Production Year: 1967 Medium: 70mm film, color Duration: 124 minutes Language: French Playtime, Jacques Tati’s magnum opus, is a masterful critique and celebration of modernity, offering a satirical yet affectionate exploration of postwar urban life and the encroachment of industrial design on human interaction. The film follows the bumbling Monsieur Hulot and a group of American tourists as they navigate the hyper-modern cityscape of Paris. Tati constructs a world of glass, steel, and endless grids, a sterile and labyrinthine environment where humanity’s quirks stubbornly shine through. This film is notable for its groundbreaking use of widescreen 70mm cinematography, meticulously constructed sets, and a near-absence of traditional narrative structure. The centerpiece of the film, often referred to as “Tativille,” is a purpose-built cityscape—a vast, modernist playground where the characters’ small, chaotic actions disrupt the uniformity of their surroundings. Playtime eschews traditional dialogue and relies heavily on ambient soundscapes and physical comedy to tell its story. The film captures the zeitgeist of the 1960s, juxtaposing the promises of technological progress with the alienation it often wrought. Premiering in 1967, Playtime was an ambitious and financially risky project, pushing Tati’s aesthetic philosophy to its zenith. While it initially struggled to find commercial success due to its unconventional style and high production costs, the film is now regarded as a landmark in cinematic history, lauded for its visual wit, architectural critique, and universal humor. The film’s architectural precision mirrors modernist design principles, serving as both a parody and a homage to the International Style. Each frame is densely packed with visual gags and nuanced details, encouraging repeated viewings to fully appreciate its intricacies. Playtime remains a touchstone for filmmakers, architects, and visual artists exploring themes of modernity, urbanism, and the human condition. Claim your free trial of FORM Archive with code 'FREEFORM' to discover more.