It’s 2011 . . . it’s in black and white . . . it’s a silent film . . . it’s ‘The Artist’ . . .
A very risky move to make not only a black and white movie but also a silent movie. In the world of current cinema, with the high budgets for action sequences and having the most famous actors in them. All about box office and how popular films are with critics. Then came ‘The Artist’ which would ask the question: Do actions really speak louder than words?
YES
That would be the short answer to that question. Actions really do speak louder than words, which is shown from start to finish in this film. The acting is just incredible and the emotions which are shown are just amazing. We can really feel and relate to the characters throughout the film.
I have heard a lot of people would not even give the film a chance, because it was silent. Which after watching the film I find extremely ironic that the film is about the lead actor being scared about being replaced for talking pictures. When people aren’t now willing to give a silent film a chance because it does not have any talking in it! It’s a shame people are missing out by not giving it a chance. How do you know for sure that you’re not going to like it? I will admit that I had never seen a silent film before but I am so pleased this was the first one!
I would say that ‘The Artist’ is without a doubt the feel good film of 2011 and thoroughly deserves to win the Best Picture Oscar (I am rooting for it). But don’t let that fool you that it’s just all happy all of the time, that’s far from it. We are taken on an emotional roller-coaster, feeling not only the happiness, but the sadness, depression and sorrow of the lead character. His fall from grace but the help he eventually gets from the woman’s career he launched.
It’s not a full on silent film though, we do have 1 line . . . which is naturally the closing of the film. So perfectly placed to finish a fantastic cinematic journey, the journey of the end of silent films and being replaced by talking.
One thing I hope is that we don’t have loads more films trying to be ‘The Artist’ as I truly don’t think it would work. This film is so special and deserves all the plaudits and praise but it also deserves to stand alone as I don’t think anything is going to have impact like this one does any time soon!