Melody 1971 ( 6.5)

Although Gainsbourg and Birkin had appeared in a string of films since their magnetic collision in Pierre Grimblat’s Slogan, Melody was a bit of diversion from their collaborations since it’s a series of interwoven videos inspired by the Gainsbourgalbum. For '71 it’s a novel concept to bring visual life to an LP, but even more surprising are the short film’s amazing visuals that director Averty crafted using a wealth of video filters, overlays, camera movements and chroma key effects. Averty applies these in tandem with the increasing tone of Gainsbourg’s songs, which more or less chronicle an older man's affair with a young girl. Each song is comprised of steady, sometimes brooding poetic delivery, with refrains timed to the phrase repeats of each song, while Alan Parker’s buzzing guitar accompanies and wiggles around Gainsbourg’s resonant voice. The bass is fat and groovy, the drums easy but steady, and the periodic use of strings or rich vibrato makes this short a sultry little gem.

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Catherine - a French TV series produced for Antenne 2 channel in 1986. It was based on the series of "Catherine" novels written by Juliette Benzoni. The series was directed by Marion Sarraut, who had already successfully brought on TV another of Madame Benzoni's work - Marianne. The director had the author's assistance going so far as working together, like mother and daughter, to work on the best-seller Catherine. Two years of preparation, fifteen months of shooting, two hundred actors - over fifteen hundred costumes. The episodes were not to be seen in prime time - but from 13:30 - 14:00 each afternoon. The production was nevertheless a huge success. The readers of the books were more than satisfied with what Marion Sarraut had done to Catherine. To their great joy, the producers had adapted the seven books more or less truthfully. Some minor changes had to be made, probably also because of the small bugdet they had at their disposal. Claudine Ancelot was a perfect Catherine. At her side, Pierre-Marie Escourrou as her great love Arnaud de Montsalvy. Pascale Petit was Sara, Benoît Brione was the evil Gilles de Rais, and Geneviève Casile Queen Yolande. For over two decades, the story of "Catherine and Arnaud" had vanished. In December 2007 the French company France Loisirs started releasing the long awaited Catherine Il suffit d'un amour TV-Serie on DVD. At the moment the whole TV series has been released on 5 double DVDs.

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