First Official Look: Michel Gondry’s ‘Mood Indigo’
In the past few years,Michel Gondryseems to have fallen away somewhat from the playful dreaminess that characterized his earlier work likeEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,The Science of Sleep, andBe Kind Rewind. Last year’sThe Green Hornetlooked more or less like the studio superhero flick that it was, and his upcoming dramaThe We and the Iseems to have an almost documentary-ish feel to it.
But for his next feature after that, the fantasy dramaMood Indigo, Gondry’s returning to his uniquely surreal aesthetic in full force. If you thoughtthose bizarro carswere sight to behold, wait til you get a load ofAudrey TautouandRomain Duris' cloud-bubble ride, orAïssa MaïgaandGad Elmalehracing some kind of mini-Popemobile through what appears to be a hotel.
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It’s impossible to understand what the movie is about by browsing the photos alone, but we do know thatMood Indigois based uponBoris Vian’s 1947 novelL’Écume des Jours(English translation:Froth on the DaydreamorFoam on the Daze). If you’ll allow me to quote myself from an older post about the movie, the book’s story is as follows:
Vian’s surreal tale revolves around a wealthy young man named Colin, inventor of an “olfactory-musical invention” called the pianocktail. He meets and falls in love with a woman named Chloe, only for her to become ill when she gets a water lily in her lung. The only way for Colin to treat her sickness is by constantly surrounding her with flowers, which eventually drains his funds.
Meanwhile, Colin’s married friends Chick and Alise suffer problems of their own when Chick becomes so obsessed with the philosopher Jean-Sol Partre that he begins devoting all of his time, money, and attention to collecting Partre’s books.
Sounds like the ideal Gondry project, and judging by these images he brings exactly the touch of bittersweet whimsy that the tale calls for. Alas,Mood Indigohas yet to announce a U.S. release date, but you can be sure we’ll be keeping an eye out for more info.
