Fired Teacher: Clment Mathieu is not technically a teacher, but a supervisor. The film tells the story of a young, newly hired music teacher named Clment Mathieu who is assigned to teach at a boys' reform school in rural France. Who is the youngest in Les Choristes? The time is shortly after WWII; the place is somewhere in rural France at Fond de LEtang (The Bottom of the Pond), a school for boys with discipline problems or whose families cannot keep them. Why did he have to give up his musical dreams and take a teaching job? 1. They detained and briefly interviewed a night watchman, but could find no reason to hold him, and released him. [5] When filming his first scene in which his character Mondain tries to intimidate Clment Mathieu, Gatignol had trouble behaving menacingly towards Jugnot, who described him as "too nice". Here's my Pinterest board with a few links to other great lesson plans on this film. The boys are not always pitch perfect or together, but then they shouldn't be, as they are portraying a group of boys just beginning music lessons. Fog machines were also used around the castle, and walls were deliberately scorched and stripped of paint to give the surroundings a "dilapidated" look, since boarding schools at the time often suffered from poor funding and management. Culture Minister Franoise Nyssen praised the customs service for "the fortunate recovery of a precious work whose disappearance had been a great loss to our national Impressionist heritage." The themes of childhood and music made him think of the film La Cage aux rossignols, which he had seen on television at a young age and which "touched [him] profoundly". After that they had no leads. His attack in response to half an hour of slapping illustrates how violence begets violence. Possible Problems They are illuminated by footlights from in front. By the end of the movie we are reminded of another page from the Scriptures. Mathieu is fired for breaking the rules, even though he saved the boys' lives, and Maxence is suspended. 13. The darkness that comes with you is gentle and good. "No one, including [them], has seen the world of the wings and the caf-concert in as humorous a fashion", the journal wrote. He realizes how much the boys care for him as he hears the music that he knows has become essential to their lives. Night time, allow us to keep the peace of your magic. "[The works] are a collection of true and witty satire. When a booby trap set by one of the boys, LeQuerrec, injures the school's elderly caretaker, Maxence (Jean-Paul Bonnaire), Mathieu keeps the culprit's identity from the headmaster, while encouraging LeQuerrec to nurse Maxence during his recovery. The flashback is the primary feature that creates the nostalgic feel us viewers get fromthe film. I have to write up an expos for my A level French Oral exam and I have chosen. Hope is true. 8. Even those who abhor subtitles will appreciate this film, which can open up interesting avenues of discussion about the role of the arts in education, our local communities and even our hearts. Just as Rachin is about to receive an award for his humanitarian methods of running the school, he is called back to Fond de LEtang which is burning down. Foam and salt were used as artificial snow and green leaves were removed from the grounds, since the beginning of the movie was filmed in the summer, but set in the winter. In 1897, when the work was put on exhibit at the Muse du Luxembourg, Lonce Bndite called Les Choristes part of a group of "acute, ironic and cruel observations the work of a firm, sure hand [and] just, sensible eye." Mais je parle au sujet de cette personage plus tard. The ethical theme of punishment and forgiveness, along with the flashback narrative and the boys school, remind me most of the similarly good-but-flawed The Emperor's Club with Kevin Kline. Vocabulary: Word for toys, Words for personal qualities and Favorite pets. Despite this, Rachin refuses to accept Mondain back at the school. They decided to cast him as Morhange and use the choir for the soundtrack, but that the rest of the choir would not play his classmates because the director did not want them to be professional actors. In this scene, the POV is simply left to the narrative. To some, that means being caught up in the emotions, sweetness, and touching message at the film's heart. the desire to succeed. Test. 16. 18. Tlcharger les partitions ( chur 3 voix, accompagnement au piano ). Considering how many children were orphaned as a result, it's not surprising that the government instated correctional houses designed to discipline with military strictness"Spare the rod, spoil the children. [27] In France, the film won Best Sound (Nicolas Cantin, Nicolas Naegelen, Daniel Sobrino) and its score won Best Music Written for a Film at the 30th Csar Awards, where The Chorus received a further six nominations: Best Actor (Grard Jugnot), Best Debut (Christophe Barratier), Best Director (Christophe Barratier), Best Film, Best Production Design (Franois Chauvaud) and Best Supporting Actor (Franois Berland). Chabert (Kad Merad), Rachin (Francois Berleand) and Mathieu (Gerard Jugnot). [4], Principal photography took place on location at the Chteau de Ravel in Puy-de-Dme. The soundtrack for the popular European film Les Choristes combines songs, sung by the boys' choir in the story, and regular soundtrack music to accompany the action of the film. In particular, they compared his figurative stylings to Honor Daumier, whom Degas admired to the point of owning several of his works. The other old man, Pepinot, is good-natured, less elegant than Morhange, and open-hearted. Consider physical appearance, lifes work, and mood. travers. This film has many editing features, narration, lighting and so forth but the most of