The Complete Jacques Tati (Jour de fête/Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday/Mon oncle/PlayTime/Trafic/Parade) (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]

If you like unique movie making, you will love this. Recommend you watch some of his work before buying. It may not be your cup of tea, but give him a chance and you will see his genius.

In addition to the classic Tati movies (remastered) this set offers an informative booklet, and shorts (from 1946 on) that show development of major characters and themes. A delight.

In adding my enthusiastic 5 stars to previous reviews, there's really little left to say about the quiet genius of Jacques Tati. So let me address some of the less than glowing reviews -- not to dismiss or condemn them, but to point out that "comedy" may mean different things, and that the word might have misled some into thinking these films are typical laugh-fests. For those expecting the usual sort of comedy I can see why Tati might be a disappointment. While he's working in classic silent slapstick tradition, he brings more to his films in the way of social commentary, bemusement, and philosophical critique -- not unlike a master such as Chaplin.It helps to look at Tati's films as one ongoing work, as he examines the effects of change & modernity on human beings & culture. "Progress" is very much a dubious thing in Tati's worldview, displacing the uniquely human for a thoroughly homogenized world of inhuman efficiency that's increasingly inefficient. So while there are plenty of sight gags that certainly make me laugh at loud, my real response is a somewhat melancholy smile that's both amusement & rueful resignation, as M. Hulot becomes more & more swallowed up & lost in each subsequent film. Yet he somehow survives, and even finds his own small, personal triumph in his final appearance in "Trafic".Time has shown that Tati was quite prescient. I can only imagine what he would have made of the current digital world, and I smile all the more to think of M. Hulot struggling to cope with Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, phone menus, ATMs, etc. -- to say nothing of the perpetually adolescent fratboy "humor" that dominates alleged comedies today. His modestly humane outlook is desperately needed in these times, which is one of the things making his films so timely as well as timeless. His real theme is nothing less than the survival of the human being in an automated & soulless world of our own making. And as long as civilized human beings exist, there'll be a deserved place of honor for Tati & his work.Most highly recommended!

This is a must for any Tati fan. It is inclusive of all his works and the extra material is informative as well as entertaining. High recomment.

This is an absolutely stunning collection of films. Jaques Tati as a performer and filmmaker is in the same class as Chaplin and Keaton. His film persona of Mr. Hulot, although distinctly French, is as universal as any film character has ever been. There is great joy in watching a Tati film and this boxed set with the absolutely fantastic collection of Criterion disks amplifies the pleasure to an extraordinary degree.Tati's films are intricately designed and performed, actually choreographed. Each film is also layered with meaning and truth both simple and sublime. This is the work of a master of cinema like Einstein's was the work of a scientist. Each film is heavily supported by additional material on the film itself and Tati in general. The curators of this collection found some extraordinary background material for example, the film "Mon Oncle" has a very short interview with Tati on his dog and how he worked with the dogs who were a huge part of the film. What an unbelievable treasure of information on this important aspect of the film.There are not many things I have owned which I feel were a steal at the price I paid but for a lover of cinema, like myself, this amazing collection is definitely one of them. The films of Jaques Tati fill me with great joy and having them all, beautifully presented, in one collection makes them one of the greatest things I own

This is a beautifully packaged set of Jacque Tati's films in blu-ray format and confirms for me that if I am going to buy physical media (I have become a rabid streamer 99% of the time), that only Criterion editions are worth the money. The films themselves are classics and I am thrilled to have my own archival versions next to my other Criterion blu-rays.

Jacques Tati should need no introduction these days: he's one of France's--and the world's--great observers and commenters on humanity. If you're reading this review, you probably already know that; if Tati is new to you, try out one of his more accessible films like "Hulot's Holiday" or "Mon Oncle." My personal favorite is "Playtime," his magnum opus that nearly destroyed him when he created it over several years leading to it's disastrous release. The reason you're likely reading this now is confirmation of the effectiveness of the BluRay transfer and I can confirm it's stunning, especially in the visual feast that is "Playtime." I have an HD projector and have watched the entire set on a big screen home theatre set-up and it's fantastic. Supplemental materials are interesting but largely duplicate those on Criterion's previous early 2000s release. The early shorts are great to have with this, as are the last two films he completed, which are not considered very successful by many folks, but which I really love. A great set and since you can't get this via streaming (not in the BluRay transfer anyway), well worth acquiring if you love Tati.

Play these, one after the other, as I lie dying.

This collection of Tati's work is wonderful to have in a well produced set by Criterion.

Toujours un grand plaisir à revoir Tati. Belle qualité d'image. Je le recommande vivement.

bin sehr zufrieden !

è esattamente quanto mi aspettavo: film restaurati, in lingua francese ed inglese ,prodotto ottimo e prezzo giusto!

The comic master Jacques Tati all in a box and worth every penny.Although you get LOL moments it is often more a subtle warm blanket humour.Drawing from his history of french 'music hall' and mime and Buster Keaton, especially with his main character Monsieur Hulot.I love the characters sense wanting to join but with a sense of doesn't belong wrapped in this inner world he either causes or observes goes on around him.I haven't viewed everything but I have watched half the films and the image has been very good. Some films you get different versions of. The subtiles are clear, they can get lost in the image sometimes, and as he is a visual comic they don't distract from the genius before you. Sound quality is good using my TV speakers as usual speakers have given up the ghost, so probably pretty good.Very French, very subtle, magnifique.