REVIEWS • • Jackson plays a minimal role in the film. men relieving themselves in front of the Fernand Belanger & The footage of the technology involved stadium, to a woman berating a young Michel Moreau's Dagmar Gueissaz Teufel's in his show and that of the masses wait man protesting the Pope. These jux ing outside the Olympic Stadium to see tapositions undoubtedly contribute to Le Million him, is only used to point out how simi creating this varied, textured, portrait Passiflora lar such a 'profane' spectacle is to the of officially unaCknowledged lives. supposedly sacred one. However, the various narrative threads tout On the other hand, the Pope is omni often get frayed in the process. present, his image used as a recurring Gueissaz-Teufel and Belanger use puissant motif that links the several, mostly un sound innovatively. While original connected, fictional episodes. sound is used for the fictional episodes, Passiflora also contrasts the city as they've experimented with a fictive ernand Belanger and Dagmar Gueis officialdom presented it to the world dubbing in their documentary footage, iebel Moreau's entertaining docu saz-Teufel's new NFB French-lan and as the filmmakers see it. Anti-cruise challenging notions of "objectivity" and drama, Le Million Tout-Puissant, Fguage feature Passiflora, makes the demonstrations, the 'danse des tapettes' "realism" as applied to the documen Mask the questions all lottery-ticket official CBC record of the Pope's (a gay dance that used the Pope's visit tary. The filmmakers have also tried buyers dream about: Does winning a Montreal visit seem like a cup of warm as a theme), a transvestite and a bat mixing different tones and volumes in million turn dreams into reality? What milk. Passiflora's name refers to the tered woman walking the street at night order to manipulate space. Though this does it mean to become an overnight passion-flower, a tropical plant with trying to get help - all are juxtaposed sometimes makes the dialogue unintel millionaire? Are loto-millionaires hap tranquilizing and anaesthetic properties with the controlled festivities sorround ligible, for the most part it enriches the pier? What do they become? What are whose parts were believed to resemble ing Jackson and the Pope. For example, film, imbuing it with greater depth. their fears, if any? the crown of thorns, nails and other in near the end of the film a strip-joint had Passiflora may not be entirely suc Using a direct cinema style, Moreau struments of Christ's pasSion. A truly been made to cover up its facade so as cessful, but parts of it are simply bril interviews three million-dollar winners dazzling, kinetic work, Passiflora uses not to offend. His Holiness when he liant. In concept and form, it's much of the lottery. The first, a suburban documentary footage, fiction, graffiti, passed by (and, needless to say, so that more daring than any other Quebecois housewife, addresses the director in a song and animation, of both Michael it wouldn't be picked up by the cameras film I've seen recently. I have a feeling self-assured manner. She makes it clear Jackson's and the Pope's simultaneous broadcasting the parade around the that Passiflora will continue to be she was always a happy person. And her visits to Montreal to present a mordant world). talked about long after the awards being life hasn't changed much, except, of critique of both the prevalence and Partly because of quick editing and given to some other films have turned course, that instead of the normal one selectivity of the media partly because the direction is often in to dust. vacation per year, she can now have up The film is structured chronolOgi spired, Passiflora has a hallUCinatory, to six; and instead of the one family car, cally, beginning with the Pope's arrival anarchic rhythm that sometimes bor Jose Arroyo • her family now owns five - one for each in Montreal and ending after his depar ders on the surreal. In one scene the member. ture with a helicopter shot of a wreck same gay couple are once more shown A two-time winner of the million lot ing crew demolishing the altar where kiSSing, this time before an ugly new tery in nine months, Pierre Cassault of federal building. Two adolescents are fers a different insight. After recovering he's just finished giving mass. In be ,PASSIFLORA d. Femand Belanger and Dagmar tween, the directors intercut media tap-dancing in the background. A man Gueissaz-Teufel participating filmmakers Bernard from severe depreSSion following