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When we think of French cinema, there are many influential names that come to mind including Francois Truffaut, Agnes Varda, or Luc Besson. Two sides are drawn when analyzing French movies where one is a realistic approach to the art form and the other is of a more romanticized, fantastical style of storytelling. Reality and fantasy are a French director’s two paths to choose.
Jean Pierre Jeunet is an exception as he manages to take inspiration from both of these sides while also finding success in major film markets outside his native homeland. Prevelant across all his projects is his charming idiosyncratic style in which he uses the genres of fantasy, romantic comedy, science fiction, and even war to “create idealized realities or give relevance to mundane situations.” His films are some of the most accessible French films to international audiences and this article will provide a feasible guide through his films with insight to his trademarks as a director.
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Early Pursuits in Cinema
Jean Pierre Jeunet was born in Roanne, France in 1953. Being an only child for a number of years, he developed an active imagination and would create little puppet shows which inadvertently gave him experience in the creative and business of putting on shows. He has said that the revelation which made him want to make movies was ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ (1968) which he recalled being so blown away that he could not speak for a couple days. With a developing interest in film, he taught himself the basics and took animation classes at Cinemation studios. He met a fellow animator Marc Caro who he would make short films with including ‘The Bunker of the Last Gunshots’ and ‘The Carousel.’ It is clear from these shorts that Jeunet had already developed the style and kinds of worlds he would proceed to make. These had an impressive array of sets and costumes for independent shorts and films such as ‘Foutaisies’ showcase his love of translating the simple details of life onto screen. These films were made independently with Jeunet and Caro accumulating all props, costumes, and funding. This DIY approach to filmmaking has stayed with Jeunet as he never went to a film school and tells aspiring filmmakers that if they want to make a film, they should ‘Just do it. Take your camera if you want to be a director and have some pleasure (in doing it)’
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Caro and Jeunet both directed ‘Delicatessen’ (1991), the feature debut of both. The film is a black comedy that takes place in a futuristic world where meat has become scarce and people have resorted to cannibalism, full of eccentric humor, dark humor, and plenty of creative choices that are purely French. The cornerstone sequence is when a squeak in a bed caused by a lovemaking session is sets off a choir of similar sounding activities such as a girl playing a cello and a man pumping his bike tire. This humorous showcase of connection through insignificant actions is a common trademark of Jeunet’s work furthered more by the pair’s follow up film ‘The City of Lost Children’ which follows a strongman played by Ron Perlman setting out with a young girl to find his kidnapped little brother, journeying into an advanced steampunk-like world of strange characters, creepy set pieces, and even more imaginative situations.
No longer restricted by a single apartment complex, Jeunet and Caro take the audience through various locales including oil rigs acting as a scientific lab, underwater dens full of discarded childhood toys, and a boat of men only able to see with mechanical eyes. Eccentric characters consist of a pair of conjoined twins who lead a gang of children, a flea controllingcircus performer, and a still functioning brain floating in a fishtank. A similar creatively complex sequence to the one in ‘Delicatessen’ is when a tear from Miette sets in motion a series of events that gets the characters out of a difficult situation. All the imagination found in these two features is complimented by incredibly intricate sets and surprisingly professional cinematography for early films in their career. Topping everything is a cartoon-like energy that never feels overdone due to the quirky actors and inventive concepts.
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International Recognition and Success
After their first two films, Caro abandonded movie directing while Jeunet’s career continued with the fourth entry in the highly popular ‘Alien’ franchise titled ‘Alien Resurrection.’ The film admittedly has many flaws but Jeunet’s direction is not one of them as there are plenty of sequences that fit well in line with his wacky style, not to mention the ever endearing Dominique Pinon still present for a hearty smile. Having the opportunity to direct an American blockbuster with total creative control was an experience Jeunet enjoyed but after the film’s somewhat lackluster performance, he returned to France to bless the world his most popular film to date. ‘Amelie’ was spawned out of Jeunet’s many years of collecting anecdotes and details he one day hoped to include in a film. After hearing a story of a young girl who liked to help people, Jeunet had finally found a way to weave this box full of ideas into a single project.
