Gérard Jugnot. [3], The director was keen that the role of the young Pierre Morhange should be played by a real singer, and the search for him was tedious. A French movie, THE CHORUS takes place in a Dickens-like boarding school for young delinquents in the 1940s. In France, in 1930, a supervisor of a boarding school for young offenders seeks to awaken the music by forming a choir, despite the skepticism of his boarding school director. As he boards it, he looks back and finds Pépinot running after him, insisting that he come too. [3], Principal photography took place on location at the Château de Ravel in Puy-de-Dôme. A Catholic French couple sees their life upside down when their four daughters get married to men of different religion and origins. Barratier told his i… [24] The film was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 62nd Golden Globe Awards. This approach does not seem to be working as the boys as a collective are an unruly bunch. Mathieu is dejected but expresses his feigned happiness and watches her leave in the engineer's car. Barratier then began writing the script; Jugnot said that the first version somewhat "lacked roughness", and co-writer Philippe Lopes-Curval got involved. Ebert also commented that "This feels more like a Hollywood wannabe than a French film."[22]. Back in the present, the adult Morhange finishes reading the diary and recounts what happened afterwards: he won his scholarship to the conservatory, and Rachin was fired after his fellow teachers exposed his abuse towards the students. Screenplay. In the mid-twentieth century, it is run by the principal M. Rachin, an egotistical disciplinarian whose official unofficial mantra for the school is "action - reaction", meaning that there will be severe consequences for any boy out of line. AKA: Chorists, Les choristes, The Choir. This one is the inspiring story of how a teacher comes to change the lives of his headstrong students. [13], The Chorus was released on DVD in France (as Les Choristes) on 27 October 2004 by Pathé. [4] After over 2000 auditions, the roles were cast. Play Trailer; Overview. Andre Soares 15 years ago. For the scene in which Morhange drops ink on Mathieu's head, gouache was used. Huggo. Filmtracks summed it up by saying "for enthusiasts of boys' choirs and heartwarming, sentimental choral performances in general, The Chorus translates into a strong, albeit repetitive album. The chorus is an inspiring film for young men preparing to be teachers. [16] On 11 July 2005, Pathé released a version with English subtitles in the United Kingdom. Most movies of this sort ratchet up the melodrama to the point where it becomes difficult to swallow the saccharine being forced down the viewer's throat. 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". The character are likable. Morhange's single mother, Violette (Marie Bunel), arrives at the school. The story is touching. Directed by Christophe Barratier. 99 $19.98 $19.98. The Chorus Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 69% "Fresh" rating,based on 109 reviews, and an average rating of 6.50/10, indicating that most reviewed it positively, and summarises that "While predictable, this low-key heartwarmer manages to be uplifting without overdoing the sentiment. In the mid-twentieth century, it is run by the principal M. Rachin, an egotistical disciplinarian whose official unofficial mantra for the school is "action - reaction", meaning that there will be severe consequences for any boy out of line. Suddenly, the bus stops and Mathieu gives in: the two board the bus together. 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. His outsider’s perspective brings the humanity and care to the children that they need and desire. [4] When filming his first scene in which his character Mondain tries to intimidate Clément Mathieu, Gatignol had trouble behaving menacingly towards Jugnot, who described him as "too nice". Strongly prejudiced against this cold and inhospitable place, he leaves his family behind to relocate temporarily there, with the firm intent to quickly come back. He plans to help her son win a scholarship to the music conservatory in Lyon. In turn, the teachers don't teach, but are always watching out for the next subversive act from the boys. Where's the quirkiness, the nuance, the deeper levels? The Chorus is heartfelt, but not to the degree that it becomes cloying. After the performance he returns to his home in France for her funeral. Another For a film like this, that's a difficult line to walk. "[20] Many critics felt that the film's format was predictable, and it was widely compared to other films about inspirational teachers, such as Dead Poets Society, Goodbye, Mr. Chips and Mr. Holland's Opus; The Salt Lake Tribune commented "if you've seen one inspirational-teacher melodrama ... you've seen this one, too" and criticised the movie's "one-note characters" and "plodding predictability". Through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a German concentration camp, a forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences. Co-written by Barratier and Philippe Lopes-Curval [fr], it is an adaptation of the 1945 film A Cage of Nightingales (La Cage aux rossignols). Fond de l'Etang is a boarding school for troubled boys located in the French countryside. René Wheeler. But the ultimate magic is the choir and boy soprano Jean-Baptiste Maunier chosen from two thousand auditions. Mathieu continues to meet Morhange's mother, who is unaware of his attraction to her. Although he does find the boys an unruly lot, Mathieu does not believe in the "action - reaction" policy, and as such, butts heads with Rachin while secretly undermining the policy. [23] At the 58th British Academy Film Awards, the film was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay (Christophe Barratier, Philippe Lopes-Curval) and Best Film Not in the English Language, and Bruno Coulais' score was nominated for Best Film Music. