Entr'acte

Plot

Entr'acte begins with a cannon fired from the roof of a building, setting in motion a series of absurdist vignettes that defy conventional narrative structure. The film features Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray playing chess on a Parisian rooftop, their game interrupted by a puff of smoke that transforms into a ballet dancer. We witness a hearse pulled by a camel being chased by pallbearers through the streets of Paris, a hunter tracking a feathered ostrich egg that hatches into a ballerina, and various other surreal sequences that play with speed, motion, and perception. The film culminates in a dizzying roller coaster ride that appears to threaten the audience itself, breaking the fourth wall in a revolutionary way. Throughout, the film employs experimental techniques including slow motion, fast motion, reverse motion, and stop-motion animation to create a dreamlike, nonsensical world that challenges viewers' expectations of cinema.

Historical Background

Entr'acte was created during the height of the Dada movement in Paris, a period of intense artistic experimentation following World War I. The Dadaists, reacting against the rationalism and nationalism they believed led to the war, embraced absurdity, irrationality, and anti-art sentiments. Paris in the early 1920s was a melting pot of international artists, writers, and intellectuals, with figures like Picasso, Hemingway, Joyce, and Stravinsky all active in the city. The film emerged from this crucible of artistic rebellion, specifically from the Ballets Suédois, which had become a hub for avant-garde performance. The film's creation coincided with significant developments in cinema technology, including more portable cameras and film stocks, which enabled greater experimentation. It also reflected the growing influence of Freudian psychology and surrealist imagery in artistic circles. The post-war period saw a rejection of Victorian values and an embrace of modernity, speed, and technology, all themes that resonate throughout Entr'acte.

Making Of

Entr'acte emerged from the vibrant avant-garde scene of 1920s Paris, specifically from the collaboration between Francis Picabia (who wrote the scenario), René Clair (directing his first film), and Erik Satie (composing the score). The film was conceived as a deliberate attack on conventional cinema and bourgeois sensibilities, embodying the Dadaist philosophy of rejecting logic and reason. The production was remarkably spontaneous, with many scenes improvised on location. The famous rooftop chess scene between Duchamp and Man Ray was not staged but captured as the two artists genuinely played. The camel scene proved particularly challenging, as the animal proved difficult to control during filming. Clair employed innovative camera techniques, including mounting cameras on moving platforms and experimenting with various speeds, many of which were groundbreaking for the time. The collaboration between visual artists, musicians, and filmmakers represented a unique fusion of different artistic disciplines that characterized the avant-garde movement.

Visual Style

The cinematography of Entr'acte, primarily handled by Jimmy Berliet and Robert Guyer, was revolutionary for its time and remains visually striking today. The film employs a dizzying array of techniques including slow motion, fast motion, reverse motion, and stop-motion animation, often within the same sequence. The camera work is highly mobile, with tracking shots, Dutch angles, and unusual perspectives that contribute to the film's disorienting effect. The rooftop scenes make innovative use of Parisian architecture, creating striking visual compositions that play with depth and perspective. The cinematography deliberately breaks the rules of classical filmmaking, with jump cuts, mismatched shots, and deliberate continuity errors that reinforce the Dadaist rejection of conventional logic. The film's visual style ranges from documentary-like observation of real locations to highly stylized, almost abstract sequences. The use of extreme close-ups and distorted perspectives creates a sense of visual unease that complements the film's absurdist content. The black and white photography makes strong use of contrast and shadow, creating a graphic quality that enhances the film's surreal atmosphere.

Innovations

Entr'acte pioneered several technical innovations that would become standard in cinema. The film's extensive use of variable speed photography—ranging from extreme slow motion to rapid acceleration—was highly advanced for 1924. The cinematographers developed new techniques for mounting cameras on moving platforms to achieve dynamic tracking shots. The film's special effects, including the famous scene where a puff of smoke transforms into a dancer, were accomplished through in-camera techniques rather than post-production, requiring considerable technical ingenuity. The collaboration between live musicians and film projection represented an early form of multimedia synchronization. The film's editing style, with its rapid cuts and deliberate discontinuities, pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable in narrative cinema. The rooftop sequences required innovative camera rigging to achieve their distinctive perspectives. The roller coaster finale involved mounting cameras on the ride itself, creating a visceral sense of movement that was unprecedented. These technical achievements were particularly remarkable given the limited equipment available to independent filmmakers in the 1920s.

Music

The original score for Entr'acte was composed by Erik Satie, one of the most innovative composers of the early 20th century. Satie's music was groundbreaking in several respects: it was one of the first original scores composed specifically for a film, and it incorporated elements of jazz, popular music, and circus tunes alongside Satie's characteristically minimalist piano style. The score was structured to correspond with the film's visual rhythms, with Satie creating musical jokes and surprises that mirrored the film's visual gags. Notably, the score included parts for player piano, allowing for precise synchronization with the film's varying speeds. The original performance featured live musicians who would play during the film's screening, with the projectionist stopping the film at predetermined points to allow for musical transitions. Satie's score was lost for decades but was reconstructed from his manuscripts in the 1960s. The music embodies the same playful, anti-establishment spirit as the visuals, with its unexpected harmonic shifts and rhythmic surprises. Modern restorations of Entr'acte use reconstructed versions of Satie's score, though some screenings feature new compositions inspired by Satie's work.

Memorable Scenes

• The opening cannon shot that launches the film into motion
• Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray playing chess on a Parisian rooftop
• The hearse pulled by a camel chased by pallbearers through Paris streets
• The hunter tracking an ostrich egg that hatches into a ballerina
• The dizzying roller coaster finale that appears to crash into the audience
• The puff of smoke transformation sequence
• The ballerina emerging from a champagne glass
• The synchronized diving sequence with multiple identical figures

What Critics Said

Initial critical reception to Entr'acte was divided, reflecting the controversial nature of Dadaist art. Mainstream critics were often bewildered or dismissive, with some dismissing it as meaningless nonsense. However, avant-garde circles immediately recognized its significance, with publications like Littérature and transition praising its revolutionary approach to cinema. Over time, critical opinion has shifted dramatically, and Entr'acte is now regarded as a masterpiece of early avant-garde cinema. Modern critics celebrate its technical innovation, its playful subversion of cinematic conventions, and its historical importance. The film is frequently cited in film studies as a crucial example of pure cinema and anti-narrative filmmaking. Contemporary scholars often analyze Entr'acte in the context of Dadaist philosophy, examining how its visual jokes and absurd sequences embody the movement's anti-rationalist stance. The film's restoration in 2004 brought renewed critical attention, with many reviewers noting how well its playful spirit and visual inventiveness have endured.

What Audiences Thought

The original audience for Entr'acte consisted primarily of the sophisticated, avant-garde crowd attending Ballets Suédois performances, many of whom were already familiar with Dadaist concepts. Their reception was generally enthusiastic, with many appreciating the film's humor and technical innovations. However, when the film was shown to more general audiences, reactions were often confused or hostile, with some viewers walking out or demanding their money back. Over the decades, as audiences became more accustomed to experimental cinema techniques, appreciation for Entr'acte has grown. Modern audiences viewing the film in film studies contexts or art cinema screenings tend to respond positively to its playful energy and historical significance. The film's brevity and visual humor make it more accessible than many other avant-garde works of the period. Today, Entr'acte is often enjoyed for its historical value as much as its artistic merits, with viewers fascinated by its glimpse into the revolutionary artistic world of 1920s Paris.

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