As we navigate through Aznavour's tumultuous personal and professional life, we discuss the complexities of his character—his self-centeredness, charm, and the duality of his relationships. The film paints a portrait of a man who, despite his diminutive stature and unorthodox appearance, captivated audiences worldwide with his raspy tenor and emotionally resonant songs. Tahar Rahim's portrayal of Aznavour is both compelling and nuanced, bringing depth to the artist's struggles and triumphs.
Listeners will appreciate the film's exploration of Aznavour's evolution as an artist, including his bold choices that led him to break free from the shadows of his mentors, and the impact of his music on diverse audiences. The performances of Bastien Bouillon as Pierre Richie and Marie Julie Baup as Piaf further enrich the narrative, showcasing the vibrant world of French music during Aznavour's rise.
With a score of 7.5 out of 10, *Monsieur Asnavour* is a visually stimulating and emotionally charged film that reveals the complexities of a man who loved fiercely yet could be dismissive. Join us for an enlightening discussion that promises to deepen your appreciation for this remarkable artist and his enduring legacy!
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Alex First: Driven and never satisfied, the life of
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 one of the great singer songwriters is put
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 under the microscope in Monsieur Asnavor.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 The movie is underpinned by a most appealing
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 music bed featuring several of Frenchman
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 Charles Asnavors, who passed away in October
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 2018. Finest Songs
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 Voice Over: 5, 4, 3,
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 2, 1 Cue Music.
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 This is Movies first with Alex
00:00:29 --> 00:00:30 First.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 Alex First: There are also some his less known numbers.
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 It tracks back to his childhood with his
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 sister Aida, who is still with us at
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 age 102. Of Armenian
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 descent, Aznavor's parents introduced him
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 to performing at an early age. When
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 World War II arrived, the family hid people
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 persecuted by the Nazis. Charles and his
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 sister were involved in rescue activities.
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 Asnavor performed in nightclubs and and
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 formed a partnership with pianist and singer
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 Pierre Roche. On one
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 occasion, the pair was witnessed by acclaimed
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 French singer and lyricist Edith Piaf,
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 who subsequently took Asnavor under her wing.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 Asnevor and Roche became her warm up act and
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 then traveled to and performed in Montreal
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 before. On Piaf's advice, Asnavor branched
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 out on his own. That included walking away
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 from his commitment to return to Canada,
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 ditching his wife, with whom he had a
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 daughter, and breaking his partnership with
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 Roche, a tireless worker who craved the
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 adoration of a crowd. As Navour also came
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 to recognize that his dedication to Piaf was
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 holding him back. But success
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 didn't come easily. With his diminutive
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 stature, unattractive look and nasally
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 voice, many of his initial reviews were
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 unfavorable and inflammatory.
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 When fame did come, he capitalized upon it,
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 touring extensively, singing songs in
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 multiple languages. The movie shows
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 Asnavor to have been self centered and on
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 occasion, withdrawn. He is painted
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 as an inveterate womanizer, a hard
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 taskmaster, an astute marketer,
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 generous to his loved ones and performing
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 until the end. He could also be broad
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 minded, as shown when he wrote a moving song
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 about a homosexual singer he met in a
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 cabaret bar. His voice was that of a
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 raspy tenor and his empathetic chanson
00:02:29 --> 00:02:30 material connected with people.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 Monsieur Asnavour is a densely packed biopic
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 of a man who wasn't always attractive. He
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 loved hard, but he could also be quite
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 dismissive, discarding those who
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 didn't or no longer fitted his agenda.
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 Tahar Rahim does a fine job in the lead,
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 transforming himself, warts and all, into
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 Aznavor. He carries the movie
00:02:55 --> 00:02:58 with distinction through the adult phases of
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 Asnavor's life. Bastien
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 Bouillon is personable as his musical partner
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 Pierre Roche, while Marie Julie Baup is a
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 scene stealer as the strong willed Edith
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 Piaf. Hamed Gamal-el-dien Mutawakkil comes
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 across as empathetic as Asnavor's loyal
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 sister. Having listened to
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 Aznavor's 1 songs and
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 watched documentaries and his interviews, the
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 writer directors pared back their initial
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 200 page script. In
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 so doing, Mehdi Ide and Grandcourt Malade
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 have still given us a vivid picture of a
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 born showman whose life had many ups and
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 downs. Monsieur M Asnevor is
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 visually stimulating too, as we see the
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 transformation from struggle to opulence.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 Before viewing it, I only had a very broad
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 brush picture of Asnavore, so the film proved
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 to be an eye opener for me. Rated M
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 M, it scores a seven and a half out of ten.
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 Alex: You've been listening to Movies first with
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 Alex. First subscribe to the full
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