Parade
Synopsis
Combining music, circus acts and pantomime, much-loved French comedian and director Jacques Tati entertains a live Swedish audience in his last film. The circus acts range from clowns to magicians, but Tati also returns to his roots with a series of miming sessions, which include imitating a goalie, a tennis player and a fisherman. The spectacle also includes behind-the-scenes antics, sketches from backstage and a hefty dose of audience participation.
Technical Innovations
Parade represents a departure from Tati's previous films while maintaining his democratic approach to entertainment:
- Medium Format: Initially made for Swedish television, the film was shot on 16mm film, giving it a more intimate, documentary-like quality compared to Tati's earlier 70mm spectacles.
- Mixed Media: The film combines filmed performance with recorded audience reactions and moments of spontaneous participation, creating a hybrid form between documentary and fiction.
- Direct Address: Unlike his previous films where Tati remained in character, here he directly engages with the audience and camera, acknowledging the filmmaking process.
- Performance Documentation: The film preserves Tati's music hall routines, providing a valuable record of the physical comedy skills that laid the foundation for his cinematic work.
Critical Reception & Legacy
Parade received limited distribution upon its release and was often considered a minor work in Tati's filmography. However, critical reassessment has recognized its importance as both a summation of his career and a return to his artistic origins.
The film is now appreciated for its warmth, accessibility, and the way it captures Tati's performance skills. It offers a more direct and personal connection to Tati than his more elaborately constructed features, showing the man behind the famous character of Monsieur Hulot.
As his final completed work, Parade serves as a fitting coda to Tati's career, circling back to the simple joy of performance that initially drew him to entertainment while maintaining his lifelong commitment to breaking down barriers between art and audience.