Description

Slapstick prevails when Jacques Tati's eccentric hero Monsieur Hulot is let loose in the ultramodern house of his brother-in-law, and in an antiseptic factory that manufactures plastic hose. Tati directs and stars in the second entry of the Hulot series, a delightful satire of mechanized living. Academy Award winner, Best Foreign Film. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Tati's Wise and Wonderful Comedy.
In looking at the other reviews of "Mon Oncle", it would seem that people either love or hate this movie. From my 5-star rating, you can see that I am in the former category. I fail to understand how a film can be called boring, when it is so full of life, and witty observations. Rather than feeling that it was too long, I was sorry when it was over.

In "Mon Oncle", the well-meaning, but dim-witted M. Hulot comes face to face with modern living and technology. His brother-in-law is an affluent executive with a plastics company, and owns a state-of-the-art home, full of amazing gadgets. The house is also a tasteless nightmare, devoid of warmth and comfort, with a "garden" to match. You will not soon forget the atrocious fountain, with a huge, metal fish spewing water into the air--but only to impress important guests, of course. In this concrete monstrosity, the couple are also attempting to raise a small boy, who understandably has more fun away from the place, with his uncle Hulot.

Tati is constantly contrasting old-fashioned, small-town life with urban "progress". In addition to the "house from hell", we see the huge, boring factory where Hulot's brother-in-law works, and where he tries, with hilarious lack of success, to land M. Hulot a job. Meanwhile, back at the ranch--er house--we have the outdoor party scene, with a bizarre group of co-workers and neighbours desperately trying to look important and convivial. Of course, Hulot unwittingly undermines the whole celebration, with a little help from that hideous fountain.

There are a number of scenes of children being--well--children--playing tricks on unsuspecting people. Some scene-stealing dogs are also part of the mix.

The DVD is impressive--colours are excellent--the sound naturally is mono. There is a touching introduction by Terry Jones, the well-known director and Monty Python graduate. Also included is an early short film with Tati called "School for Postmen" which is very amusing--a nice bonus.

For those people who consider "Mon Oncle" to be a comedy masterpiece, I agree completely. If you like Tati and his unforgettable creation, M. Hulot, this disc has to be in your collection.

My favorite movie....
I suppose I am out of touch with "the 90s" in that I detest movies where most of the jokes are based on bodily functions. (Flatulence jokes just aren't funny to me.) I love Mon Oncle because it is a physical comedy - in fact, there is extremely little dialog - and yet it is not insulting to the intelligence. Jacques Tati (one of the great comedians) is M. Hulot, an enigmatic, silent man who lives a quiet, calm life. Dismayed and uncomprehending of his sister's "moderne" life, Hulot strikes up a friendship with his nephew. Some of the best scenes are when the boy leaves his sterile, plastic "hygenic" world for the more earthy but enjoyable world that Hulot occupies (it is as if a small piece of Old France is hanging on in the middle of Paris - the old butcher shops, the cobbled streets). The boy's mother cannot understand why her son would prefer "old things" to the new, modern style.

There is a lot of humor in the movie - lots of Keaton-esque sight gags when Hulot tries to deal with the modern appliances in his sister's house - but underneath the humor there is a sweetness and a yearning and a recognition that the new ways aren't always better than the old. This is a movie with humor and heart.

True, it is more slow-paced than recent comedies (which may be what the reviewer who thought it "THE MOST BORING MOVIE" was used to), but if you allow yourself to relax and appreciate the slow pace, it's a beautiful and brilliant movie.

The adjective "Zen-like" is most overused today, or else I would describe watching this movie as a "Zen-like" experience. It got into my mind and changed me. And I am not a fan of movies, there are very few I like enough to watch through once, let alone repeatedly.

a nice sequel to M. Hulot's Holiday
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

Mon Oncle or "My Uncle" again follows Msr. Hulot when he visits the then-modern home of his brother-in-law. There he gets into mischief with his nephew. He later inadvertently creates havoc at a rubber hose factory also. The film is second in a series of four movies three of which have been released by the Criterion Collection.

The film has many items featured that I was not aware existed at the time. These incldue an electric garage door at a residential home that has a motion detector to open the door.

