Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the film’s director, makes heavy use of color to add vibrancy and depth to Amélie’s extraordinary world. The juxtaposition of this fable, or things “that have no basis in reality,” with the ordinary reality that Amélie lives in creates a tale that lends an element of magic into the lives of ordinary people. The titular Amélie’s vivid imagination, which does everything from bringing clouds to life to spurring conversations with lamps and paintings, is what Hudson believes to be a modern utilization of fable. However, even with this simple plot, the film fully embraces elements of the fantastic and surreal within its narrative. So, just what is magical realism and how does it make Amélie, in Hudson’s opinion, one of the three French films that everyone should watch?īy Hudson’s definition, magical realism involves a “highly detailed, highly realistic setting invaded by something too strange to believe.” The genre involves the “mythic, fantastic, de-familiarizing, expansive, imagined, and uncanny” and brings all of these elements into everyday life.Īmélie, known also by its longer title, The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain, is a story of a girl who takes joy in life’s simple pleasures and dedicates herself to helping others. Once the silence has lingered enough, Hudson supplies the answer to his own question: Amélie contains the perfect blend of magical realism. Hudson exchanges some friendly banter with International Cinema Co-director Daryl Lee before turning to the audience and pondering, “Why Amélie?” His question is fair: Amélie is a time-honored favorite of International Cinema and the subject of both Hudson’s lecture and the night’s screening. He is bearded, comfortable in his sports jacket, and when he opens his mouth, his Kentucky-drawl leaves you reflecting on non-existent memories of Appalachia. Professor Robert Hudson approaches the podium. Associate Professor of French and Italian Robert Hudson cites Amélie ’s magical realism as the de-facto reason why people should view the film in his lecture to BYU’s International Cinema.
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