CHATS
PERCHÉS
THE CASE OF THE GRINNIG CAT |
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Director: Chris Marker
Screenplay: Chris Marker
Running time: 58’
Production: France, 2004
Rating: Not Rated
Gauge: DVD (color)
Genre: Documentary
Distributor: First Run/Icarus
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"
Marker uses his left-leaning sensibility to critique liberal
fecklessness. In his digital-video eye, the happy flash
mob that begins the movie seems scarcely different from
the sundry youth-driven protests, marches, and rallies
he captures later on".
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
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In his newest
film, French cinema-essayist Chris Marker reflects on art,
culture and politics at the start of the new millennium. In
November 2001, he became intrigued by the sudden appearance
of grinning yellow cat paintings on Paris buildings and public
surfaces, and began to document the mysterious materializations
of this charming feline. Purportedly looking to solve the
mystery of this unknown artist, dubbed M. Chat, the filmmaker
uses it instead as a springboard to examine the city's changing
social climate -- from the pro-American feelings generated
shortly after Sept. 11, to the anti-Bush and Iraq War demonstrations
that have become so prevalent. He also looks at the demonstrations
that took place during the 2002 French election that saw right-wing
centrist Jacques Chirac defeat right-wing extremist Jean-Marie
Le Pen. Eventually, the creator of the grinning cats is revealed
to be an art collective known as Mr. Cat whose members are
shown painting a massive representation of their mascot on
the plaza in front of the Pompidou Center. Marker concludes
with thoughts on the vital importance of such expressions
of art and imagination in our public lies, echoing the May’68
slogan that “La poésie est dans la rue”
(“Poetry is in the streets”).
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| PHOTO First Run/Icarus |
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