The Criterion DVD also contains an introduction to the film by Terry Jones and there is also a short film, "L'école des facteurs" or "Postman School" which is also quite good.

This DVD was out of print for a while but was reissued in February 2004

Charmed
My children(19 and 8) and I borrowed the most recent dvd version of Mon Oncle from our local library. We were charmed. Watching various visitors to the garden navigating the stepping-stones was marvelous.
Gerard waiting to whistle at passersby was hilarious. (My children and I were wishing we could add our coins to the pot.)
What a perfect picture of a boy being a boy.
We loved the dachshund in his bothersome coat leading the other dogs around town.
Tati was certainly a genius of detail.

The reason for just four stars...My children prefer Les Vacances.

Human unrelations satirized perfectly
I watched this film after seeing my wife's all time favorite, Les Vacances Monsieur Hulot. Bumbling slapstick, nearly as silent film, is used to parodize the era of the happy middleclass housewife of the fifties with all her new appliances, her husband with all his gadgets, and to throw sarcasm at efficient production at the expense of human relations. I don't know of a film that does a better job of this. the ending is happy, with the absent gadget-focused father finally discovering the joy of having a playful young son. ... Read more

Description

Pipe-smoking Monsieur Hulot, Jacques Tati's endearing clown, takes a holiday at a seaside resort where his presence provokes one catastrophe after another. Tati's wildly funny satire of vacationers determined to enjoy themselves includes a series of precisely choreographed sight gags involving dogs, boats and firecrackers. The first entry in the Hulot series is a masterpiece of gentle slapstick. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Subtle and funny......
My husband and I enjoyed MR HULOT'S VACATION very much. Although the film has been described elsewhere as slapstick, I don't think it is -- though there are a few scenes that made me laugh like crazy. VACATION is an intelligent and subltle film that does not depend on clever dialogue, in fact there is very little dialogue, though the film is not silent.

The comparison with Mr. Bean is a good one, but Tati is not Roland Atkins any more than Buster Keaton was Charlie Chaplin. In fact, Tati falls somewhere in between Chaplin and Atkins, neither as clumsy or pitiable as the former nor as socially inept as the latter. In fact, Mr. Hulot seems an average sort of guy who experiences more than his share of the odd experiences that can and do happen to everyone.

Mr. Hulot appeals because we can identify with him. For example, Mr. Hulot has problems with his car. Well, I once owned a car I could not get out of second gear. Since the mechanic could not fix it for a price I could afford, I drove it very slowly. My mother owned a car that flicked on the windshield wipers and headlights every time she hit a bump. She had to hit another bump to turn them off. My husband had an old MG with a rusted floorboard. As you rode along you could see the pavement underneath the car. We gave it to my daughter and she traded it for a bicycle. Mr. Hulot's experiences with his car don't seem odd to me, and they make me laugh in recognition.

Chaplin was always center stage and to a certain extent Atkins is seldom out of the frame either. However, Mr Hulot shares the stage with an assortment of people some might call eccentric. In fact, the folks in VACATION remind me of the people who populate my own world. I am not unique, however, I am observant, and one of the things I like about Tati is that he recognizes each person is an individual and that each has interesting experiences that are occasionally funny. As Mr. Bennet says in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, "but for what do we exist except to amuse others and they in their turn to amuse us." Humor is in the eye of the beholder. Tati simply makes it obvious that people are funny.

Like Mr. Bean, Mr. Hulot blithely moves about unconscious of the havoc he leaves in his wake, but all of us cause havoc somewhere at some point and are unaware of it. Sometimes it's serious havoc. Have you never seen near accidents on the highway where the "cause" goes merrily on his way? Of course some accidents are bad, but often accidents are funny.

Unlike Mr. Bean, Mr. Hulot does not seem to be lonely. He actually has a nice time with the beautiful blonde--well he mostly does, but if he fails to connect on an occasion or two it's not for lack of interest on her part. And, Mr. Hulot is quite a good tennis player who makes a friend of the tennis coach (and impresses the blonde).

