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Are the prints you are showing dubbed or subtitled?

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Hi all

This film is magical, funny, meaningful, romantic and insightful but the two words that best describe it are...

"Best Picture"

This was not just my opinion. At the end of the film the audience applauded which I think is a measure of a truly great film.

Enough said. If you haven't seen this film yet go see it with your loved one this Christmas.

Verdict (out of 10 stars): 9

cheers Peter

Is seems that I am not the only one who thinks it could win best picture.

Curiously enough it may find itself up against 'Moulin Rouge' - another film set in Paris.

I wonder whether it is possible for a foreign film to win 'Best Picture'?

cheers Peter

ps I just hope that Hollywood doesn't try to do a remake with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere

Nooooooooooooooooooooo....

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There was one scene which was full of symbolic meaning that I really liked. <spoiler - if you haven't seen the film and want to see it fresh, stop here>

The gnome was cemented above the wife's grave, and the wife hated the gnome. This can be seen as a humorous take on the husband getting in the last licks (passive-agressive) or the gnome can be seen as reresenting his playful and explorative spirit, in which case the wife was suppressing him (in symbol) by hating the gnome and not allowing him to display it. The placement of it over her ashes could also be seen as a touching attempt to integrate two things the husband loved, or as his spirit watching over and guarding his wife's ashes.

The fact that the gnome had it's feet cemented in position indicated his own fixedness. Amelie's chipping away the cement and sending the gnome then becomes a freeing of the spirit symbol and symbolic of her own attempts to chip away at people's restrictions and free their spirits.

Looking back on the Garden Gnome incident, it is clear that the gnome has a deeper symbolic meaning in that it represents a poorly understood yearning of all French men and women to hop on a plane, travel overseas to Vegas and see a Jerry Lewis show. By contrast, Amelie's father is representative of Gallic pride not wishing to admit that the French actually like anything American. Her father is the typical French citizen, torn between their country and their love of Jerry Lewis.

But Jeunet studies this conflict in a fascinating and meaningful way, eventually concluding that seeing Jerry Lewis live is more important that Gallic pride, as represented by Amelie's father packing his bags to travel overseas.

The cementing of the Garden Gnome on the wife's grave also has deeper meaning in that it represents that conflict between two rising stars of cinematic comedy namely Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. The cementing of the gnome can be regarded as the cementing into place in one's mind that Jerry Lewis was a superior comedian to Dean Martin.

But then again you can read too much into films.

My wife has her PhD in pyschology (it comes in handy for her understanding my craziness sometimes ) and we often watch films half-looking for hidden Jungian meanings and archetypes. In our experience, most of the great films that stand the test of time do have deeper meanings.

For instance, the classic scene of the mongrel dog licking his balls during the title sequence of "Stunt Man" has great psychological relevance. It also shows the importance of proper hygene, which was sadly lacking in Amelie. I guess that was to be expected though, since Gallic pride (and lack of certain receptors in the nose) prevents any reference to washing under the arms or deodorants. In any event, I didn't see a single scene where Amelie washed her hands after perusing trashed pictures found under photo booths. Nasty!

I neglected to mention that the cementing of the Garden Gnome on the wife's grave also has another alternate deeper meaning in that it represents the proverbial "cement overshoes" of gangster movies. According to this interpretation, there was a missing side-plot where the little gnome had done something to upset the local gnomafia, and this was a warning to other gnomes in the area to watch their step. Rumor has it that there may be a spin-off film, "The Gnomefather," with a supporting cast of lawn jockeys and garden gazing balls.

FWIW, The Dean Martin character was popular as a role model for the French, who drink a LOT of wine. It takes training and skill to appear both drunk and sober at the same time. Dean showed that the Americans once again had taken the lead over the stiff laced Europeans. (Or was it the laced European stiffs?) We all need to emulate this great star.

Why the French liked Joey Levitch is one of the great unsolved mysteries. A book was even written about their fascination with the showbiz oddities such as Jerry. Had he been born in France, he would have been cheerfully sent to the concentration camps instead of becoming a hero. Such are the vagaries of comedy in France, the nation that mechanized execution because the cost of all the executioners was killing them.

I think that psychology is a bit like body language. It is too easy to misinterpret certain actions as having a given meaning when in fact the action occurred for entirely different reasons. Besides I just like to relax and enjoy the film.

You also wrote:

"I neglected to mention that the cementing of the Garden Gnome on the wife's grave also has another alternate deeper meaning in that it represents the proverbial "cement overshoes" of gangster movies. According to this interpretation, there was a missing side-plot where the little gnome had done something to upset the local gnomafia, and this was a warning to other gnomes in the area to watch their step. Rumor has it that there may be a spin-off film, "The Gnomefather," with a supporting cast of lawn jockeys and garden gazing balls."

My bet is that Danny De Vito would play the lead. Come to think of it "The Gnomefather" featuring a mafia of gnomes has potential as a comedy film synopsis. I'm sure Pixar could do something with this concept.

http://www.movieguide.com.au/boxoffice.htm

It is no Harry Potter but it is still a good effort for a foreign film.

How is Amelie performing in the USA? Has it been popular there?

cheers Peter

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The film is currently #8 at the Box Office here in Australia and has thus far pulled in $2.4 million from a limited number of screens and with limited publicity.

Curiously my boss went to see the film and didn't like it which is surprising given that he likes seeing foreign films. On the other hand he loved "Le Placard" to the point that he went back to see it a second time. I suspect I shall be doing the same shortly for both films.

cheers Peter