it is done in the art of the shots. Jean-Baptiste Maunier Pierre Morhange Kad Merad Chabert Jean-Paul Bonnaire La Pre Maxence Marie Bunel Violette Morhange Maxence Perrin Ppinot Grgory Gatignol Mondain Thomas Blumenthal Corbin Cyril Bernicot Le Querrec Simon Fargeot Boniface Thodule Carr-Cassaigne Leclerc Philippe du Janerand Monsieur Langlois Carole Weiss La Comtesse Mathieu asks the boy who was found to have stolen the money, a crime for which Mondain was punished, what he wanted to buy. Mathieu, feeling the joy and optimism that came from the realization that he had been important to the students, was able to risk the potential problems that may have come with doing the right thing, taking Pepinot with him. La Petite Republique Franaise went further, comparing Les Choristes and other paintings depicting performers offstage and onCaf-Concert and Dancers at the Barre among themfavorably with the work of Paul Gavarni and Alfred Grvin. Mathieus actions were, almost always, caring. Both narrate and the film uses a voice-over narration, transitioning in and out the voices between Clment in the context of the film, and Pierre for the beginning as he establishes the basic setting and forend, concluding Pepinot and Clments departure. When the voice over takes place, and the panning of the shot is on Mathieu, it creates an establishing feel and a sense of conclusion to that day, event, or moment in the film. Growth/Journey:Its pretty evident that from the beginning of the film to the end, one could say they witnessed an inspiring growth and journey of the children as well as the school and the teachers. Les Choristes. Midway through, the film introduces a remorseless bully named Mondain (Gregory Gatignol). Opposing the school's strict methods of controlling the students, Mathieu begins to use music to affect change in the rowdy and ill-natured boys. Responses need to be internally consistent, meaning true to the facts presented in the film. [6], In 2009 the Orsay loaned Les Choristes to the Muse Cantini in Marseille for "De la scne au tableau" ("The Scene in Painting"), a multi-artist exhibit. What is your explanation for this change? The discussion questions can prompt interesting exchanges and many can serve as writing prompts for essays in the language of the film. Cooperation can create beauty. In theaters right now, his . [1], It depicts a line of singers along a stage, seen from just to their left and slightly in front. Barratier's film about the healing power of music features first-rate performances, including the children who are superbly cast, and heavenly singing by the boysonce they get goingmaking this a surefire audience pleaser even as the setup is transparently manipulative. Music classes and choirs may benefit from improved motivation and esprit de corps after watching this film. Would you describe Mathieu as a successful failure or a failed success? What change can be seen in the arithmetic teacher and how does it relate to the theme of the film? When the choir is canceled as a form of punishment for Mondains having set fire to the school, Mathieu takes it underground. For Mondain, the severely troubled teen, this theme applies very heavily on him. At first, Mathieu struggles to connect with the boys and . While they are out, Mondain returns and sets fire to the school. This is often a matter of paying attention to diction and the feeling that lies behind the words. After making the short film Les Tombales, director Christophe Barratier was looking for a subject for his first feature film. Even more so, when Pepinot and Mathieu ride off in the bus at the end, the sun is once again out, bringing a happy conclusion to the end of a troubled start of the film. But Coulais composed and arranged most of Les Choristes' score. TWM offers the following worksheets to keep students minds on the movie and direct them to the lessons that can be learned from the film. While touring large French choirs to choose the one to record the film's soundtrack, they discovered the 12-year-old Jean-Baptiste Maunier of Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc: Barratier described his voice as "exceptional and very moving", and composer Bruno Coulais said it was "incredible". through. un thme qui se manifeste tout au long du film, Anne Lair, Bill VanPatten, Stacey Weber-Feve, Wynne Wong, D'accord! The context of the narration here is also a parallel from the beginning of the flashback. Action-Reaction is the term used in the film to describe the disciplinary method used at the school. Les Choristes isn't quite as forced and syrupy as Mr. Holland's Opus or Music of the Heart, but it's not a classic like To Sir with Love or Goodbye, Mr. Chips either. While some of them led to multiple works, Les Choristes is the only one known to have been derived from this particular monotype. He instills hope and turns them from troubled teens into ones with goals, positivity and drive. Describe a caring thing that he did in the movie. 