La Belle Verte (1996)

One of my all time favorites.

Expected more

A Disappointing Continuation

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Lali Rao, wrote in an earlier comment : " ... An important role in this film is played by Colline Serreau who is effective as Mila ..." Filmmaker = main actor. This is a very intrinsic "detail". ;-) This is a brilliant 100% situational-observational comedy, where I feel at every corner the leading example of the great master in this kind of universally not much used type of humour: I'm talking about Jaques Tati. Here, I feel the female reincarnation of mister Tati. And it's also reflected in that simple fact, Colline plays her own film, just as Jaques has done, ever since he started standing behind and in front of the camera at the same time. Of course, there is zero copy of 'style' involved. It's rather a splendid continuation of a unique manner of working and of building humour out of the observation of daily reality, through eyes that give it a unique turn. THAT, is it ! But, YES, it would be better you understand french. By translating, part of the soul is killed, because those translators don't understand the product, and the product is very french ! The biggest mistake from Anglosaxon's is always looking for "morality", "higher messages", etc... if it's not full slapstick to remind them of so called humour. Laughing can be both refined and more intellectual referenced. That's what Tati learned us. Observe closely, and the COMIC already jumps onto you, from every situation in daily life. Colline Serrau understood this lesson from "the master". ;-) ( And YES, I write humour as humour, not as humor, as this site's spelling checker wants me to do. Because I'm European, and stick to "English". Beg me pardon, Americans... ;-) )

7th June 2011. I am 30 years old and live in London, UK. I was born in Gran Canaria and, a day like today, I happen to watch "La Belle Verte"...........I haven't read many reviews of the ones already written, but I have seen that many people have given 10 out of 10. I also give 10 out of 10 because it somehow expresses that this "film" should be watched by everybody that needs to "wake up", to see our existence from the distance, with objectivity. It doesn't matter if some people claim that it gets "repetitive". That's just like saying that your mother's, girlfriend or boyfriend kisses are "repetitive". This film is pure LOVE. Forget about cinematography, or technicalities of filmmaking. This film is a film but it could well be a book, or a theatre play. Coline Serreau probably thought that in these days, with film this could get further, to everybody, that's why, I guess. There's only been another film that made such an impression to me: "Into the Wild". Thanks Coline. Thanks for helping me to continue to get re-connected. I keep trying.

La Belle verte is directed by Colline Serreau,a talented woman film maker from France who made us all laugh with joy with her 1985 film "Trois hommes et un couffin".Her film is probably the only French film of recent times that talks of nature,environment and importance of greenery in our daily existence.In La Belle verte,we see how an alien lady from a green planet descend on French capital Paris in order to gather information about the status of greenery. What follows is absolutely shocking for this alien person as she learns that earth's inhabitants have almost no respect for nature,greenery and environment. Apart from its pro nature stance,La Belle verte is also a searing attack on consumerist society where modern human beings have no idea of nature's power.This forces them to eat meat,listen to music which is nothing but cacophony.An important role in this film is played by Colline Serreau who is effective as Mila,lady from green planet.Thanks to a DVD box set of Colline Serreau's films,la Belle verte is enjoying renewed popularity as a film that has highlighted mother earth's plight.

No doubt about it, the idea for the film is quite original. An alien from a lovely planet is sent to earth for the first time in 200 years to see how the earthlings are doing. The novelty comes from its reaction to earth's current state, pollution, noise, cars, big trees etc However, I find the novelty wears off about half way through the film and the story becomes incredibly weak and repetitive. The alien returns to its planet together with sons and 2 girlfriends found on earth. The latter part of the film shows long scenes of "gymnasts" prancing around in the grass and swinging from trees. The whole thing starts to get boring and I nearly fell asleep ! From what I can gather the "planet" scenes were shot in the Auvergne area of France, a region of extinct turf-coloured volcanoes, a very beautiful area and thus one of the saving graces of the Film. But let's face it, French cinema has never been very adept at this kind of film, it's more a US speciality. So certainly nothing to write home about, and nothing lost if you miss it.