| Le
Dernier métro
François Truffaut (1980) |
Mon
oncle d'Amérique
Alain Resnais (1980) |
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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.
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A
bizarre synthesis of conventional drama and natural history documentary,
in which human behaviour is related to basic animal needs and responses.
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| Coup
de torchon
Bertrand Tavernier (1981) |
Diva
Jean-Jacques Beineix (1981) |
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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.
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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.
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| L'As
des as
Gérard Oury (1982) |
La
Balance
Bob Swaim (1982) |
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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.
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Strong
acting performances and well choreographed action scenes makes this one
of the best and most realistic French crime thrillers of the 1980s.
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| Le
Retour de Martin Guerre
Daniel Vigne (1982) |
L'Argent
Robert Bresson (1983) |
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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.&
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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.
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| Vivement
dimanche!
François Truffaut (1984) |
Sans
toit ni loi
Agnès Varda (1985) |
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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.
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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.
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| Trois
hommes et un couffin
Coline Serreau (1985) |
Jean
de Florette / Manon des sources
Claude Berri (1986) |
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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.
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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.
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| L'Ami
de mon amie
Eric Rohmer (1987) |
Au
revoir les enfants
Louis Malle (1987) |
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The
final film in Rohmer's widely acclaimed Comédies et proverbes
series is this beautifully filmed and engaging comedy romance about
friendship and infidelity.
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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.
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| Le
Grand Bleu
Luc Besson (1988) |
Monsieur
Hire
Patrice Leconte (1989) |
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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.
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By
merging psychological thriller and comedy romance, Patrice Leconte creates
one of his best films, a dark yet tender study in loneliness and desire.
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