Tati belongs to that rare breed of artist who creates works as technically and aesthetically wonderful as they are hilarious.
Playtime is perhaps the best example of both in the his oeuvre, combining biting satirical comedy with incredible choreography and cinematography.
The themes of hyper-modernism and artifice come across in almost every shot through the clinical colour palate, angular compositions and synthetic mise en scène.
Top 3:
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| In the future, every holiday is just another grey office block with slight alterations in setting. |
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| In the future, people's homes will all look like furniture showrooms and they will interact only with television. |
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| In the future, history and culture will be but a reflection in the glass door of progress. |
The rest:
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| One of the opening shots of the film really sets the tone with this utterly dominating, cold presence. |
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| Even sources of light look like the antennae of the Earth. |
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| Office farm |
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| In the restaurant scenes, almost every extra had their own skit to perform. How Tati got them all to act synchronously is beyond me. |
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| Sad aeroplane. |
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| I love the utter chaos in these shots. |
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| Another reflection |
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| Regardless of all that the future brings, life can still be a carnival. |
