His films may not always work, and it’s unlikely he’ll top the huge popularity of his crossover smash "Amelie," but there are few filmmakers operating on the level of pure imagination and whimsy as Jean-Pierre Jeunet. And yet, even if a lazy comparison might be to call him a French Wes Anderson, the filmmaker has shown some arguably more flexible muscles.
Alexandre Gasulla has put together lengthy nine-minute video tribute to Jeunet’s work, and it highlights some distinct features of the director’s oeuvre. He has always shown an almost Fellini-esque knack for unique faces (a trait Anderson also shares), an ability to dip between heart-soaring fantasy and chilling scares—sometimes dancing between the two—and a devotion to conjuring whole worlds for his movies. While "Alien: Resurrection" remains an outlier, it’s worth remembering he did once tangle with a major studio project, even if he lost in the end.
Watch below and while there are no subtitles, the visuals alone should carry you through. [35MM]
"even if a lazy comparison might be to call him a French Wes Anderson" is a little bit insulting to Jean Pierre Jeunet. Jeunet makes movies that deal with huge themes about the heart of humanity, at the same time being whimsical in great detail. There aren\’t any directors that you can compare him to in my opinion.