New Acquisitions:
Gainsburg Director: Joann Sfar (2010) Call Number: DVD-V LD LD12-0126
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Image: Courtesy of Optimum Releasing
The film captures the life of the iconic singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. Directed by the comics artist Sfar from his own graphic novel “Gainsburg”, the film mixes fact and fantasy with Sfar’s use of animation/puppetry, and doesn't try to be 'realistic' or 'documentary-like'.
As the Jewish boy Lucien Ginsburg who is branded with a yellow star transforms into Serge Gainsburg, he takes Paris (and many 60s beauties including Juliette Greco, Brigitte Bardot, and Jane Birkin) by storm. “Sfar, perhaps understandably, adores the legend of Serge Gainsbourg too much to make the whole nicotine-infused picture anything greater than what it is: an excellently cast biopic about yet another self-destructive genius who burnt out but will never fade away – at least not in France, or wherever cigarettes, alcohol, and sex are still allowed” (Savlov, 2011).
Reference:
Savlov, Marc. “Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life”. www.austinchronicle.com. 04 Nov. 2011.
Vulcan Demirkan-Martin
Audiovisual Library