I have only recently acquired this film and have to say that Rene Bazinet is outstanding. The whole film is beyond words but casting him for the lead role was a master stroke. Why he is not more well known is beyond me and I wish he were more prominent so as to let us know what he's doing and be able to get hold of more of his work.
If anyone has more info on this superb mime, please share it with a new, and smitten, fan.
Hi dundonian! I saw this film a few years ago, and I too was captivated by the wonderful performance of Rene Bazinet. I think he is actually world-famous clown, just not in the "mainstream" way. He has quite a successful career, I believe. He's also in Cirque's Saltimbanco --I think that's him without makeup for a few seconds in the beginning!
Anyway, Frac is adorable. He was perfect in the role and the movie was magical.
Hi lonneke and thanks for the info. I have got Saltimbanco and yes it is him in the opening credits, and I thought he was great as Eddie the draw. Also, he left that to be assistant stage director with Franco Dragone on Quidam, and he can be seen, minus the make-up again, in the special features on the dvd. There is very little information for him, and I wish he would do more film acting because he was wonderful as Frac, and his accent/voice is great to listen to. For a mime, who didn't want to take that role because it was a speaking part (Franco's commentary on Alegria), he is some major talent and should be on our screens more.
shareThat commentary sounds interesting. I think I'll get the DVD too.
I read this very interesting (also rather sad and touching) interview with him once. But I can't find anymore, it's so frustrating! I'm still looking for it and will post it here if I find it. Anyway, some interesting tidbits:
- He is actually German
- He never knew his father, but it turns out that he was also a clown and Rene only discovered later that he does some of the same things (tricks) his father did too. Now he really wants to find out more about his father
- He didn't learn to speak English until he was 16, so during that time when he and his mom moved to Canada he was unable to speak English, that's when he started doing those bird sounds that he does in Alegria
- When he was young and starting out, he was really poor, and at one point he became sick and his girlfriend dumped him
- He's actually quiet and private in person, a loner
http://www.cc.utah.edu/~gem16460/cirquedusoleil/franco.html
Scroll down until you get to the picture from Alegria. I think that might be the one you were looking for. I came across it a little while ago and found it interesting and sad to read also. I hope this is the one you have been looking for. It's really difficult getting up-to-date information for him, even though there are hundreds of listing for him on the net, but it's all the same stuff.
Franco's commentary with the film is interesting and he talks about a lot of stuff, but his comments about Rene are interesting, like why he has the make-up on all the time.
I actually updated his page with his birthday and place of birth, which I found strange for it not to be there to start with.
I'm glad I've come across another admirer of him and the film, there are damned few of us out there lol. If you come across anything interesting let me know, and I'll do the same. Thanks for sharing.
[deleted]
[deleted]
If you can find the 'Salitmbanco' Soundtrack, one of the songs (track 9: Il Sogno di Volare) contains him reciting words in what sounds to be Italian to my American ears, but might be Cirquish as much as I know. His voice is somehow gravel-rough and butter-soft all at once, despairing, yet distant, as if narrating a sad tale. I recommend it, if you like him.
share[deleted]