No posts? - Coup de torchon (1981) Discussion

[–] porfiada 18 years ago

Where to start?

Anyone read the book it is based on, "Pop 1280" by Jim Thompson? Just one thread there also. Interesting as to what remains the same and what is changed between movie and book. Especially considering social/economic/political situations in W. Africa and Southern US.

Excellent writer, just found out about him.

Oh yeah, the movie...Excellent acting, Noiret's character, as in the book, is at once intelligent and oafish. Brilliant writing.

I hadn't seen the movie in about 15 years and was so jazzed when I found a DVD on eBay for pretty cheap, original too.

It is chilling to realize how recently certain behaviors were the norm.

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[–] galen_p 17 years ago

I read Pop 1280 years ago, and was surprised and excited to see this adaptation, but was unfamiliar with the director or actors. I thought the movie was great, really provocative. With the change of setting to colonial west Africa, it retained the Wild West, anything goes lawlessness. A great line in the movie was when the protagonist talks about losing his grammar and says the same about right and wrong being lost in the twisted moral environment, where it is the cops job to do nothing. I loved in this movie how the protagonist would suddenly drop these introspective, philosophical lines, exposing his own self doubts.

Great book and great film.

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] ukkid35 17 years ago

It's a long time since I saw Clean Slate in a season of Tavernier movies, probably on BBC2 or C4. As you said: [a] Brilliant, Darly Comic Masterpiece, but also very touching and elegaic.

Films that acheive precisely that tone seem to be few and far between, I would be interested if you could suggest any others.

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[–] didierfort 15 years ago

May I suggest you, ukkid35, to take a look at Tavernier's whole filmography? The man is one of ours (I'm French) greatest directors ever, and his association with Philippe Noiret produced some astounding achievements : beside "Coup de Torchon", "Le Juge et l'Assassin", "la Vie et rien d'autre", "Que la Fête commence" and their first collaboration, "L'Horloger de Saint-Paul", may be considered as genuine masterpieces.

Oddly, I didn't notice, neither on the message board, nor in the comments, any mention of the score. So let me give you my point of view : the music of this film is, for me, one of its numerous quality. And this musical score (this sort of crazed tango) one of the absolutely most unforgettable I ever heard in a movie theater.

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

It is very dark. At heart it seems to be an order of moral immorality and yet it is so funny and Lucien Corbier, in a brilliant performance, so knowing and wry.

My favourite line was the deceased Marcaillou dog with the white stripe down its back trying to jump on his master's body. The colonel suggests he wants to bid farewell to his master but his wife says the dog just wants to eat the body! Such a sublime moment. Huppert was very good.

Movement ends, intent continues;
Intent ends, spirit continues

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[–] nutsberryfarm 10 years ago

huppert was great! and it was funny in...an odd way.

today's special: shrimp ceviche!

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