemingly interminable cinematic metaphors, most of which appear
to have no bearing whatsoever on the central narrative. This is a truly puzzling
film, yet one which an intelligent film enthusiast cannot help but find strangely appealing
- and, thanks to the richness of its iconography, hauntingly memorable...
© James Travers 2004
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