Eric Serra © FDC / GT
CINEMA DE LA PLAGE – The Big Blue (Le Grand Bleu), Besson’s marine odyssey
In 1988, The Big Blue (Le Grand Bleu) opened the Festival de Cannes. Twenty-five years later, Luc Besson‘s marine odyssey returns to the Plage Macé with a restored copy of this French cult film that drew 9.2 million spectators into the cinemas.
No other feature film by Luc Besson has had such an impact on the minds of a generation as The Big Blue. Inspired by the life of the famous deep-sea free diver Jacques Mayol, the film recounts the rivalry between the champion and his greatest challenger, Enzo Molinari. Jacques Mayol was approached by Luc Besson to act as the technical advisor and to collaborate in this way with the development of the film.
To play the two protagonists of The Big Blue, Luc Besson called upon Jean-Marc Barr, an unknown actor at the time, and Jean Reno, who had already done three previous films with the director. They had worked together in particular on Subway three years earlier. They reunited for Nikita (1990), Léon (1994) and Wasabi (2001). An anecdote that is a testimony to the unflinching commitment of the two actors: neither of them had a stunt man during the filming of the innumerable diving scenes.
It was also filmed under horrible weather conditions. Eric Serra’s still famous music score was awarded the César that year for the best original sound track. The composer, who gave a concert just before the screening of the film commenced, went on to work with Besson on all his upcoming feature films. The digital copy of this film was restored in Scope by Gaumont, in partnership with the Eclair group laboratory.
Benoit Pavan
SCREENING
Thursday 23 May / Plage Macé / 9:30 pm.
