Melody
1971 · 28 MIN · IMDB 7.8 · 74 VOTES · DIR. Jean-Christophe Averty
Overview
Although Gainsbourg and Birkin had appeared in a string of films since their magnetic collision in Pierre Grimblat’s Slogan, Melody was a bit of diversion from their collaborations since it’s a series of interwoven videos inspired by the Gainsbourgalbum. For '71 it’s a novel concept to bring visual life to an LP, but even more surprising are the short film’s amazing visuals that director Averty crafted using a wealth of video filters, overlays, camera movements and chroma key effects. Averty applies these in tandem with the increasing tone of Gainsbourg’s songs, which more or less chronicle an older man's affair with a young girl. Each song is comprised of steady, sometimes brooding poetic delivery, with refrains timed to the phrase repeats of each song, while Alan Parker’s buzzing guitar accompanies and wiggles around Gainsbourg’s resonant voice. The bass is fat and groovy, the drums easy but steady, and the periodic use of strings or rich vibrato makes this short a sultry little gem.
Dialogue Timeline — 58 lines
A SAMPLE ACROSS THE RUNTIME — EVERY LINE IS SEARCHABLE
00:00:06 So, what's the story?
00:00:23 And I'm in a Rolls...
00:00:33 I'm not Prince Charming, that would be pushing it...
00:00:42 and I fall in love with her
00:00:52 Then she wants to see England again, she's English
00:00:58 I start hallucinating
00:01:08 You'll have to explain that a bit.
00:01:15 there's an indigenous people
00:01:25 the cargo cult.
00:01:34 and they want to benefit from them.
00:01:43 I draw a parallel with Melody's death
00:01:53 that one of these cargo planes
00:02:02 Bring her back.
00:02:11 I'm not a cynic, as others maintain.
00:02:21 and romantic.
00:02:29 who attacked me for my ugliness
00:02:45 In fact, what you call...
00:02:55 They say I'm ugly... fine, I don't care.
00:03:02 that when I'm called ugly, I laugh quietly so you don't awake.
00:03:12 so my ugliness...