The Hulot Trilogy were three of the 6 films directed by Jacques Tati and were inclusive of Mr. Hulot’s Holiday, 1953, Mon Oncle, 1958 and Play Time, 1967. The director through his direction tried to follow the footsteps of comic genius characters such as Keaton and Chaplin. The main character of the movie is Monsieur Hulot who is a clumsy man and founds himself in troubled circumstances which he needs to get rid of . The greatest strength of the movie lies in almost negligible use of dialogue’s and the film can be considered as a silent one if cheesy score’s and sound effects in the background were not used. According to Henri Langlois, one of the French new wave group members believed that to watch films without dialogues is a unique way to learn the cinema related art. The French new wave cinema comprised of people such as Henri Langlois who revolutionized the conventions of cinema collaborated into Hollywood’s rapid cuts with a hint of philosophy . One of the French new wave cinema inspired directors were Jacques Tati who briefly was a player of rugby, had learnt miming techniques at the music hall and short films based actor before directing his individual direction. This essay has been based on idealizing the trilogy of Hulot as directed by Jaques Tati in relation to French new wave in cinema.

1. JACQUES TATI'S HULOT
TRILOGY AND FRENCH NEW
WAVE CINEMA
An essay

3. Introduction
The Hulot Trilogy were three of the 6 films directed by Jacques Tati and were inclusive of Mr.
Hulot’s Holiday, 1953, Mon Oncle, 1958 and Play Time, 1967. The director through his
direction tried to follow the footsteps of comic genius characters such as Keaton and Chaplin.
The main character of the movie is Monsieur Hulot who is a clumsy man and founds himself in
troubled circumstances which he needs to get rid of1
. The greatest strength of the movie lies in
almost negligible use of dialogue’s and the film can be considered as a silent one if cheesy
score’s and sound effects in the background were not used. According to Henri Langlois, one of
the French new wave group members believed that to watch films without dialogues is a unique
way to learn the cinema related art. The French new wave cinema comprised of people such as
Henri Langlois who revolutionized the conventions of cinema collaborated into Hollywood’s
rapid cuts with a hint of philosophy2
. One of the French new wave cinema inspired directors
were Jacques Tati who briefly was a player of rugby, had learnt miming techniques at the music
hall and short films based actor before directing his individual direction. This essay has been
based on idealizing the trilogy of Hulot as directed by Jaques Tati in relation to French new wave
in cinema.
The Hulot Trilogy by Jacques Tati in relation to French New Wave
Jacques Tati focused on translating his athleticism and mime the same into comic ability
physically. Monseur Hulot was the main character of his feature films with specific features
about his personality intriguing to view him under the influence of French new wave cinema.
The very short trousers, socks with stripes, a long pipe and an umbrella became the mere identity
of Hulot Trilogy3
. Hulot even after the everman countenance, managed inadvertently to escape
his way in disaster oriented situations. His epic struggles indeed navigated the modern
technology resonating with luddites. Even though only few feature films were developed by Tati,
1
David Cook, A History of Narrative Film. (New York: Norton, 2000), 100
2
Thomas Leitch, Crime Films. (Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 2002), 99
3
Justus Nieland. Film Noir. (London: Routledge, 2010), 178

4. the aesthetics related iconoclastic, the class politics exploration, refusing to work with actors
who are professions and views on a new modernized postwar consumerism in France helped the
director acclaim an auteur’s position internationally. Notoriety was achieved by Tati for sound
design and revolutionary approaches. Dialogues were set in all his trilogy at the same level as the
noise in the background with boosted effects of sound implying to enhance the gags of sight and
record complicated levels of interrelated effects. Sounds were used by Tati to develop ambience
that perfectly corresponds with visual cues that produce synesthesia cinematically. According to
the New York Times, Tati was French New wave’s unlikely and aloof member further
suggesting his humor function slapsticks as a commentary of socio-cultural nature in the same
manner as Jean Luc Godard4
. The comedic skills of Tati have been explained by him to be
understood through skills of keen observation and by applying similar logic when directing
films. In order to express further the relation of this French new wave cinema member with the
film he directed, “The trilogy of Hulot” will further be illustrated with a specific focus on
Hulot’s Holiday and Mon Oncle.
Hulot’s Holiday
Mr. Hulot was first introduced to the world by this movie. The plot of this film is simply
disarmingly and almost appears as no plot being present but the comical incidents series wherein
a groups is observed by the audience is on holiday at the sea side. With pure intention of a fun
element, the film offers the audiences a simple story, simple plot and artistic French aesthetics
depicting traditional France post-war. On Normandy is an old fashioned resort at sea side with
modest appearances wherein Hulot makes his entry5
. The location of this place makes it
preferable for old women in UK, retired officers from military and kids seeking trouble. Most
parts of the film depict European vacation related parody conventions with a base sound that
enhanced on-screen comedy. Tati lets his viewers know the immediate sense perception
juxtaposing the open sequence of credits6
. The havoc created in the film by Mr. Hulot is the
4
David Cook, A History of Narrative Film. (New York: Norton, 2000), 100
5
Justus Nieland. Film Noir. (London: Routledge, 2010), 178
6
Thomas Leitch, Crime Films. (Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 2002), 99