his coverage of the Pope with fictional in a three-piece suit comes up to one of Gosselin. Jacques leduc. Yves Dion, Franc;:o is second win, he realized his dream of be episodes in the lives of gays, women un the gay men and asks him if he realizes Beauchemin. Ester Auger, Diane Carriere, Yves An coming a businessman. Unlike Mrs. lax grignon. Franc;:ois Aubry, Jacques Avoine, Pierre Ber dergoing abortions, battered women, that he's kissing another man. When the nier. Pascale Bilodeau, Seraphin Bouchard, Serge ton, the housewife, he is modest with and other marginals deemed not to gay man responds positively, the man in Bouthillier. Claude Brasseur, Michael Cleary, Norma his vacations, and instead preferred to exist for the duration of the visiting the suit can't get over it. He keeps ask Denys. Susan Gourley. FranC;Qis Gosselin, Pierre open a gourmet restaurant. ing passersby: "Did you see that! They landry, Guy lamontagne, -Normand lecuyer. celebrities sojourn. ~ymond Marcoux, Jean-Guy Normandin, Guy Remil On the other hand, the third winner, The Pope's visit and that of Michael were kissing each other!" The man fi lard. Yves Roy. John W. Sawyer. Gilles Tremblay. Fran· Mr. Brault, became a victim of forces Jackson actually took place several days nally goes up to the tap-dancers who re c;:ois Vincelette. Suzanne Walsh. and the lab friends. beyond his controL He was laid off from admin. Jacqueline Rivest. laurence Pare. Joanne Car· apart. In Passiflora, however, in order spectfully stop dancing, listen, smile, riere. Gaetan Martel, Carol Smith tech_coord. his job because his boss could no longer to better compare the effect that their and then resume tapping. Edouard Davidovici mix. Hans Peter Strobl, Adrian tolerate his bragging and shenanigans. presence, and the way that presence If anarchy is one of the film's qual CroU sd.ed. Christian Marcotte film concept We only see Brault in photos, as he pre ities, it also creates problems. Scenes Maurice Bulbulian p. Jacques Vallee p.c. National Film was reported by the media, had on the Board. Col., 3Smm. Dolby sound running time: 90 ferred not to be interviewed. His par city, the events take place within 24 shift from the Pope saying mass, to two mins. ents, however, were eager to speak to hours of each other. the director. They let us know that al For the time they were in Montreal, though their life hasn't changed all that both stars monopolized the media: the much, they now have many new friends film shows the hundreds of journalists and an endless list of consumer goods. who jammed both events trying to get One of their new acquisitions include a coverage. Passiflora also depicts how CB radio, with which the Brault parents the police, the military and various fi can talk to each other all-day long. gures of authority (such as Jackson's In this film, Moreau ingeniously manager and his press relations people) explores the psycho-social phenomena directed the event, telling the press of Quebec lotteries. Intercut with the what they could cover, when and from interviews are the characters ofJeremy, what angle. Stars, press and public are an imaginary loto-millionaire, and his all shown as manipulated into creating friend Paolo, a balloon vender. The nar an event, playing a part, and helping to rative of Jeremy and Paolo is a humor shape the way other people perceive it. ous, philosophical discourse on the Gueissaz-Teufel and Belanger poke pros and cons of becoming an instant irreverent fun at cultural icons. At the millionaire. In the midst of all this, Jean beginning of the movie, an anarchist Guy Moreau, Quebec's renowned emblem unwinds into an animated storyteller, gives a brilliant performance snake. This biblical symbol of the in a diversity of roles. source of eternal damnation then pro The film opens with Jean-Guy ceeds to joyously dance through Passif Moreau as a secret agent, a' cross be lora, flouting the immaculate image of tween James Bond and Inspector rectitude that Christ's earthly represen Clouseau, attired in matching red and tative presents. In another scene, two white checkered hat, gloves, tie and men sitting on a table at a gay dance briefcase. His asSignment? To investi begin to kiss while stern images of the gate Quebec's mammoth lotteries. Pope are broadcast from a 1V between Casting Jean-Guy Moreau in the role their bodies. This kind of ribald, almost of agent serves a dual purpose. First, it bawdy humour, contributes to a moves the film forward by means of a critique that is as funny as it is caustic. conventional narrative. Secondly, Perhaps because of copyright laws, through the documentary technique of
