RIP Jean-Jacques Beineix (1 Viewer)

[Mikael Soderholm]

Perhaps not so well known outside France, or Europe, he was part of the 'cinema du look', with Besson and others.
His debut, Diva, became a cult movie, and I remember it having midnight showings in Stockholm throughout the 80s. It is a superb cult 80s movie, with an astounding soundtrack.
His second film, La Lune dans le Caniveau, the Moon in the Gutter, with Gerard Depardieu and Natassia Kinski was nominated for the Palme d'Or but critically hammered.
His third, Betty Blue is perhaps his most well known, and was Oscar nominated.
He then did Roselyne et les Lions and IP5, none of which managed to live up to his previous efforts.
And then he mainly did advertising work.

A quite strange career, but a few real gems, and the strength of Diva alone is enough to make him classic.
Passed Jan 13 at the age of 75.

Jean-Jacques Beineix - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[bujaki]

I was fascinated by his first 3 films. I never saw the others. RIP.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I remember seeing Diva for the first time on the Bravo cable channel back in the early years when they were showing foreign and classic films.

 

[JoeStemme]

His debut feature DIVA (1982) remains his best. DIVA is very much the best kind of first film - energetic and throwing everything at the screen hoping enough of it sticks (and a lot does). Beineix is channeling two 'New Waves' here: First, it's a throwback to the French New Wave cinema of the 60s with it's hero Jules (Frédéric Andréi) tooling around Paris in a moped and getting into all kinds of adventures. Second, Vladimir Cosima's score became a key soundtrack to bring the emerging New Wave music sound to scoring.
Of course, the score also made a hit single out of co-star (and actual opera star) Wilhelmenia Fernandez' rendition of an aria from Le Wally. That Soundtrack Album adorned many a college dorm that year. The film also features diminutive Dominique Pinon in his first movie. Pinon became a favorite of Jean-Pierre Jeunet (DELICATESSEN, AMELIE, CITY OF LOST CHILDREN).
As for Beineix, his follow-up, the gloomy MOON IN THE GUTTER infamously got booed at Cannes. He had a bit of a comeback with the randy Oscar-nominated BETTY BLUE, but his star never returned, making on three more little seen features afterwards (he also did some documentary work). Still, there will always be DIVA to remind of his spark.
RIP

 

[Bob Cashill]

I'm a fan of ROSELYNE AND THE LIONS, which I saw in Hong Kong. (But I think in a shorter version than what's on DVD.) The director's cut of BETTY BLUE is superior though it's a lot of BETTY BLUE. Anyway just about all of his films could use some love on Blu-ray.

 

[Mikael Soderholm]

Still, there will always be DIVA to remind of his spark.

So true, just rewatched it today, to remember him, and it hasn't aged a bit, still great. A true classic.