Monday, November 26, 2012

Jean-Jacques Beineix - DIVA

In the style of the French New Wave, director Jean-Jacques Beineix has created a throwback to the days of guerrilla filmmaking in the streets of Paris with a story full of crime, love, passion, obsession, and art. Diva follows the story of a young man obsessed with the operatic voice of Cynthia Hawkins, a "diva" whose voice can only be heard in person from the audience, as she will not allow her voice to be recorded.


The film opens with the young man sneaking a tape recorder into one of her performances and stealing her dress after getting her autograph. As the story progresses, he finds himself running for his life through the streets of Paris. The cinematography in this film is absolutely stunning. The camera moves with a fluid motion, a relaxed pace, almost rhythmic, even when there is no music. The camera flows like the sound of the divas voice, or the constant flowing of the ocean. Not only is this film beautiful, it is mysterious and thrilling. It is the perfect blend of genres. During the chase scenes, the camera is right along side the characters in the cars, mopeds, and on foot throughout the streets of Paris.