小丽丝

JeanGrémillon’sfirsttalkie,the1930LAPETITELISE,isanythingbuttalky.Whileopening<br/>　　andclosingwithsoulfulafro-Latinstrains,somethingjustabovesilencereignsthroughout<br/>　　thefilm.Grémillonisalreadyorchestratingtheauditorymenaceofnuancedsoundsculpting<br/>　　thatwouldlaterpervadeREMORQUES(1941),settingforthevolvingrhythmicfiguresatan<br/>　　atmosphericwhisper.Grémillongraftsthisauralfriezeontosmolderingb&amp;wphotography.<br/>　　Truly,theframeisoftensmokingforpurposesofmotif.<br/>　　Intruth,thisfilmhasthemostimpressiveuseofsoundIknowof,includingBresson’s<br/>　　MOUCHETTE.It’supforspeculationastohowmuchtechnicalissuesplayedintohis<br/>　　creativeuseofsoundandoff-screen.Whatisofparticularnoteisthatinsteadofmilkingthe<br/>　　capabilityofsyncsounddialogue,Grémillonusesitverysparingly,increasingtherangeof<br/>　　expressiveness.Anabstractscoreofatmosphericinsinuationisalwaysinaccompaniment<br/>　　withtheimagerytonally,rhythmicallyanddynamically.Listeningcarefully,ambientsoundiseveratworkinasubliminalmusicscore.<br/>　　ThestoryofLAPETITELISEbelongstothesandboxofmelodrama,butGrémillongrindsit<br/>　　intoexpressionisticminimalism.Whatisthisstory?Perhapsitwillsufficetosaythatitis<br/>　　thereunionofafatherfreshoutofprisonwithhisdaughternowgrownup,allprepared<br/>　　underapressurecookeroflensandmic.Conflagrationsariseperiodicallyfromtheembers<br/>　　oftroubledquiet,withlightingflickeringtoandfrompeaksofintensity.Emblazoned<br/>　　gesturesextendfromthesustainofaffectivebrood,whileconversationsflareupbefore<br/>　　subsidingbackintothesimmeringcauldron.