28/Cinema Canada - March 1986 • F 1 L M E v 1- E w 5 • and his Expo baseball tapes_ Santa Elvis Gratton - Le King des Kings d Jsc. Banana is your average, only slightly Elvis Falardeau, Elvis Poulin p . Elvis Payeur eds. Elvis Falardeau, Elvis Poulin sdeds. Elvis Falardeau, Elvis. exaggerated banana republic crawling Poulin, Elvis Leroux p.man. Elvis Payeur, Elvis with military observers. Upon his re Richard d.o.p. Elvis Dostie art d_ Elvis Lord. Elvis lap turn, burnt to a crisp, Gratton serves up lame sd Elvis Beauchemin, Elvis Auger 1st ad. Elvis a truly Canadian Christmas party com Pothier, Elvis W. Benoit 2nd a.d. Elvis Didelot asst.cam. Elvis Jobin boom Elvis Charron, Elvis Char plete with German beer-garden, bar trand cont. Elvis Regent, Elvis lachapelle becue, and live band on a raft wearing cont.trainee Elvis Fayas propsmen Elvis Huysmans, Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts. Elvis Forest, Elvis Ducas, Elvis lavoie. Elvis Baril, Elvis Chaput, Elvis Singl!er. Set dec_trainees Elvis Corbo, (Canada is, after all, a multicultural Elvis Gosselin, Elvis Methe make-up Elvis Trepanier. country.) Needless to say Gratton is a Elvis Migneault asst.make-up Elvis Lapierre cost.des. practicing Catholic and wants his gar Elvis Pregent, Elvis Sauriol, Elvis Laplante dressers Elvis Guemon, Elvis Harel, Elvis Carter key grips Elvis age decorated with a first-rate Christ Paquet, Elvis Chretien, Elvis Berrie grips Elvis Amyot, mas manger - (you know, Jesus, Mary, Elvis Courteau, Elvis Guillard, Elvis Hassib. Elvis Mayot Joseph and some cows). Elvis Gratton is best boy Elvis Lepine gaffers Elvis Arsenau, Elyis laf leur stills Elvis Valiquet, Elvis Boucher. Elvis Char no run-of-the-mill Quebecois, and hiS' lebois p.coord. Elvis Hilareguy, Elvis Castellino Nativity pageant won't be ordinary p_admin. Elvis Maltais. Elvis Darveau p.acct. Elvis either: the Holy Family, including the tize-Pothier unit man_ Claude Cartier asst_unit man. Elvis Martineau. Elvis Vincent p_assts_ Elvis De infant Jesus and the Wise Men, all have carie, Elvis BouHanne. Elvis GuilJard, Elvis Pellerin Elvis Presley faces. The laughter from labs & studios Bellevue Path" Quebec (1972) Inc.. the audience was so loud at this revela Negbec Inc., Dusson Synkro mixers Elvis Charron. tion that the theatre-manager rushed in Elvis Blondeau titles Elvis Eykel, Elvis laroche opti cals Film Opticals (Quebec) Ltee songs "Teddy Bear" fearing a riot. (Gladys music), Aaron King; "Love me tender" (Elvis Most critics picked up on the flawed Presley music), Aaron King; "Memphis Tennessee" construction of the film. Falardeau (arc music), Aaron King; "Clawdy Miss Clawdy" (arc music), Aaron King; "That's the touch of a king". "Let's makes no excuses for this, nor does he go on move", composed by Aaron King; mus. Elvis try to hide it_ He simply took pieces of Picotte, Elvis Plouffe, Elvis Lavigne, Elvis Menard tape and spliced the two previously voice Monique King sd_studio Jean Sauvageau. tnx_ L'Office National du Film du Canada, Le Conseil made 30-minute segments together for Quebecois des Arts du Canada, L'Administration de voice-over, the agent reports his inves other findings, reports that in Quebec, an instant feature. "What do you ex I'Aeroport Mirabel, L'Administtation de Doanes Canada, Le Salon de Coiffure "lnterbeaute, Les Four tigations in a factual, journalistic style $800 million worth of 10to tickets are pect" asks Falardeau, "with a less than half-a-million dollars and a shooting rures Grizzly, Le Club des Raquettes. La Discotheque which allow the film to reveal to the au sold each year, and that 92% of the Celebrit"" CKAC, C]MS, Carl Valiquet, Le College dience the mechanisms of the Quebec population buys loto tickets on a regu schedule of 22 days?" Jean-de-Ia-Mennais. La Fanfare "La Brigade de Ter The first segment of Elvis Gratton - rebonne", Foyer Universe! Inc., Les Vins Angres p_c_ lotteries. lar basis. L'Association Cooperative de Productions Audio· Vis With Jeremy, the imaginary loto-mil Even if the film is partially funded by Le King des kings entitled simply ueiles. With the financial participation of: la lionaire, and his friend Paolo (played by the Quebec government lottery corpo Elvis Gratton won the Grand Prize at Societe Generale du Cinema du Quebec, Tt'lefilm Gilbert Sicotte and Pierre Curzi), we ration, Michel Moreau presents an the 1982 Lille