Choristes, Les (2004)

Director:

Christophe Barratier

Writers:

Georges Chaperot (1945 story "La Cage aux rossignols") &
René Wheeler (1945 story "La Cage aux rossignols") ...

Release Date:

17 March 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

Plot:

The new teacher at a severely administered boys' boarding school works to positively effect the students' lives through music.

Plot Keywords:

Classical Music | Remake | Boy Soprano | Soprano | Genius

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Gérard Jugnot	...	Clément Mathieu
François Berléand	...	Rachin
Kad Merad	...	Chabert
Jean-Paul Bonnaire	...	La Père Maxence
Marie Bunel	...	Violette Morhange
Jean-Baptiste Maunier	...	Pierre Morhange
Maxence Perrin	...	Pépinot
Grégory Gatignol	...	Mondain
Thomas Blumenthal	...	Corbin
Cyril Bernicot	...	Le Querrec
Simon Fargeot	...	Boniface
Théodule Carré-Cassaigne	...	Leclerc
Philippe Du Janerand	...	Monsieur Langlois
Carole Weiss	...	La Comtesse
Erick Desmarestz	...	Le Docteur Dervaux

Also Known As:

Chorists (International: English title)
Kinder des Monsieur Mathieu, Die (Germany)
The Choir (International: English title)
The Choir Boys (Singapore: English title)
The Chorus (USA)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some language/sexual references and violence.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

France | Switzerland | Germany

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Zurich) | South Korea:All | Iceland:16 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Finland:K-7 | Germany:6 | Netherlands:MG6 | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Château de Ravel, Puy-de-Dôme, France

Company:

Vega Film

Trivia:

In 2004, this was the #1 movie at the French box office, with more than 8.6 million admissions.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As Rachin enters the car and leaves with his family towards the end of the movie, crew members are reflected on the car windows.

Quotes:

Clément Mathieu: You see evil everywhere.
Chabert: Here? Yes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Caché (2005)

Soundtrack:

La Nuit

Music of the heart

The excellent film "The Choir" takes us back to a France of the past where the director Christophe Barratier and Philippe Lopes-Curval place their story about a school for problem children.

In a way, we have seen similar situations where a good teacher is the catalyst for turning around a group of unruly students into good and productive young men and women. Mathieu Clement, is such a man. His kindness toward the children is returned to him by the students, as they respond to the way he teaches music to motivate and interest them. M. Clement has a keen sense of how to deal with the students; instead of the hard line approach the principal, Rachin, insists in dealing with them, he has other ways to make them change.

The music created by the film director, M. Barratier, and Bruno Coulais, gives the film the right tone. We also hear a song by Rameau, "La Nuit", which is sung with such sweetness that it disarms us and get us into the right mood for enjoying "The Choir" even more.

The film owes a great deal to Gerard Jugnot, who plays the kind teacher who sees possibilities among all these kids. His take on Mathiew Clement is the right one, because the children see in him someone that is the opposite of the other teachers and the mean principal. As the director of the school, Francois Berleand does a good job in portraying this egotistical man who can't see what his own cruelty is doing to the young people in his charge.

The children are as sweet as one expects them to be. Especially Jean Baptiste Maunier, who plays the young Pierre Morhange. Also an angelic Maxence Perrin enchants the viewer as the young orphan Pepinot. Marie Bunel plays Pierre's mother well.

This film is music to the ears of viewers, young and old.