Playtime (1967)
The greatest cinematography to have no story.
Presentation:
What is it about masterpieces that bankrupt directors? Playtime is an experiment slapstick comedy that essentially functions as a silent film. There is dialogue and music, but it’s inconsequential and functions as background noise. This is not a Charlie Chaplin film. The physicality is nonexistent and the humor is subtle and sparse. Instead of a joke, the punchline is cinematography presented as a choreographed ballet, not too dissimilar to Metropolis. There is barely any story as this is a thematic film on the chaos of modernity and the disassociation with dystopian-like technology. What’s absolutely incredible is the world Jacques Tati creates, essentially building an entire city for this film. It looks unbelievably cinematic and the Criterion refresh makes the 70mm vista vision experience look even more magnificent. The cinematography speaks for itself and the use of elevation and negative space is incomparable.
Conclusion:
This is clearly a work of cinematic art and should be appreciated. But what good is one of the greatest sets ever built when there is no story to tell? Unless you are an artist, cinephile, or a cinematic dilettante, there’s really not much value in storytelling here. A bomb at the box office for understandable reasons, likely one of the greatest cinematography showcases that you could play on mute. A silent film, with dialogue. A musical with no music. A slapstick comedy with no slapstick. The greatest cinematography to not have a story.
Recommendations
Slapstick comedies are silent because you bring the laughter.