October 4th: THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT (Jacques Demy, 1967)

NOTE: This film will be projected in the high-definition Blu-ray format.

Two sisters look for love as a fair arrives in their coastal town.

>While the French New Wave is credited primarily to the critics-turned-directors from the magazine Cahiers du Cinema, another group of Parisian filmmakers often referred to as the "Left Bank Group" were a collection of fellow artists with strong political convictions who often collaborated and whose  cinematic experiments make them just as vital to the overall movement. Members include Alain Resnais (Last Year At Marienbad), Agnes Varda (Cleo From 5 to 7), Chris Marker (La Jetée), and Jacques Demy, arguably the most mainstream of the group.

Beginning with Demy's first feature Lola, one can already see his recurring motifs: a seaside setting,  singing, melodrama, and characters driven by chance encounters and fate. His major commercial and creative breakthrough came with 1964's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, in which all the dialogue was sung on camera to the musical score of jazz composer Michel Legrand, and the images bolstered by the bright colors of the costumes and sets.

Demy's follow-up would push his love for classic Hollywood movies even further, with choreographed dance numbers, distinct songs separate from the overall score (again composed by Legrand), and a more upbeat tone. After scouting various coastal locations, Rochefort was chosen partly for its large central square.

Returning from the Cherbourg cast is its star Catherine Deneuve, now one of France's biggest stars, now joined by her real-life sister Françoise Dorelac. Other actors include New Wave veteran Michel Piccoli (Contempt), the esteemed Danielle Darrieux (The Earrings of Madame de...), and in a major coup, Hollywood legend Gene Kelly as well as West Side Story star George Chakiris.

Production designer Bernard Evein painted many of the town's buildings to fit Demy's color scheme, with most of the film shot on its streets. Demy's compositions became more elaborate, with an array of crane shots and choreographed movements from extras, even outside the dance numbers. Behind the camera was cinematographer Ghislain Cloquet (Tess, Au Hasard Balthazar).

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Demy and Legrand worked together closely on the music, with Demy writing the lyrics. Legrand implemented American big band and swing sounds as well as jazz, with improvised piano solos. Demy pays visual homage to classic musicals such as An American in Paris and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

The film was another success in France, but failed to replicate the impact of Cherbourg in its American release. Legrand and Demy received an Oscar nomination for the score. The film has gone on to be influential in its own right, seen in films as recent as last year's La La Land.

Running time is approx. 2 hours.