5. comedy element in the movie however no dialogue has been used in the same. This in turn
reveals the sense perception followed by most French new wave cinema directors. Mr. Hulot’s
traditional experiences in modernized aesthetic settings was not evident in this first part but the
added sound composition and screening revelation has added value.
The film has rarity that interweaves seamlessly the silent tropes and comic soundness. Even
though there are some dialogues in the film but the director has tried to relate it with classical
narrations elaborated by most French new wave aspirants7
. Not much blend of real French new
wave is evident in this movie but the comparison between different scenic elements, their
relation to the significant characters and the modernized technique of sound effects have all in
turn revealed the relation of the trilogy of Hulot to French new wave.
Mon Oncle
Mon Oncle, an Oscar winning film is Tati’s best acknowledged films wherein the main character
of the trilogy, Hulot visits his nephew in a highly modernized house having advanced
technological devices for not only economizing time but also labor. This film was first of the
films of Tati in which colour screen was evident. The central theme of the movie is on Hulot, a
socially awkward but still adorable character8
. The film presents a post war infatuation of France
with modernized architecture’s. At the movie’s debut, in the year 1958, Mon Oncle by some
critics was denounced as a poujadiste perspective of emerging consumer society in France, lately
which has been embraced as a new industrial modernization wave offering rigidity to societal
based structures. Further French new wave is evident in the setting that the movie embraces. The
geometric houses and garden’s with ultra-modern appearance of villa Arpel where Hulot’s
nephew lived formed the basis of modernization appearing in the movie9
. Furthermore, every
characteristic of Villa Arpel was stylistic instead of being designed simply with function leading
towards creation of an environment that is indifferent wholly to comfort or inadequacy of
comfort of the characters. In making a choice of a modern architecture for punctuating the
7
Justus Nieland. Film Noir. (London: Routledge, 2010), 178
8
David Cook, A History of Narrative Film. (New York: Norton, 2000), 100
9
Thomas Leitch, Crime Films. (Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 2002), 99

6. satire’s, the director stated that lines based on geometry cannot lead towards producing people
who are likeable. From stepping stones inconvenient location to complicated sit on furniture’s, to
deafeningly loud appliances in the kitchen to every other feature of Villa Arpel including the
Bathrooms and living rooms focused on dedicated impracticality to aesthetics of superficial
nature and technological appliances on the needs of daily life10
. Even after the modern design
related superficial beauty, the home is not personal and neither are the people living in it. As a
matter of fact, the owners completely have subordinated their personalities for maintaining a
high status in the society and flaunt their new professions to people in the society. Through this,
the director has focused on the lifestyle in that house in order to purely make that place a
specified view of entire France. Therefore, it can be said that the director has incorporated shared
of monochromatic nature and dark days together. The problems faced by Hulot are those that the
society in France was experiencing in those times. Unemployed and almost without any money,
Mr. Hulot (the director himself) experiences the modernized life and finds its useless to
understand the mere need to have such specified technological orientations11
. The movie clearly
is a derivation from the thought processes of French new wave cinema and modernization that
mesmerized French society and its culture after the war. The silence of the character and the
placement of plot in the movie both reveal its development from and its significance to the
French new wave cinema.
Furthermore, the initial shot in the film that viewers mostly have depicted to enjoy is the names
present on the streets are the names of casting crew and their credits12
. The positioning of the
signs before an on-site live construction. Tati then proceeds on delivering the film’s title as a
graffiti on the side walls of the screen clearly indicating the location to be set up in traditional
regions of towns. The produced collision through the shots juxtaposition provides affirmation on
filmic diatribe theme of Tati. The chalk used stressed on the mannerism of a child like behavior
10
Keith Reader. The art of French new wave. (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2010),
66
11
David Cook, A History of Narrative Film. (New York: Norton, 2000), 100
12
Keith Reader. The art of French new wave. (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2010),
66

