The French Review

A true collection, like his films, Je me souviens places Jean-Pierre Jeunet in film history and in the film milieu. Available in different formats, the book is an addition to the growing catalogue of Les éditions LettMotif (founded in 1989) of which Jeunet's younger brother is acting editor. LettMotif is all about cinema and includes scenarios of a few of Jeunet's films, not published elsewhere. For those who follow Jeunet, Je me souviens is a treasure of intimate reflections that complement our research. For those new to him, it is a window into his inspirations and a map to his career as do-it-yourselfer. Fifteen single-frame illustrations by graphic artist and animator Charles Poppins (Le strict maximum) complement the text well while remaining true to Poppins's dry humor and Sempé style. For the most part, chapters are organized by film, though space is devoted to childhood, beginnings, and advertising. In fact, pages on his incomplete adaptation of Life of Pi and his extended commercial for Chanel No. 5, "Trait de Nuit," help the reader better understand the director's pauses between released feature films. Though many mentions explore troubleshooting in filmmaking, most share moments between the director and collaborators on both sides of the Atlantic. Pages are filled with connections to previous actors, famous directors, and fans beside insights into the casting, direction, production, and reception of his films. Though Jeunet shares selected influences, Fritz Lang, Fellini, as well as Laurel and Hardy remain absent. One would also expect more on his artistic projects with Marc Caro as they partnered on shorts, music videos, two features, and a 2017–18 film exhibit. More thoughtful and varied than in interviews, Jeunet's comments elaborate on his success and show his frustration. As a Jeunet scholar, I appreciate the insight, yet crave more honest detailing and depth. I truly believe Je me souviens has been created as a stroll in time. The book is best picked up and read over a period of days, while one remembers the projects implicated in these antidotes. In this respect, the book meshes well with the exhibit "Caro/Jeunet," in the Halle Saint Pierre, nestled at the bottom of the Butte Montmartre, Sept. 2017–July 2018. In this respect, the book provides the background for the text lacking in the exhibit. Indeed, both book and exhibit function a bit like a curiosity cabinet for fans, rather than as substantial evidence for scholars. It also seems that both marginalize the cherished punk and experimental perspectives [End Page 191] of the directors, making for a mainstream exploration rather than unique retrospective. From Je me souviens, one comes away with a feeling that Jeunet appreciates connectivity and that, in this book and exhibit, he is establishing himself in cinema history rather than waiting for someone else to do just that. Some antidotes would work well as an entry into discussion of film clips in lower-division French classes or even as a pre-lecture activity in an upper-division study of a feature film by Caro/Jeunet and Jeunet alone.