‘Amelie’ is the culmination of Jean Pierre Jeunet’s career with countless creative sequences, color exuding cinematography, and a superb cast of actors with the standout being the loveable Audrey Tautou playing the titular role. With her expressive eyes, endearing smile, and quirky expressions, Tautou performs a lonely but generous person whose world we get to live in as she navigates life doing good deeds for people and finding love. The incredible music composed by Yann Tiersen fits the overtly quirky french tone to perfection. The sweeping camera movements and vibrant contrasting colors are not only a treat to the eye but also a reflection of Amelie’s feelings. Jeunet was conscious that the interpretation of France in the film had was not representative of reality, but it was this disregard that managed to comfort and delight audiences in 2001 as the consequences of the 9/11 terrorist attacks were taking place. Audiences used cinema to escape the harsh realities of life and live in ‘Amelie’s’ safe and whimsical world, making it one of the biggest international successes for a French film. It also stands as Jeunet’s most personal film as he feels his life experiences of being lonely and highly imaginative. Quite a treat for a artist’s most successful output being the one they hold closest to their heart.
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Post ‘Amelie’ career
With Jean Pierre Jeunet solidified as a legitimate figure in modern French cinema, his follow up projects to ‘Amelie’ kept up his creative style with a decent amount of experimentation in tone and subject matter that keep his style fresh and never repetetive. ‘A Very Long Engagement’ proved to be a departure from the bright vision of ‘Amelie’ as it follows a young woman searching for her fiance who is presumed dead after fighting in the trenches during World War 1. Many characters and situations in the film maintain the upbeat Jeunet style, but the film can go to places that are harrowing and violent, ending in a bittersweet resolve. ‘Micmacs’ (2009) is perhaps the film most infused with Jeunet’s tendencies as it is made up entirely of wacky shenanigans set off by simple actions as a group of oddball misfits try to sabotage a weapons company from producing instruments of murder. Jeunet briefly returned to making an American film with ‘The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet’, an adaptation of a novel by Reif Larsen and his latest project at this time is ‘Big Bug’ (2021), a Netflix released film that is humorously reminiscent of the Covid 19 pandemic as it follows a group of characters locked inside as Artificial Intelligence takes over the world. It retains the wacky tone that all his other films have, which goes to show that even after two decades of making feature films, Jeunet still has the same energy and tendencies when it comes to making movies.
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An Optimistic Childlike Lens to See the World in
Many trademarks can be found in Jean Pierre Jeunet’s filmography with the obvious ones being the vibrant colors, detailed worlds, and cleverly creative situations. There is a particular fascination with the mundane moments in life and what discoveries can be found in them. But, behind all the style is a pure love for the world and the discoveries that can be made in it. Even when the films have dealings with serious topics and unfortunate dealings, there is always a bright, undertone that is never fully torn away. The trauma of war that ‘A Very Long Engagement’ deals with does not remain center stage but instead the ever present love between Manech and Mathilde. ‘Amelie’s lonely upbringing is told through a whimsical childlike perspective that ends in achieved goodness. The dangerous and bleak worlds of ‘Delicatessen’ and ‘The City of Lost Children’ with their seedy characters are upstaged by protagonists who are innocent, loveable, and sentimental. It is as if Jeunet refuses to look at the world without at least some uplifting mindset, making his films connect with audiences in and outside his native France. Sometimes, we need a realistic look at the world but sometimes we require an optimistic one.
For anyone who has not previously known the cinema of Jean Pierre Jeunet yet, watching through his filmography is a real treat to the eyes and the soul. His next film is another adaptation titled ‘Changer l’eu des fleurs’ which will certainly retain the director’s uniquely comforting vision. Wherever his career will go next, Jeunet’s films will retain their charm and likely entertain cinephiles and casual audiences alike for many more years to come.
By Elijah van der Fluit
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Author
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Elijah van der Fluit is a writer for The Hollywood Insider based in California with aspirations to write and direct films for a professional career. In his spare time, Elijah enjoys watching and discussing movies of all genres as well as reading, hiking, spending time with family, and being one with the world. Elijah believes that art, whatever form it may take, has the ability to inspire and broaden people’s perspectives in a positive way and he hopes to use his work in film and writing to do so.
Elijah van der Fluit is a writer for The Hollywood Insider based in California with aspirations to write and direct films for a professional career. In his spare time, Elijah enjoys watching and discussing movies of all genres as well as reading, hiking, spending time with family, and being one with the world. Elijah believes that art, whatever form it may take, has the ability to inspire and broaden people’s perspectives in a positive way and he hopes to use his work in film and writing to do so.
