|
|
|
Best
French Films of the
1980s
François
Truffaut (1980) |
|
Alain
Resnais (1980) |
|
An
emotionally charged drama in which the experiences of Nazi occupied France
are seen through the lives of a closely knit community of theatre personnel.
Depardieu and Deneuve are united on screen for the first time.
|
|
|
A
bizarre synthesis of conventional drama and natural history documentary,
in which human behaviour is related to basic animal needs and responses.
|
Bertrand
Tavernier (1981) |
|
Jean-Jacques Beineix (1981) |
|
A
disturbing black comedy set in a French African colonial town. The
superb Philippe Noiret plays a police chief who, after years of humiliation,
decides to clean up crime - by shooting people.
|
|
|
With
its sylish photography, awesome sets and adrenaline-pumping action scenes,
Diva was the most highly rated French thriller of the 1980s, showing
impressionist and existentialist influences.
|
Gérard Oury (1982) |
|
Bob Swaim (1982) |
|
This
action comedy set on the eve of World War II contains a poignant story
of love and heroism, and also one of the best screen caricatures of Hitler.
Great family entertainment.
|
|
|
Strong
acting performances and well choreographed action scenes makes this one
of the best and most realistic French crime thrillers of the 1980s.
|
Daniel Vigne (1982) |
|
Robert Bresson (1983) |
|
A
compelling period drama based on a true story set in the 16th century.
The sets and costumes give the film a rare authenticity, and it also features
one of Depardieu's best performances.&
|
|
|
Bresson's
final film, based on a short story by Tolstoy, is a minimalist masterpiece
which illustrates the corrupting power of money on the human soul.
|
François
Truffaut (1984) |
|
Agnès Varda (1985) |
|
Fanny
Ardant dazzles in this off-the-wall comedy thriller from one of France's
greatest directors. For his final film, Truffaut manages to unite
his passion for film noir, Hitchcockian suspense and comedy romance.
|
|
|
A
shockingly realistic portrait of a young woman's search for freedom, superbly
directed by Agnès Varda, and featuring a truly moving performance
from Sandrine Bonnaire.
|
Coline Serreau (1985) |
|
Claude Berri (1986) |
|
The
original "3 Men and a Baby" was this hilarious satire on fatherhood and
modern living. It proved to be a staggering box office success in
France.
|
|
|
This
complex tale of thwarted optimism, cruel trickery and revenge, with its
beautiful Provence setting and great acting, was a major international
success for French cinema in the 1980s.
|
Eric Rohmer (1987) |
|
Louis Malle (1987) |
|
The
final film in Rohmer's widely acclaimed Comédies et proverbes
series is this beautifully filmed and engaging comedy romance about
friendship and infidelity.
|
|
|
Drawing
on his own experiences as a child, Louis Malle paints this tender and highly
poignant portrayal of childhood at the time of the Nazi occupation of France.
|
Luc Besson (1988) |
|
Patrice Leconte (1989) |
|
Luc
Besson's love for the sea is evident in every shot of this film, a stunning
visual masterpiece. Despite being mauled by the critics for its apparent
superficiality, the film proved to be a major box office success.
|
|
|
By
merging psychological thriller and comedy romance, Patrice Leconte creates
one of his best films, a dark yet tender study in loneliness and desire.
|
|
