A film for his daughter…
At 69 years old, Martin Scorsesefar from the darkness of his filmography (Les Affranchis, Casino…), signs, for the first time, a peaceful work, intended for young audiences. “II made Hugo Cabret for my daughter, Francesca, who is 12 years old. Having become a father at a late age, I rediscovered life from another angle, it gave me back a taste for the new, a sense of wonder… » When Francesca told him: “It will be in 3D”, he received the message 5 out of 5. “ I’ve always loved the illusion of depth in 3D, it was now or never. » Not without difficulty: “This technique changes everything, I had to relearn my profession ! »
A promising duo
When Hugo, the Oliver Twist of Montparnasse station, meets Isabelle, the goddaughter of Georges Mélièshis life finally lights up. “ As soon as Asa Butterfield walked into the room, I knew it was him. With Chloë Grace Moretz, the flow immediately passed. » As value does not depend on the number of years, the actors, aged 13, impose their talent. Asa recently stood out in the series Sex Education (Otis, that’s him), and Chloë has her place in the Hollywood VIP area
A moving self-portrait
« Reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the graphic novel by Brian Selznick, was a shock, a revelation: I recognized myself in Hugo: his solitude, his link with cinema », says the director. He immediately wanted to bring to the screen the story of this orphan in the Paris of 1931, who befriended the pioneer of the 7th Art, converted into a candy and toy seller in the Montparnasse station.
A vibrant tribute to Georges Méliès
Ben Kingsley embodies the first magician of the 7th art, whom Hugo frequents without knowing that he is the author of more than five hundred films, including Journey to the Moon. « I am fascinated by the work of Méliès. He invented everything… », confides Scorsese, who remembers the day when, as a child, he laughed out loud when the rocket crashed into the eye of the star. With maniacal care, the director recreates several scenes from the films of Méliès who, ruined and forgotten, saw, in the twilight of his life, his genius finally celebrated.
Marty in Paris
« My Paris is the city of cinema », explains the filmmaker, who recreated the capital taking inspiration from the sets of Under the roofs of Parisby René Clair. “ I filmed four days in Paris, including the Sorbonne library… » And in the Opera district, where several streets have been revamped. All images have been reworked by computer. Great art.
Hugo Cabret, Sunday October 20 at 9:00 p.m. on Arte
JULIEN BARCILON