Festival in France and Canada. La Socieu, Radio-Quebec, La Societe Radio Best Short-Feature at the Festivals of Canada, Bellevue Pathe Quebec (I972) Inc., Pro delve further into the dreams and fears even-handed view of money fever. At vifilms Inc., J.p. Bob Gratton, Elvis Poulin, Unda Grat that attend becoming an instant mil the end of the "film, using the Brechtian Festivals in Toronto the same year. ton, Elvis Mercier, Elvis Dufour. Elvis Falardeau, Elvis lionaire. Michel Moreau uses this device of having Jean-Guy Moreau im Falardeau wanted to make a feature, but Fortin, Elvis Girard, the Elvis Beaudoin brothers-in with cash-flow problems had to think law, Elvis Regimbald, Elvis Blais. Elvis Houle, Elvis dramatization of documentary elements personate Gilles Vigneault, Felix lec Burette, Elvis Bedard et Elvis Smith, Elvis Allaire, Elvis to highlight the paranOia and lerc and Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau shoestring-creative. The solution? Shoot Simard, Elvis Lalumiere, Elvis Auclair, Elvis Tremblay, megalomania - of people with money. in a sing-song commentary, the magical the final segment (the swimming pool Elvis McDuff, Elvis Wong, Elvis Lai, Elvis Tord, Elvis segment and Nativity scene) and add it Pothier, Elvis Pouplot, Elvis Defruscia, Elvis POitras, After Jeremy's anxieties of being rich values we place on the almighty dollar to the first two portions. The result? A Elvis Duburre, Elvis G3dri Dualo, Elvis Marcellin, have been allayed, we find him and are exposed. Messrs. Elvis Rodriguez, father and son, Elvis Barbe, first-rate, flawed, but subversive stroke Elvis Fortin, Elvis Bedard, Elvis Voizard, Elvis Alvaro, Paolo in Bacchanalian decadence in a Le Million tout-puissant concludes of high comedy. Elvis Bouchard, Elvis Morin, Elvis Lapointe, Elvis Chen, Roman bath complete with champagne, with a case-study of a Newfoundland Elvis Rathbone, Elvis Venne, Elvis Boyer, Elvis Legault, food and servants_ Yet Jeremy still asks man who won a million and then died NeD Wilson. Elvis O'Hara, Elvis Regnier. Paolo if he is truly his friend or is it only within the year. By including this because of the money. documentary footage; Moreau pene The Jeremy and Paolo scenes take trates the difference between fact and place against an original music score by daydreams. Maxime Dubois, a young graduate of Thoroughly amusing yet thoughtful, the Conservatoire de Musique de Le Million leaves the viewer with the Quebec, whose subtle, carnival-like serious thought that people need myths melody is pleasing to the ear and ap as a means ... of living vicariously. propriate to the film's theme, the fan Nicolina Sindici • tasies and wishful dreams of the make believe world_ Meanwhile, our secret agent, among Pierre Falardeau & Julien Poulin's
LE MILLION TOUT PUISSANT d. Michel Moreau a.d. Michele Perusse sc.lres. Monique Elvis Gratton Proulx, Jean-Guy Moreau, Michel Moreau, Michele perusse.d.op. Jean-Claude Labrecque - Le King asst.cam. Michel LaVeaux ed. Robert Favreau asst.ed. Dominique Sicotte sd. Claude Hazanavicius, Serge Beauchemin boom Louis des kings Marion sd.ed. Marcel Pothier mix Andre-Gil les Gagne p.asst. Denise Mongeau mus. enerally panned by the Quebec Maxime Dubois mus.mix Diane Leboeuf art d. media and, of course, ignored by Guy Neveu props Jean Bourret set.des. Jean the rest of Canada, Elvis Gratton - Guy Reiher, Michel Comte cost. Helene G Schneider, Karine Lepp; lighting Robert Le King des kings is, for that reason, Lapierre, Normand Viau, Claude Fortier grips all the more a brilliant feature-length Pierre Charpentier, Bernard Arseneau graphix parody on Quebec and Canadian cul Philippe Beha Nfld.stills Claire Beauregrand ture by that extremely talented duo, Champagne stills Serge Laurin, Jean Fiset; p.c. Pierre Falardeau and Julien Poulin. Educfilm Inc. (514) 274-6900. With the fi A garage-owner in a suburb south of nancial participation of: La Societe gem'rale du cinema du Quebec, Telefilm Canada, Loto Montreal, Robert Gratton (played to Quebec. Quebec dist. Les Films du Crepus hysterical perfection by Julien Poulin) cule Inc. 16mm, Col. Running time: 92 mins. decides to enter an Elvis Presley-Iook I.p. Jean·Guy Moreau, Pierre Curzi, Gilbert alike contest. He wins - plus a trip Sicotte, with the voice of Johanne Seymour, south to the Island of Santa Banana. And and millionaires Wilfrid and Yollande Brault, off he goes with his wife Linda (played Pierre and France Casault, Raymonde and Lax ton. with wit and charm by Denise Mercier)