Beau Travail (1999; Directed by Claire Denis)
Canon Fodder Episode 71
This week, Daniel and Corky join the French Foreign Legion to review Claire Denis’ spell-binding Beau Travail. Shot on location in Djibouti, Denis’ loose adaptation of Billy Budd turns homoerotic military drills, stunning desert landscapes and unhinged dance routines into a hypnotic study of repressed desire and seething envy. But did your hosts fall out of formation, or did Beau Travail march straight into the Canon Fodder Canon?
BEAU TRAVAIL FACTS & FIGURES
Sight & Sound 2022 Critics Poll Ranking: #7
World premiere: Sep. 4, 1999 (Venice International Film Festival)
IMDB synopsis: “An ex-Foreign Legion officer recalls his once-glorious life of leading troops in Djibouti.”
CLIPS & CLIPPINGS
NEXT EPISODE’S MOVIE
Grave of the Fireflies (1988; Directed by Isao Takahata)
IMDb synopsis: “A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.”
Our review of Grave of the Fireflies comes out Tuesday, Oct. 13!
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Categories: Canon Fodder Episodes, Movie Podcasts
