L'École des Facteurs
August 6, 2014 10:17 AM Subscribe
The School for Postmen is a 16 minute short film from 1947 by French director and physical comedian Jacques Tati. It's being shown on The Guardian's website and is introduced by their film critic Peter Bradshaw. The film is about a postman in rural southern France trying to finish his round on time.
Oh, that was delightful (as to be expected from Tati)! Thanks for posting.
I'm glad the Bradshaw article pointed out it's "training wheels" for Jour de Fête because for a few minutes I could have sworn I'd seen these gags before, even though I've never previously watched the short. Now I'm suddenly wanting to re-watch Jour de Fête
And that boxset is most definitely on the WANT list. All those extra features! Although I am amused to learn that Mon Oncle also had an English-version, a concept I can't decide if it is brilliant or absurd, considering how little dialogue is used in the film.
posted by paisley sheep at 10:44 AM on August 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm glad the Bradshaw article pointed out it's "training wheels" for Jour de Fête because for a few minutes I could have sworn I'd seen these gags before, even though I've never previously watched the short. Now I'm suddenly wanting to re-watch Jour de Fête
And that boxset is most definitely on the WANT list. All those extra features! Although I am amused to learn that Mon Oncle also had an English-version, a concept I can't decide if it is brilliant or absurd, considering how little dialogue is used in the film.
posted by paisley sheep at 10:44 AM on August 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
If Peter Bradshaw say's it's great it's probably rubbish.
posted by dydecker at 11:03 AM on August 6, 2014
posted by dydecker at 11:03 AM on August 6, 2014
Tati's genius for the incredibly annoying sound-effect is already well established here.
posted by verstegan at 1:29 PM on August 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by verstegan at 1:29 PM on August 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm absolutely delighted that Criterion will be releasing a restoration of this (as well as of Tati's other short films) as part of their upcoming Complete Jacques Tati Boxset.
*excitedly attempts to pull money out of pocket, trips over own foot, staggers towards shop clerk waving handful of bills, stumbles out back door of shop*
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:57 PM on August 6, 2014 [7 favorites]
*excitedly attempts to pull money out of pocket, trips over own foot, staggers towards shop clerk waving handful of bills, stumbles out back door of shop*
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:57 PM on August 6, 2014 [7 favorites]
Even the way he stands cracks me up.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 2:46 PM on August 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by GallonOfAlan at 2:46 PM on August 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
also btw, fwiw...
"Night Mail is a 1936 documentary film about a London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) mail train from London to Scotland, produced by the GPO Film Unit. A poem by English poet W. H. Auden was specially written for it, used in the closing few minutes, as was music by Benjamin Britten. (The two men also collaborated on a rail-documentary on the line from London to Portsmouth, The Way to the Sea, also in 1936.)"
posted by kliuless at 4:56 PM on August 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
"Night Mail is a 1936 documentary film about a London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) mail train from London to Scotland, produced by the GPO Film Unit. A poem by English poet W. H. Auden was specially written for it, used in the closing few minutes, as was music by Benjamin Britten. (The two men also collaborated on a rail-documentary on the line from London to Portsmouth, The Way to the Sea, also in 1936.)"
posted by kliuless at 4:56 PM on August 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
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posted by Bromius at 10:32 AM on August 6, 2014 [2 favorites]