Directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick are notorious for the meticulous manner in which they constructed their films, shooting and reshooting to an incredible extent in order to get exactly what they wanted. But as demanding and thorough as they were, they pale in comparison to the precision of French filmmaker Jacques Tati. He only made a handful of films in his lifetime, with years separating each title as he tweaked and perfected them. His “Playtime,” is getting an official reissue, and there’s a new trailer to mark the occasion.
Working from 1949 to 1974, Tati’s total feature output only consists of six movies—“Jour de Fete,” “Mr. Hulot’s Holiday,” “Mon Oncle,” “Trafic,” “Parade” and “Play Time.” Of these, many consider 1967’s “Playtime” to be his true masterpiece. After growing disillusioned with his signature Monsieur Hulot alter ego, nine years elapsed between this film and his previous effort, “Mon Oncle,” but his return was well worth the wait. It’s like an...
