Some might say it is a bold move on filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius’ behalf to create a black & white silent film in this day and age, especially, when the film opens alongside such action-packed blockbusters as Act of Valor and Ghost Rider 2. However, Hazanavicius knows exactly what he is doing with his film The Artist, and thus proved that the successful route lay in passion of the art itself. The Artist pays homage to the rich tradition of film by celebrating its birth. Critics celebrate The Artist as it has made quite the impression at The Oscars.
The silent film is about silent films. Well, it is about a silent film star, George Valentin. George is on top of the world; he is one the greatest stars in the industry and is beloved by all, more especially beloved by himself. An egomaniac George may be, but he is a very charismatic, likeable character, and his antics, although persistent, perhaps obnoxious, contain a certain charm. During one of these public antics, George incidentally runs into one Peppy Miller. Peppy is a ‘nobody’ who lusts for a chance on the silver screen. After all the publicity of her and George’s little ‘run-into,’ she sees a perfect chance for her to start.
Peppy’s career begins with a series of menial roles, yet they provide brief glimpses and chats with her friend George. A sense of attraction become clear between the two. However Peppy has a career to think of and poor George is unhappily married. Soon enough, though, Peppy finds herself rocketing toward the top, just as everything is about to change in the industry.
The film progresses into the advent of the ‘talkies’, the first films containing dialogue and sound other than the score. This serves particularly unflattering for our friend George as he firmly refuses to partake in any ‘talkies’, not that the production company even wants him anymore. In a swift fluid motion, everything George has comes crashing down upon him; his entire world seems to have forgotten him as fresh ‘talking’ faces replace him and everything he has. This conflict is a true one; upon the shift from silent films into ‘talkies,’ many silent film stars including Buster Keaton, lost their careers because their voices were seen as unfit for the new style of the industry. As George begins a relentless plunge downward, Peppy’s career blossoms as her fresh, talking face becomes exactly what people want to see AND hear.
Hazanavicius is no fool to the fact that the he must engage his audience even more so due to the very fact it is silent. The Artist seems like a film that is aware of itself, in the fact that it plays off the fact it is silent and uses silence as a thematic tool. To counter that, voice itself becomes an abstract character throughout the film; silence and voice are betwixt and used purposefully as a means of discourse to a broader message. Alongside effectively using silence and voice the use and sheer amount of misc-en-scene throughout is not only a great thematic device and appropriately executed (misc-en-scene being essential for a silent, B&W film in the modern day), yet also visually spectacular and captivating.
At the point the film industry has reached in this day and age, it is truly remarkable that a film like The Artist can pull through and dazzle audiences across the globe. More often than not the industry seems to be caught in a depression or at least still water, as pointless and thoughtless films relying on foolish gimmicks such as 3D, CGI, and superfluous action sequences are making all the money. The Artist is a breath of fresh air that brings us back to our roots as a culture in love with the movies. In a generation obsessed with blasting forward, The Artist calmly reminds us that old dogs have some great old tricks.