Day for Night

Movie Information

In Brief: François Truffaut’s Day for Night (1973) is not only a great movie about movies, but it’s fascinating as an example of how international cinema truly is. By this I mean that while we think of foreign film as a separate world, Day for Night is clearly the kind of movie that could only have been made during that era from about 1965 through 1975, and is very much a part of the explosion of art-house fare as mainstream film that existed during that time. While there have been several noteworthy films about filmmaking, Day for Night may be the best one about making a specific film, and the best at capturing the madness of the process that director Richard Lester once likened to “having a hysterical pregnancy.” It’s also one of the most movie-savvy, and it expects the viewer to be, as well. Truffaut reveals just enough without revealing too much, and he does so with a purpose—that purpose being to make you marvel all the more at the true magic of how all this can ever result in a coherent, let alone great film. And yet it does. That’s the beauty of Day for Night, and the secret of its own potent magic. This excerpt was taken from a review by Ken Hanke published on July 15, 2009.
Score:

Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: François Truffaut
Starring: Jacqueline Bisset, Valentina Cortese, Dani, Alexandra Stewart, Jean-Pierre Aumont, François Truffaut
Rated: PG

Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present Day for Night Friday, Dec. 2, at 8 p.m. at Flood Gallery Fine Art Center, 2160 Hwy 70, Swannanoa.

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About Ken Hanke
Head film critic for Mountain Xpress from December 2000 until his death in June 2016. Author of books "Ken Russell's Films," "Charlie Chan at the Movies," "A Critical Guide to Horror Film Series," "Tim Burton: An Unauthorized Biography of the Filmmaker."

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