La Classe américaine
celebrates its 30th anniversary
Posted on 20.10.2023
In 1993, Michel Hazanavicius and Dominique Mézerette directed La Classe américaine, a comedy made from the mashup technique using images taken from Warner films. This popular movie is celebrating its 30th anniversary at the festival!
AN “A-LIST CAST”
Using footage from Warner films from the 1950s to the 1980s, the Hazanavicius-Mézerette duo had “assembled” the most beautiful cast in the history of cinema: John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Burt Lancaster, Robert Redford, Lauren Bacall, Dustin Hoffmann, James Stewart, Jacqueline Bisset, Paul Newman... The dubbing of these actors’ lines also featured a strong cast: Alain Chabat, Dominique Farrugia, Serge Hazanavicius and Jean-Yves Lafesse. The great team made La Classe américaine a classic comedy in France.
CULT LINES
An investigation into the death of "the classiest man in the world" (John Wayne dubbed by George Abitbol) and a mystery that hangs over his last words, "Shitty world”, is the starting point of La Classe américaine, already full of promise. In addition to its unique plot, the film certainly holds the record for the number of jokes per minute. Punchlines are served up on a platter, placed into the mouths of the world's greatest actors. "He was found murdered, he died of it", “says” one of the protagonists, a few minutes after a prime example is given by teacher George Abitbol himself: "The train of your insults rolls along the rail of my indifference”.
A JEWEL OF EDITING
Michel Hazanavicius and Dominique Mézerette used the mashup technique. The parody mixes in thrillers, westerns, peplums, science fiction and many different eras of Warner movies. The sequences chosen were edited and then dubbed, in part, by the original voice-overs. The directors watched the films for months without sound: based on what they read on the lips of the characters and what made them laugh, scenes were chosen to add to the hilarious intrigue of the film.
"There's a clip that we absolutely wanted to keep. It showed Charles Bronson playing an Indian. Without sound, it looked like he was saying 'chips'. It wasn't of any interest, but it was very funny," Michel Hazanavicius told L'Express.
La Classe américaine, 1993 © DR
UNLIKELY THEMES AND ACCENTS
Prehistoric right-wing party animals, a pin collection, a Juventus fan, gay cowboys and crisps: the investigation into the death of George Abitbol leads journalists to ask existential questions. The inquiry into the tragic end of "the classiest man in the world" is also a pretext for some dubious American accents; the region in which George Abitbol takes his last breath, the " South Pacific Ocean ", becomes "Le soute pacific", and journalists Peter and Steven become "Pétère" and "Stévène", all the while reminding viewers that most of the story takes place in the famous state of "Tegzas".
NEVER RELEASED IN CINEMAS
Made for television, La Classe américaine was never released in cinemas due to copyright issues. Broadcast on channel Canal + on 31 December 1993, the film was a TV classic that movie fans exchanged in the form of VHS cassettes. The movie later appeared on certain video-sharing sites. Discovering La Classe américaine on the big screen is therefore an event not to be missed under any circumstances!
Laura Lépine
SCREENINGS
La Classe américaine by Michel Hazanavicius and Dominique Mézerette (1993, 1h12)
Pathé Bellecour – Friday, 20 October at 4.30pm
Institut Lumière (Hangar) – Saturday, 21 October at 8.45pm
UGC Confluence – Sunday, 22 October at 11.15am
