Film Review | Belleville Rendez-Vouz

Belleville Rendez-Vouz (2003) is a French film directed by Sylvain Chomet. The film Belleville Rendez-Vous is also known under the name The Triplets of Belleville and tells the story of a boy who wants to take part in the Tour de France and is living with his grandma.

Fig 1, Movie Poster

The film begins with a scene of the triplets mid performance. This is all done with rubber-hose animation as the style in reference to the animation used in the time period portrayed. After the opening scene the film continues in a more modern animation style so as to represent the way the show they were watching came from a past time.

Fig 2, The triplets in Rubber-Hose style

Throughout the film there is little to no dialogue and so the film uses it's art style to convey things. This is done through the use of 'a deliberately antiquated visual style, and Chomet relishes caricaturing the body shapes of his characters - whether it's the overly muscular thighs and protuberant nose of Champion, or the grotesquely obese residents of Belleville.' (Dawson, 2003). The use of exaggeration on the characters allows the audience to understand the characters personalities. An example of this is the way the sons legs are exaggerated to show that he is a cyclist.

Fig 3, The cyclists.

During the film the son gets kidnapped from the race and his grandmother then sets out to save him. This leads the grandmother 'to Belleville, a Manhattan-like dream city populated by obese hamburger eaters, cretinous Boy Scouts, and a diminutive red-nosed French mafia chieftain.' (Scott, 2003). This is the start of a 'world of selfishness, cruelty, corruption and futility -- but it's not serious about this world and it doesn't want to attack it or improve upon it. It simply wants to sweep us up in its dark comic vision.' (Ebert, 2003). Though the film is including a kidnapping that leads to a character being caught in a torture like gambling ring it never loses it's sense of fun.

Bibliography:

- Dawson, T, (2003), Belleville Rendez-Vouz, http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/08/06/belleville_rendezvous_2003_review.shtml (Accessed on: 15/02/18)

- Ebert, R, (2003), The Triplets of Belleville, https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-triplets-of-belleville-2003 (Accessed on: 15/02/18)

- Scott, A, (2003), Nostalgia For a Land That Twirls In Dreams:
 http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E04E1DA1F3BF935A15752C1A9659C8B63 (Accessed on: 15/02/18)

Illustration List:

- Fig 1, Movie Poster: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Belleville-Rendez-vous-DVD-Mich%C3%A8le-Caucheteux/dp/B015ZGAT7C

- Fig 2, The triplets in Rubber-Hose Style: http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm-44206/photos/detail/?cmediafile=18354168

- Fig 3, The cyclists: https://www.silent-frame.com/articles/2003-belleville-rendezvous-sylvain-chomet