#439/#729: TATI, Jacques: Trafic (1971)

TATI, Jacques (France)

Trafic [1971]

Spine #439/#729
DVD/Blu-ray

In Jacques Tati's Trafic, the bumbling Monsieur Hulot, outfitted as always with tan raincoat, beaten brown hat, and umbrella, takes to Paris's highways and byways. For this, his final outing, Hulot is employed as an auto company's director of design, and accompanies his new vehicle (a camper tricked out with absurd gadgetry) to an auto show in Amsterdam. Naturally, the road is paved with modern-age mishaps. This late-career delight is a masterful demonstration of the comic genius's expert timing and sidesplitting visual gags, and a bemused last look at technology run amok.

97 minutes
Color

Monaural

in French

1:37:1 aspect ratio

Criterion Release 2008

Director/Writer

Screenplay by Jacques Tati.

With the artistic collaboration of Jacques Lagrange.

And the participation of Bert Haanstra.

Tati was 54 when he wrote and directed Trafic.

Other Tati films in the Collection:

#730: Jour De Fête (1949)
#110: Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953)
#111: Mon Oncle (1958)
#112: PlayTime (1967)
#731: Parade (1974)

The Film

A

Film Rating (0-60):

60

The Extras

The Booklet

#439: Sixteen-page booklet featuring an essay by Jonathan Romney.

#729: Sixty-eight page booklet featuring essays by James Quandt (Scatterbrained Angel: The Films of Jacques Tati); Jonathan Rosenbaum (Composing in Sound and Image); Kristin Ross (Jacques Tati:Historian); and David Cairns (Things Fall Together).

Commentary

None.

#439:

Interview

From 1971 with the cast of Trafic, from the French television program Morceaux de bravoure.

In the Footsteps of M. Hulot (1989)

A two-part documentary by Sophie Tatischeff tracing the evolution of Tati’s beloved alter ego.

#729:

Jacques Tati in Monsieur Hulot’s Work

A 1976 episode of the British television program Omnibus featuring an interview with Tati about his Hulot films.

#439/#729:

Trailer

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

99

By Director
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