Jean Pierre Jeunet...how influential is the guy?

[Rusty]

Hello,

For a start, I know very little about modern movies. I consider anything made since my birth year (1955) a modern movie. No...I guess any film made since Bonnie and Clyde is modern. Whatever, I have a question about modern films.

About six months ago, I watched the movie Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain...released 2001 and created by Jean Pierre Jeunet. Oh, yes...the easy title for the movie is Amelie. I loved the movie. In fact, I liked the movie so much I placed one other Jeunet film in my Netflix queue and I recently watched the thing. La Cité Des Enfants Perdus" released in 1995. Easy title...City Of Lost Children.

Now, while watching the movie Amelie and again watching City Of Lost Children, I noticed how elements of both movies are used in other recent movies, recent television shows and even recent television commercials...a lot.

For instance, very rapid change of point of view (City Of Lost Children). The macro point of view...we see dog walk down street. To semi-micro...we see flea jump off dog. To micro point of view...we see flea inject drug into scalp of some person.

For instance, the use of a fantastical color scheme (City Of Lost Children). The garish, false color scheme is used in many recent movies and television shows. Based on the trailer I have watched, I think the movie 300 is presented with the sort of color scheme I am talking about.

For instance, Rube Goldberg-like series of events (Amelie and City Of Lost Children). One event triggering another event, triggering another event and so on. Used a lot for commercials...one that comes to mind is the "goldfish out of its bowl" PBS commercial.

For instance, monotone narration accompanying snippets of video to tell a bit of a story (introduction to Amelie). I have watched the same sort of narration/ snap-shot storytelling in other films and television shows...I just cannot give an example right now.

For instance, the "roaming gnome" (Amelie).

So, my question. Do you think Jeunet "lifts" filmmaking elements from previously released material and simply puts the elements together for his movies? Or, do you think Jean Pierre Jeunet is a real trend setter? The movies Jeunet creates are regarded as seminal?

Rusty

[Moraldo Rubini]

Travelocity's ad campaign with the travelling gnome popping up all over the world came soon after Amélie's huge success. I considered it a "rip-off"; though a fun one.

Jeunet's aesthetic in La Cité Des Enfants Perdus could be derivative of other gloomy fantasies (Brazil?), but it was the first conjoined twin kitchen battle that I'd ever seen. It could be zeitgeist, or a finger on the global pulse... whatever it is, Jeunet clicks with audiences and adds energy to visual trends.

Didn't he do Delicatessen too?

[benwhowell]

Bonjour, Rusty
I think Jeunet's sense of style is influential. Style is just as important as subject matter, IMHO.
He did get his start in TV commericals and animation-a coupla venues European filmmakers excel at, n'est-ce pas?
Check out "Delicatessen" and "Alien: Resurrection."
Au revoir...
Check out this vintage French TV commercial