12. After the performance he returns to his home in France for her funeral. One day she blithely informs him that she has met someone: an engineer. Bruno Coulais, the composer of the film's score, said that the children "are passionate about music", which is "some kind of escape to them". He shows favoritism to Morhange and a small orphan named Pepinot, so wouldn't the rest of the delinquents in the choir respond negatively to that? The soundtrack adds to the overall tone of the film and enhances the films pathos. it's an important theme. through. When Mathieu walks away from the building after he has been unjustly fired, he hopes the boys will at least break the rules to come and say goodbye. [25] The film was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 62nd Golden Globe Awards. What irony can be seen in the relationship between Mondain and Rachin which suggests that what-goes-around-comes-around? Coming from a musical background, he also wanted to tell a story linked to music. In Les Choristes, Mathieu used to be a musician and in La Cage aux rossignols, he was a writer. Then there's Morhange (Jean-Baptiste Maunier), singled out to Mathieu at the film's start as one of the school's biggest troublemakers. What personal characteristics in both the workers and the boys at the school resulted in Rachins dismissal as the director of the school? Les Choristes is a film of great beauty and sweet intentions, offering a strong theme of grace vs. punishmentcompassion of the heart in contrast to the hard discipline of the law. 3. At the end of the film, hes the sole keeper of the evil left out of all the kids, and we can see the constant tug between good and bad goes away and hes totally turned into evil. He does this several times with the boys and with Rachin. There are no correct or incorrect answers but only strong or weak responses depending upon the facts and logic marshalled to support the conclusion. Later, he allows Morhange to rejoin the choir as a way to avoid another sort of punishment. Mathieu, however, believes that the boys are capable of being saved. The BBC's Matthew Leyland said "even though all the notes are predictable, the film hits them with a wit, warmth and gusto. They soon confirmed that it appeared to be the missing Les Choristes, although they did not know if it was authentic despite the Degas signature. This term describes an attempt to apply a principle of the physical sciences to disciplinary procedures in a school. What is it? The contrast between the elegant and innocent nature and the evil Mondain, emphasizes the two endings for the film; happiness, hope and prosperity for the children that were once troubled, and the evil and satanic attitude that Mondain will forever have. In 2003, Pierre Morhange (Jacques Perrin), a French conductor performing in the United States, is informed before a concert that his mother has died. Available from Amazon.com. These include a very brief, jolly arrangement of a folk song about a legendary highwayman, "Compere Guilleri." The student body consists of young boys with behavior problems, orphans, or boys whose parents cannot take care of them. Moral-Ethical Emphasis. Students can write an essay showing how the ideas in the poem exemplify the meaning of the film itself. Inner-city teens found confidence through calculus in Stand and Deliver. A slightly stronger and longer script could have easily remedied the weaknesses in this movie by adding thirty more minutes of character development and details to potentially elevate it above its hackneyed devices. Angelically voiced arias lift hard-boiled delinquents to something higher. Worksheet for Cinematic and Theatrical Elements and Their Effects. The entire film is from Pierre Morhanges POV through the words yet a total POV of Clment Mathieu as its his journal that Pierre is reading as it goes into a flashback. Status. Other than a real-life saint with a love for music, who is Mathieu? In these moments of closure, the speed of the film, we feel it slows down and when it picks back up, the voice over disappears, the shot goes to his POV and its a reawakening of another event in the movie. Wildly successful orchestra conductor Pierre Morhange is called back to France for his mother's funeral, and is visited by Ppinot, his one-time classmate. Even my year 1 students can really dig into this film and its themes with a little guidance. dicionario. Of all the children, only the Parisians Thodule Carr Cassaigne and Thomas Blumenthal had some small acting experience. When the shot changes and goes into a flashback from Clments POV, the voice transitions to that of Clment Mathieus himself. [29] The film later received the Lumires Award for Best Film in 2005,[30] as well as London's Favourite French Film award in 2007. Alienated children of failed parents are transformed by the transcendent power of heavenly music. He plans to help her son win a scholarship to the music conservatory in Lyon. The album's 2012 release added five additional tracks, most of which are the orchestral backing tracks of other songs. Specifically, it is the end of the first act, with the chorus celebrating the engagement of Massetto and Zerlina. Instead, they looked for children near the filming location in Auvergne: casting director Sylvie Brocher visited primary and secondary schools in Clermont-Ferrand,[4] looking for children between the ages of six and 15. Powerful Teacher:In the film, Clment Mathieu comes in and resurrects the children. He sets the school on fire, thus further illustrating how injustice begets violence. [12] It ranked 72 on the list of the highest-grossing films of 2005 worldwide,[13] and 195 in the US and Canada. TALKING AND PLAYING WITH MOVIES: AGES 3-8, FILM ADAPTATIONS OF NOVELS, SHORT STORIES, OR PLAYS, FICTION (SOAPS, DRAMAS, AND REALITY/SURVIVAL SHOW), Worksheet for Cinematic and Theatrical Elements and Their Effects, Discussion Questions for Use With any Film that is a Work of Fiction, Assignments, Projects, and Activities for Use With Any Film that is a Work of Fiction. During World War I, it was again included in American traveling exhibits, this time to San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Buffalo. [ the works ] are a collection of true and witty satire a matter of attention. The works ] are a collection of true and witty satire are illuminated by footlights in... And good depicts a line of singers along a stage, seen from just to their lives his dreams! A teaching job in front comes with you is gentle and good tell a story to! 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