“Jacques Tati is the great philosophical tinkerer of comedy, taking meticulous care to arrange his films so that they unfold in a series of revelations and effortless delights” – Roger Ebert
Potential Films is excited to announce that fully restored and remastered Jacques Tati comedy classics – JOUR DE FÊTE, M. HULOT’S HOLIDAY, MON ONCLE, PLAYTIME, TRAFIC and PARADE – are available in 2K DCP digital format.
These multi-award winning comedies have had audiences in fits of laughter for generations. Comic genius Jacques Tati is one of the funniest physical comedians in the history of cinema. His embodiment of the bumbling trench coat wearing, pipe smoking, umbrella carrying, walking disaster, Monsieur Hulot, has cemented him as an instantly recognisable icon of slapstick comedy.
While Potential Films has previously had the theatrical distribution rights to four of these titles, TRAFIC and PARADE are new additions to the catalogue.
JOUR DE FÊTE
(G) Dir. Jacques Tati, France, 1949. 86 min | Comedy
Tati is an inept and easily distracted mailman. Influenced by too much wine and an account of rapid transportation methods used by the United States postal system, he goes to incredible lengths to speed the delivery of mail. A smart comedy filled with physical slapstick and sight gags.
M. HULOT’S HOLIDAY
(G) Dir. Jacques Tati, France, 1953. 88 min | Comedy
Tati’s best-known work is a masterpiece of gentle slapstick as the titular character, Monsieur Hulot, takes a holiday at a seaside resort where his presence provokes one catastrophe after another. Exquisitely funny.
MON ONCLE
(G) Dir. Jacques Tati, France, 1958. 116 min | Comedy
Monsieur Hulot visits the technology-driven world of his sister, brother-in-law and nephew, but finds that he can’t quite fit into the surroundings. Unforgettably funny, wonderfully observed and, as always, technically brilliant. Oscar winner Best Foreign Film 1959.
PLAYTIME
(G) Dir. Jacques Tati, France, 1967. 123 min | Comedy
Clumsy Monsieur Hulot finds himself perplexed by the intimidating complexity of a gadget-filled Paris. He attempts to meet with a business contact but soon becomes lost. His roundabout journey parallels that of an American tourist as they weave through the inventive urban environment. Hilariously classic Tati.
TRAFIC
(G) Dir. Jacques Tati, France, 1971. 97 min | Comedy
Monsieur Hulot, employed as an auto company’s director of design, has to take his latest model, a caravan with various gadgets, to exhibit at an auto show. He hits the road and, in true Hulot style, encounters mishaps and chaos along the way. A spirited comedy with sidesplitting visual gags.
PARADE
(G) Dir. Jacques Tati, France, 1974. 86 min | Comedy
A brilliantly conceived spectacle which sees master of comedy Tati perform a series of live circus acts on the stage. The film is a playful and imaginative take on the experience of seeing a show. Dappled with moments of magic and the surreal, it’s a joy to watch.