7. also being applicable on the process13
. The subject and tone in short sequence opening is
indicated by Tati cleverly. The French film maker’s artistic design further added in supporting
the dual realities that the film presents. This in turn is an indication of a newer development that
this film offers from the context of French new wave especially in the cinematics industry. The
modern families house is a modernism based construction such as those by Le Corbusier
developed by linear, pure and stripped shapes of doors and windows14
. The visual comparisons
satirical content with the designed exaggerations indicated the similarity between the directors
thinking and the thinking of new wave in France. One of the most prominently used technique in
the film however lies in the satirical use of sound almost seemingly as exploitation of sound. A
clear contrast between modernist aural treatments and established vernacular realities at the start
of the film has been indicated. This shows the technical credits used in the movie through urban
designs and similar is the modernized music in the background15
. The films causal elements and
the performances acted out are some added tools depicting the films connection to French new
wave. The human relations superficiality that advances a city through emergence especially
which happened in France after the war has indicated the unique blend of trend that the director
wished to establish and in turn also revealing French new wave.
Analysis
From the perspectives of his films, it becomes evident that the work of Tati was different from
that of his predecessors. He had complete knowledge of how sounds were to be used in
combination with light related effects on the screen adding towards garnishing visuals that
apprehend not only the aesthetic perception but also the subsequent dilemma of new wave
experienced by most similar directors. Sound effects are also heightened by him for punctuating
the onscreen action16
. Each time the fish fountain throws water in the air, the gurgling water
13
Justus Nieland. Film Noir. (London: Routledge, 2010), 178
14
Thomas Leitch, Crime Films. (Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 2002), 99
15
Justus Nieland. Film Noir. (London: Routledge, 2010), 178
16
David Cook, A History of Narrative Film. (New York: Norton, 2000), 100

8. sound drowns to everything else outside17
. The timing of the director, the pace and the mere
experiments tried in the film have further added to the taste of French new cinema subjugating
the realms.
The paradigm of postmodernism started approximately in the 1960s as a reaction ideologically
developed from the philosophical framework in archetypal modernism. Within the domain of
architecture, expression of post-modernity was depicted by a classical code based ludic
reinterpretation and techniques of modernist systems18
. The satirical behavior brought post
modernity caused in influencing every sphere of artistic ability inclusive of films. The genre of
comedy mostly advantages from trends as it made use of humor as a medium to carry subtle
denunciations in society or political domain. Comedies produced newly targeted and edged the
political scenarios by viewing them from a serious outlook. The hegemonic confidence in
modernism sociologically led towards a better grasp over technology. The satire element in films
was dealt with sarcasm of contentious material and intelligence. These features of the French
new wave were evident in the films of Tati addressing the modernity related social and artistic
alienation collaborated in a work of cinematic nature19
. The point of view that Tati possessed
were expressed by architecture based dichotomy, techniques of filmic abilities and relations of
humans present in the film. It has been evident that by focusing on the cinematic narrative
invigoration, the French new wave in cinema was illustrated through Tati’s work which clearly
rejected the story telling linear tropes traditionally and led to create a film that involves new
language20
. Either inspired by the architectural developments or by the modernization in French
society at that time, Tati reflected the influence of French New Wave vibrancy resulting in
orienting a new perspective to the film industry.
17
Keith Reader. The art of French new wave. (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2010),
66
18
Thomas Leitch, Crime Films. (Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 2002), 99
19
Thomas Leitch, Crime Films. (Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 2002), 99
20
Justus Nieland. Film Noir. (London: Routledge, 2010), 178

9. Conclusion
Jacques Tati was born in France and was a Russian nobility descendent. He was a natural rugby
player completing services related to military when he was 20 years old followed through Racing
club de France semi-professional rugby career when he was living in the region21
. There were
not many films that he developed but he was always focused on developing a unique category of
films. French new wave was arising in France at that time and his works were clearly influenced
by this revolution22
. The intrinsic features in his film added value to his productions and even
though his career was short lived, he managed to encompass the French new wave experienced
by France cinema industry. Throughout the years 1950-1960, narratives were developed by Tati
that featured Hulot, his central character. There were several features that Tati’s films shared in
common with the films directed under the influence of French new wave in cinema. These
features were inclusive of no dialogue’s being used, better environment to enhance sound effects,
use of intrinsic features that detail the scene and creating dynamics only through the combination
of sound, music and color23
. The directorial efforts of Tati’s concluding duo featured the
attractiveness in his films. The post war period of 1950-1960 that France was experiencing was
clearly depicted and reflected in the comic style that he undertook.
21
Keith Reader. The art of French new wave. (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2010),
66
22
David Cook, A History of Narrative Film. (New York: Norton, 2000), 100
23
Justus Nieland. Film Noir. (London: Routledge, 2010), 178

10. References
David Cook, A History of Narrative Film. (New York: Norton, 2000), 100
Thomas Leitch, Crime Films. (Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 2002), 99
Justus Nieland. Film Noir. (London: Routledge, 2010), 178
Keith Reader. The art of French new wave. (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2010), 66