PLAYTIME by Jacques Tati

Shot from 03:12 – 04:48 / Airport waiting room
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Jacques Tati’s 1967 film, Playtime, captures a cascading series of events through the sterile architecture of Paris, in which few familiar characters inhabit. Tati’s infamous alter ego, Monsieur Hulot, haphazardly occupies many scenes as he stumbles through Paris after trying to contact an American official. The film is confined to no genre, nor does it necessarily form a new one – it simply exists in its own right as an exploration of societal function. Originally shot on 70mm, the film carries impressive visual power in its clear details which are necessary for the comedic impact of its visual cues. The film was infamous in its use of extravagant sets created from scratch, composed mostly of concrete, steel, and glass which in the end made Jacques Tati’s film one of the most expensive French films of its time. This, coupled with an initial poor reception of the film, bankrupted Tati. Today, the film is renowned as a masterpiece of mise-en-scene, an avant-garde picture released ahead of its time. The film is certainly one of mere observation and an encapsulating look at humanity’s occupation of the modern world.

The fourth shot of the film, at 03:12, unveils the unique style for which the film and Tati received praise for. Tati uses a mid-long shot to establish the scene’s beginning. The camera remains static for the entire shot, which lasts until 04:48 when the scene cuts. This type of shot becomes a staple practice for Tati, using it for its ability to