Probably the thing I enjoyed the most about this film was the context. What is it about vacations that brings out insanity?? The opening scenes as everyone heads to the beach are hilarious. I too have nearly missed trains in Europe from being on the wrong side of the track. However, there are some wonderful tranquill scenes too. The sound of the waves pounding the surf at night under a full moon, and the clear sunny sky by day, as well as the happy mood of the vactioners--especially the children--is enough to put anyone in a good mood. I love this little film and I'm going to watch it over and over. I'll buy more Tati DVDs too, since I don't have a car payment to worry about.

a nice French comedy
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film

While not as funny as I expected, M. Hulot's Holiday, is one of the most popular French comedies of the 1950's. It is directed by and stars Jaques Tati. The original French title is "Le Vacances de M. Hulot" The film is part of a quadrilogy 3 of which have been put on DVD by the Criterion Collection (as of July 2004).

The story follows Mr. Hulot, a very clumsy man who takes a vacation to an oceanfront hotel. While there he causes many different kinds of accidents ranging from a horse causing a car passenger to be stuck in the rumble seat to letting a load of fireworks to go off inside a shed.

There is much slapstick humor in the film also but does not even come close to the level attained in the Three Stooges short films. The film has a few sight gags also which are impressive.

The Criterion DVD includes an introduction by the writer, Terry Jones and includes the short film "Soigne ton gauche" or "look to your Left".

This DVD was out of print for a while and was rereleased in early 2004 The current edition is identical to the previous edition.

A Comedy of Memory
When I first saw "Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot" many years ago, I couldn't understand what was the big deal. The film had its amusing moments - Hulot's Amilcar bouncing down the road and that tennis game! - but it seemed too slight for all the adjectives that critics had bestowed upon it.

After getting the DVD two years ago (before it was temporarily discontinued), I watched it again and saw an entirely different movie. The slightness that had bored me when I was teenager had changed into a feeling of wistfulness - the sense that we're watching a transient, quickly passing moment in people's lives. Tati's comedy, much more gentle than most American comedies, reveals itself only in multiple viewings. The film is more like a comic meditation on memory: how our all-too-brief periods of leisure open up and close possbilities for friendship, love, and other human interactions. This is a film to revisit again and again.

1:33:1 vs. 1:37:1?
I will not review this film as I have purchased but not received it yet, however...

TK RILEY's review lambasts Criterion for NOT transfering in WIDESCREEN format:

1. If you look up this film at imdb.com and click on DVD DETAILS you will notice that
the DVD is presented in "Academy Aspect Ratio" which translates to: 1:33:1 Aspect Ratio.

2. If you look up this film at imdb.com and click on TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS you will see it was originally filmed within an aspect ratio of 1:37:1

3. imdb.com will state if this is "PAN AND SCAN" (and they do NOT!)
IN FACT, here is a quote from Criterions website titled "About the transfer" -- M. Hulot's Holiday is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1.

4. CONCLUSION: How much could we be missing? Answer: NOT MUCH!

Forgetta bou'dit! Purchase and enjoy!

A Real Gem
The comedic genius that was Jacques Tati is that rare type that can make you laugh at life's simple things while also giving the viewer poignant views of the every day. His humor is not mean spirited but finds humor in all the things and people around us.

"M.Hulot's Holiday" takes us to a French seaside resort. Not the flashy places mind you but the kind of place the folks who drive your bus or sells you your groceries would go to. There are the occasional types who think they are above the rest but all are really on the same level. The husband of one of those later types carries out a quiet rebellion with subtle bits of sabotage throughout the film. Into this mix comes Hulot in a car that is an insurance adjuster's nightmare. Hulot goes through his vacation leaving little bits of chaos behind him. A fireworks display that turns into a minor world war or a simple boat trip that turns into a prequel for "Jaws".

The film is mostly in French with subtitles but don't let that put you off because there is not too much dialogue. Tati's humor is mostly visual and it speaks volumes. Some of the vacationers are British and they speak English. There is an alternate all English track that was supervised by Tati but as I said the dialogue is so sparse its not worth it. The film has been restored to its pristine condition and an early short film with Tati is also included. If you are tired of alleged comedies that think shouting at you and using curse words constitutes being funny than go on a little vacation with Hulot. Despite the death trap car you'll have a wonderful time. ... Read more

Description

Jacques Tati, the choreographer of the charming, comical ballet that is Playtime, casts the endearingly clumsy Monsieur Hulot as the principal character wandering through modernist Paris. Amid the babble of English, French and German tourists, Hulot tries to reconcile the old-fashioned ways with the confusion of the encroaching age of technology. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

What are their criteria, exactly
I don't propose to write lengthing about Tati's masterpiece; I shall merely reiterate that Playtime is the 2001 of comedies.

