Diva (1981)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Jean-Jacques Beineix

Writers:

Daniel Odier (novel)
Jean-Jacques Beineix (adaptation) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 April 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller | Music

Tagline:

A Comedy. A Thriller. A Romance.

Plot:

Two tapes, two Parisian mob killers, one corrupt policeman, an opera fan, a teenage thief, and the coolest philosopher ever filmed. All these characters twist their way through an intricate and stylish French language thriller.

Plot Keywords:

Opera | Chase | Police | Motorcycle | Diva

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 6 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Wilhelmenia Fernandez	...	Cynthia Hawkins (as Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez)
Frédéric Andréi	...	Jules
Richard Bohringer	...	Gorodish
Thuy An Luu	...	Alba
Jacques Fabbri	...	Jean Saporta
Chantal Deruaz	...	Nadia
Anny Romand	...	Paula
Roland Bertin	...	Weinstadt
Gérard Darmon	...	L' Antillais
Dominique Pinon	...	Le curé
Jean-Jacques Moreau	...	Krantz
Patrick Floersheim	...	Zatopek
Raymond Aquilon
Eugène Berthier
Gérard Chaillou
Andrée Champeaux
Nathalie Dalyan		(as Nathalie Dalian)
Laurence Darpy
Michel Debrane
Etienne Draber
Laure Duthilleul
Nane Germon
Gabriel Gobin
Jim Adhi Limas
Louise Malapert
Dimo Mally
Vaneta Mally
Alain Marcel
Isabelle Mergault
Marthe Moudiki-Moreau
Jean-Luc Porraz
Bernard Robin
Yann Roussel
Brigitte Lahaie	...	La fille sans culotte (as Brigitte Simonin)
Jean-Louis Vitrac
Tania Zabaloieff
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dominique Besnehard	...	(uncredited)
Vladimir Cosma	...	Chef d'orchestre (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean-Jacques Beineix

Writing credits
Daniel Odier		(novel) (as Delacorta)
Jean-Jacques Beineix		(adaptation) &
Jean Van Hamme		(adaptation)
Jean-Jacques Beineix		(dialogue)

Produced by
Claudie Ossard	....	executive producer
Irène Silberman	....	producer: Greenwich Film Production
Serge Silberman	....	producer: Les Films Galaxie

Original Music by
Vladimir Cosma

Cinematography by
Philippe Rousselot

Film Editing by
Monique Prim
Marie-Josèphe Yoyotte

Casting by
Dominique Besnehard

Production Design by
Hilton McConnico		(as Hilton Mc Connico)

Set Decoration by
Gérard Marcireau

Costume Design by
Hilton McConnico		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Judith Gayo	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Richard Dupuy	....	assistant unit manager
Catherine Mazières	....	unit manager
Ulrich Picard	....	production manager (as Ully Pickard)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jean-Jacques Albert	....	second assistant director
Patrick Halpine	....	second assistant director
Gérard Pujolar	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Carlos Conti	....	assistant art director
Gérard Marcireau	....	set dresser
Jacques Preisach	....	property master
Ferracci	....	poster designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Louis Gimel	....	sound assistant
Jean-Pierre Lelong	....	foley artist
Gina Pignier	....	sound editor
Jean-Pierre Ruh	....	sound
Claude Villand	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Paul Trielli	....	special effects

Stunts
Michel Norman	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean-Pierre Baronsky	....	chief electrician
Dominique Brenguier	....	camera operator
André Canda	....	key grip
Angelo Chinosi	....	grip
Arnaud Duboisberanger	....	assistant camera (as Arnaud Du Boisberanger)
Dominique Le Strat	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Claire Fraisse	....	chief costumer

Editorial Department
Michel Crivellaro	....	assistant editor
Michèle Darmon	....	assistant editor (as Michele Darmon)
François Gédigier	....	assistant editor
Josef Lieck	....	on-line editor
Christine Pansu	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Vladimir Cosma	....	conductor
William Flageollet	....	music mixer
Catherine Leygonie	....	music editor (as Catherine Leygonnie)
Jacqueline Porel	....	music editor

Other crew
Jacqueline Benloulou	....	production administrator
Maurice Cadaze	....	production administrator
Marie-Jo Duchemin	....	production secretary
Sylvie Koechlin	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Les Films Galaxie
• Greenwich Film Productions (as Greenwich Film Production)
• Antenne-2 (participation)

Distributors

• Nea Kinimatografiki (1982) (Greece) (theatrical)
• United Artists Classics (1982) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Palace Video (1982) (UK) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1983) (UK) (VHS)
• Studio Canal (1998) (France) (DVD) (special edition)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Arthaus Filmverleih (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Rialto Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (North America)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• KinoVista (2009) (Russia) (all media)
• Sagres Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Les Films Michel François  titles
• Milan Records  soundtrack album
• Théâtre Musical de Paris Châtelet  theater (as Théâtre du Châtelet)
• Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Paris  theater: opening scene

Runtime:

France:117 min | USA:123 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 (1995) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Bassin de la Villette, Paris 19, Paris, France

Company:

Les Films Galaxie

Trivia:

Wilhelmenia Fernandez did her own singing voice in this film.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the metro chase, close-ups of Jules shows the collar of a white tee-shirt underneath his buttoned-up shirt. However, in both previous and following scenes, he is without the tee-shirt.

Quotes:

[Last Lines]
Jules: It's the only recording.
Cynthia Hawkins: It was you?
Jules: It's yours. It's my gift to you. Forgive me.
Cynthia Hawkins: But... I've never heard myself sing!
Jules: Listen...

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#16.1)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

L'air de la 'La Wally'

A supremely stylish, genre-hopping delight

One of the best films of the eighties, "Diva" seamlessly manoeuvres across as many genres as it's possible to imagine in a single movie. For starters, it's an elegant romance, as the young postal messenger Jules (Frederic Andrei) haplessly woos his operatic idol Cynthia Hawkins (Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez) against the dreamy backdrop of rainy Paris. Then, it's also an invigorating action thriller as this same Jules, who has made a much sought-after bootleg recording of Ms. Hawkins for his own personal enjoyment, finds himself on the receiving end of more unwanted attention when he accidentally comes into possession of another tape revealing corruption in high places. In the blink of an eye, fledgling director Jean-Jacques Beineix transforms his exhilaratingly romantic vision of Paris into a hard-edged city of neon and nocturnal menace. The action sequences and twists and turns of the plot are handled with a great deal of panache and humour, both visual and verbal, so much so that there are several laugh out loud moments. If it doesn't quite qualify as a full-on comedy, "Diva" is nevertheless a film one certainly watches with a smile on one's face.

I think the reason why this film stands up so well today, even though its super-cool insouciant ambiance has been so often imitated, is not merely due to the freshness and quality of Beineix' direction, or indeed of the performances, but especially because the production values are so staggeringly high for what was basically a modestly budgeted debut feature. The striking, innovative design of Hilton Mc Connico (Jules' loft apartment is a masterpiece) and the cinematography of that superb craftsman Philippe Rousselot (either gritty or lustrous, depending on the mood), are beautifully accompanied by Vladimir Cosma's memorable score. The film is bookended by Fernandez' lovely rendition of the haunting aria from Catalini's "La Wally", and features flawless performances. I particularly enjoyed Richard Bohringer's omniscient zen-like existentialist Gorodish, and Thuy An Luu as his playful chilled-out shop-lifting sidekick Alba.