LOULOU

France, 1980, 110 minutes, Colour.
Isabelle Huppert, Gerard Depardieu, Guy Marchand.
Directed by Maurice Pialat.

Loulou is the work of noted French director Maurice Pialat. A prolific director, his work is little seen outside France. With the famous stars in this film, he had a breakthrough in international exhibition.

Pialat works in detailed realism, focusing on the underprivileged and poorer classes. His films are also set in the provinces and provincial towns. The film focuses on characters and detail rather than developing a strong plotline. In this way he gives insight into human nature as well as commenting on French society.

Both stars had appeared in many films in the late '70s and work well together.

1. The acclaim for the director and his films? His reputation? Contribution to French cinema? The popularity of his stars? The way that they worked together?

2. Cinema style: locations, life in the provinces, the towns, the details of urban life? Colour photography, use of locations? Score?

3. Audience expectation from the stars? The quality of their work?

4. Gerard Depardieu's performance as Loulou: his size, appearance? His name - and it being slang name for a yob? Class background, interests, the confines of his world? Relationship with women? Macho style, self-absorbed? Bars, fights? the encounter with Nellie, living with her, the flat? hanging around, the robberies? The visit to Nellie's family? The seeming flirtation and the clash? The break with Nellie? A narrow world, limited horizons?

5. Isabelle Huppert's portrait of Nellie? Her relationship with Andre, the reason for her breaking it? Her passivity and dependence? Bourgeois background? The encounter with Loulou, the excitement? The bars, hanging around with him, the robberies? The sexual liaison, her spending so much time in the flat? Her visit to her family, her shock at Loulou's behaviour? her pregnancy? The decision to get an abortion and leave Loulou? A drifting woman? Her society background? Expectations? Her future?

6. The contrast with Andre and his relationship with Nellie? Educated, work in the advertising agency? The specific contrast with Loulou the jacket and his attempts to appear macho?

7. The abortion crisis - Nellie's attitude, decisions? The contrast with Loulou and his emotional reaction?

8. The sketch of Nellie's family, their behaviour, the meal and the meal as a way of commenting on behaviour?

9. The world of the bars, the petty gangsters?

10. The impact of the realism? An audience involved in this kind of world? Empathy? Understanding?