My issues are with the quality of presentation on the DVD.

The transfer of the mono mix of the 35mm print of the film is as good as can be expected, and the subtitling adds another dimension over the International version, picking out "key" bits of dialogue (although none is essential). The sleeve notes explain that the location of the original elements, and thus the 65mm negative and stereo (or quadrophonic!) soundtrack have been lost, for the time being, but I urge you not to be put off by this.

It has already been discussed that some 4:3 material has been flagged as anamorphic, such that a television will stretch out images that should never have been stretched, causing some problems with subtitles being distorted. This is annoying and sloppy, requiring a manual correction when viewed each time; a moron in a hurry should have spotted this error, and I am very diappointed that Criterion have not been more punctilious.

Further, the very end of the film is supposed to be a fade to black while the music keeps playing to the end; there is about 30s overlap there. However, on this transfer, the music fades out as soon as the film is over. This gives the film an abrupt ending which has a very different effect to the proper version, as released by the British Film Institute on VHS in the UK.

Having said that, I urge you still to buy this disc, as it is good enough to get a high quality of this great film into your home. I am just disappointed at Criterion.

Amazing!
This is the best example of Tati's experimental approach to humor. In fact it's sort of a cubist comedy with multiple layering of material and no discernible plot in any recognizable sense. Yet it works, it works well, and at no time will you feel it's aimless or merely episodic. Sounds a bit intellectual but this film is actually filled with endless great sight gags and some of the best slapstick you'll ever encounter. Keaton aside, this has two of the best "falls" in comedy. Also, the nightclub scene at the end is a masterpiece of timing and coordination. It reminds me of classic jazz improvisation. Like Keaton's "The General" this movie bombed when it was released but I'm betting it'll eventually be added to the list of great comedies of all time. Hopefully Criterion will re-release this soon and keep it in print.

Two caveats: I've noticed that people who expect comedies to be consistently manic and/or aren't accustomed to the slower pacing of many French films don't care much for this movie. It does require the focused attention of its audience to work. Also, the film was originally released in some oddball format that doesn't always translate effectively to the home screen. Because of this one major routine doesn't work quite as well as intended. It's not a major problem though.

another good release
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

It is the 3rd film in a series of four. The 4th film in the series was not released onto DVD unfortunately.
This film follows Msr. Hulot again as he walks through the streets of Paris while he attempts to contact a US diplomat.

This flim, while not as good as the previous two still has good moments. The film gained popularity in many countries and remains popular today. The DVD includes an introduction by Terry Jones as well as one of Tati's short films, Cours du Soir, or Evening Classes.

The Criterion DVD remains out of print to date and prices are currently around $70. If you want this release, it is best to get it sooner rather than later as the prices will rise until it is, if ever, back in print.

two hours i am never getting back
What a horrendous experiment in comedy...if you like Jerry Lewis, I guess you'll love this travesty of a film. If you are a film snob, you will love it. Personally, as neither, I am grossly disappointed and just really didn't get "the joke." It was trite and dull....there was no point....the plot...technology encroaching on humanity....well, good try, but again not for me. If I am looking for a laugh, I will watch a good Coen brothers film.

Aspect ratio vs. aspect ratio
I have not had the opportunity to see this film and ,sadly, it is now OOP (Out Of Print) from Criterion and the gougers of OOP's are licking their chops... However, this is in reference to "PUBWEBMASTER from LONDON" lambasting Criterion for what is claimed as a 4:3 aspect ratio transfer.

1. If you lookup this film at imdb.com and click on "TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS"
you will see that it was filmed in 1:85:1 aspect ratio

2. If you lookup this film at imdb.com and click on "DVD DETAILS"
you will notice it was TRANSFERRED at 1:85:1 aspect ratio ANAMORPHIC

CONCLUSION: Either believe the "PUBWEBMASTER from LONDON" or Criterion

ADVICE - don't support the GOUGERS!! - wait for Criterion to re-release this film ... Read more