Films of Jacques Tati: the human vision

Abstract

This paper examines how Jacques Tati’s films explore the human experience in the modern world, and how Tati expresses concerns for the human-based issues of identity and human relations in the contemporary context. Tati intends to search for and capture the basic, universal human qualities and shared interests of human nature within a spectrum of humanities and a diversity of eccentricity and idiosyncrasy. His films are full of small moments that capture spontaneous human bonding and create opportunities for unexpected relations.

While representations of contrasting worlds and ways of life are always present in his films, Tati does not simply dismiss the modern world or hope to retreat to the past. Instead, he proposes alternative possibilities of living in the modern world, in which the spirit of freedom, play, and spontaneity are celebrated. Tati reimagines human life in the modern world as he projects a vision of re-centering the human presence and of anchoring modern life with humanity and human connection.