Synopsis from the press release:
Adopted by his grandmother, Madame Souza, Champion is a
lonely little boy.Noticing that the lad is never happier than on a bicycle,
Madame Souza puts him through a rigorous training process. Years go by and
Champion becomes worthy of his name. Now he is ready to enter the world-famous
cycling race, the Tour de France.However during this cycling contest two mysterious men in
black kidnap Champion.
Madame Souza and her faithful dog Bruno set out to rescue him. However during this cycling contest two mysterious men in black kidnap Champion. Madame Souza and her faithful dog Bruno set out to rescue him.Their quest takes them across the ocean to a giant megalopolis called Belleville where they encounter the renowned "Triplets of Belleville," three eccentric female music-hall stars from the '30s who decide to take Madame Souza and Bruno under their wing. Thanks to Bruno's brilliant sense of smell, the brave duo are soon on to Champion's trail. But will they succeed in beating the devilish plans of the evil French mafia?
Their quest takes them across the ocean to a giant megalopolis called Belleville where they encounter the renowned "Triplets of Belleville," three eccentric female music-hall stars from the '30s who decide to take Madame Souza and Bruno under their wing.
Thanks to Bruno's brilliant sense of smell, the brave duo are soon on to Champion's trail. But will they succeed in beating the devilish plans of the evil French mafia?
The Triplets of Belleville is one of the most interesting and bizarre films you will see. It presents a surrealistic blend of humor, caricature, music, and geography to reflect upon French and American culture against the backdrop of bicycle racing and show business. All styles of music, cartoons, and numerous allusions to popular culture combine to present a film that looks backward to the silent film era and forward to a post-modernist commentary about contemporary society.
Instead of me posing questions, comment on the film in any way you would like. In addition to your comments, feel free to pose your own questions. You could consider the film in terms of surrealism, post-modernism, the visual and sound artistry,comedy, the juxtaposition of cultures, the use of silence and slow pacing in the film, and the visual and auditory presentation of theories from physics. Three people to look up are Fred Astaire, Josephine Baker and Django Reinhardt, famous entertainers from the twenties who appear as cartoon characters in the film's opening. This shows America's influence on French culture, and how the French are trying to maintain their own cultural roots in the context of globalization.
Pris-a Replicant
Terry and Edie
This gritty, realistic story of Mob informers is shot on location around the area of the docks in Hoboken, New Jersey. Terry Malloy, a former prizefighter, struggles with his awakening conscience in this story of sin and redemption. He utters the famous line "I could have been a contender" when he realizes that life has given him a second, yet more difficult chance to make a difference through a selfless and dangerous moral choice: Does he take the easy way out and give in to the mob, or does he stand up for what is right despite the consequences?
Here are some ideas and questions to consider for your blog:
What Christian images and themes do you notice? Be specific. Are the saint and the sinner really that far apart? What is required of a prizefighter and a saint? What are the similarities? What are the differences? What are the differences or similarities between this film's style and the French New Wave (The 400 Blows) cinema? Many of the characters have archetypal representations. Pick one or more of the characters and describe them in terms of what they represent. What does the film say about a meaningful life? Comment on the individual in relation to society. Can the individual make a difference? What pressures does the individual face? Notice the use of camera, music, and lighting. Pick one or more of them and comment on how are they used for dramatic effect. How does Kazan, the director, use scene cutting and editing to tell the story or emphasize themes? What attributes of the film are uniquely American? What does the film say about America, the individual, and society?
This touching film captures the relationship between Alfredo, a film projectionist, and Toto, a boy whose father is killed in the war. The cinema nurtures Toto, providing him and the Sicilian village with life and hope amidst the bleak despair of World War II. 
Welcome to the film class blog! Please write your comments about The Battleship Potemkin in the "comments" space below these two movie still photos. Consider how Eisenstein uses one or more of the following to develop his themes: scene cutting, montage, light and shadow, camera angle, and symbols. Pick one or more of the preceding cinematic techniques to write about a theme. If more than three people make comments about the same idea or the same scene, choose something different to write about. Write at least three sentences for your blog. 