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Mathieu discovers the boys being ruthlessly punished by the headmaster Rachin (François Berléand) and attempts to use humour and kindness to win them over. ***** This is more of a small arrangement of a couple songs from the score. Was this review helpful to you? There's very little in The Chorus you haven't seen before, but the movie's depth of sentiment -- especially its profound humanism -- makes it worth experiencing again. Clément Mathieu. After stealing a watch, he is locked up for two weeks. The Chorus (2004) PG 03/17/2004 (US) Drama 1h 36m User Score. This approach does not seem to be working as the boys as a collective are an unruly bunch. This visit brings out from his the memories of a failed composer who put joy in their life thanks to music. Written by *****All rights belong to their respective owners. Inside the Original Song Race: Will Voters Pick Foreign Language or Opt for Social Justice Message? Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. This FAQ is empty. They proceed to read it together. 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". In 1949, fifty-four years earlier, Clément Mathieu (Gérard Jugnot), a failed musician, arrives at Fond de l'Étang ("Bottom of the Pond"), a French boarding school for troubled boys, to work as a supervisor and teacher. The Countess, a sponsor of the school, finds out about the choir; they perform before her and others, and Morhange enchants the audience with his solo. He noticed that many of his ideas were linked to his childhood, and the emotions he felt between the ages of four and eight. Movies Like The Chorus. 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. Talented protégé Pierre Morhange did achieve fame and success, but we have essentially been spared laboured scenes of Titanic struggles or exuberant jubilation. After making the short film Les Tombales, director Christophe Barratier was looking for a subject for his first feature film. Pierre finds a champion fool for next dinner. Instead, they looked for children near the filming location in Auvergne: casting director Sylvie Brocheré visited primary and secondary schools in Clermont-Ferrand,[3] looking for children between the ages of six and 15. Teachers in the school shout at students and send the bad ones to a damp, windowless cell. French Fried Vacation 3. The new teacher at a severely administered boys' boarding school works to positively affect the students' lives through music. With Gérard Jugnot, François Berléand, Jean-Baptiste Maunier, Kad Merad. Mathieu, Pépinot relates, continued to give music lessons quietly for the rest of his life. François Berléand. Title: A girl, who lives with her deaf parents, discovers that she has the gift of singing. Coming from a musical background, he also wanted to tell a story linked to music. The viewers later learn that his parents were killed in the Second World War during the Nazi occupation of France, but Pépinot does not know this. The movie takes places in the '40s, a hard time The Chorus is an awesome movie with nice acting, a great storyline and an awesome soundtrack. This causes Mathieu to teach his choir "underground", practising at night in their dormitory. THE CHORUS tells the childhood story of a famous conductor named Pierre. When Rachin departs to accept an award from the board after taking credit for the choir, Mathieu and Maxence suspend classes and take the boys on an outing. In turn, the teachers don't teach, but are always watching out for the next subversive act from the boys. During their forced reunion, they both handle the death of their child in their own way. The definitive site for Reviews, Trailers, Showtimes, and Tickets From "Dexter" to The Suicide Squad, here are our picks for the reboots and remakes we're most excited for in 2021 and beyond. Release Calendar DVD & Blu-ray Releases Top Rated Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Showtimes & Tickets In Theaters Coming Soon Coming Soon Movie News India Movie Spotlight. On discovering the boys singing rude songs about him, Mathieu forms a plan: he will teach them to sing and form a choir as a form of discipline. [4], The soundtrack for The Chorus was released on 3 May 2004 by Warner Bros. Records, and subsequently by Nonesuch Records in 2005 and Varèse Sarabande in 2012. The Chorus on the Web:Official Website. Purely the celestial beauty of the music alone will brings tears to the appreciative audiences' eyes. Harris Tindall is a pencil sharpener. [28] The film later received the Lumières Award for Best Film in 2005,[29] as well as London's Favourite French Film award in 2007. "[5] The soundtrack topped the albums chart in France for 11 weeks and reached number three in Belgium, before its United States release in early 2005. Rachin hands him over to the police, still not knowing the location of the stolen money, and disbands the choir. Each day, the sharpener adjusts his pencil leads depending on his ... See full summary ». When a booby trap set by one of the boys, Le Querrec, injures the school's elderly caretaker Maxence (Jean-Paul Bonnaire), Mathieu keeps the culprit's identity from the headmaster, while encouraging Le Querrec to nurse Maxence during his recovery. He collaborated with Barratier to strengthen the story and develop the psychology of characters such as Rachin—for whom the children are "the symbol of a failed professional life"—and Chabert. THE CHORUS is one of those feel-good stories that Miramax Films has become expert in importing. 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