简介：AndréSauvage’sÉtudessurParishaslongtakes,improvisedshots,nospecialeffects,musicorplot—essentiallyunwatchabletodevoteesoftoday’swiz-bang,graphics-heavydocumentaryvocabulary.Longbeforetouristbureausproducedpastry-puffshortsoranybodycouldshootaspacefullofholeswiththeircameraphone,fielddocumentationwasaselectsport.Tobeashooterrequiredstrictpatience,anadroitsenseofcomposition,andawillingnesstolose(andmaybemoreimportantly,moneytopayfor)film.Iflesspoliticalintheassemblageofitspieces,thisisafilmthatthatrubsshoulderswithManWithAMovieCamera,ManhattaorSymphonyofaMetropolis. ÉtudesopensontheSeine,thecamerabobbingandweavingtokeepthingsinteresting—alinearrecordofunquenchablecuriosity.Passingportsorboats,Sauvagestrainstoincludehumansintheframewithoutdominatingit;thisbeing1928,thedirectorseemscarefultopreservethecity’sstatureasatriumphofurbanplanning.There’sadiligentspreadofmastershotsonmonuments,busytrainstations,canals,pillarsandboulevards.Youcouldfillawarehousewiththerichesondisplayhere:handhelds,tracks,dollies,scenesfilmedfromboats,carsandhorse-drawncarriages.(Andthat’sjustbehindthecamera!)Thisluxuriantapproachbetraysanabidingrespectforhumanprivacy,ironically,becauseSauvageseemshappywithpeopleatadistanceorwiththeirbackstothelens—justaslongastheimageistrue. ThefilmsuggestsParislessasamiracleofindustryorawell-oiledmachine—popularapproachesbetweenWWIandWWII—thanasanopenplanedottedwithgreatvantagepoints.There’snoclearartisticstatementinherentinSauvage’sdesign,butthedeeperhepenetratesParis’interior,themorepeopleturnuponscreen—strolling,working,playing.Eachshottakesonitsownmicro-narrativeproperties,whichiswhereEtudessurParisbecomespornforpeoplewatchers.Arethosekidssiblings?Who’sshewaitingfor?What’sbeingbuilthere?Whatarethosetwoladiesinthatboatlaughingabout?Ifyougetsweptupinit,you’llwishyou’dbeenabletospendmoretimewiththem,andsothefilmcomeshighlyrecommended.Intheseuptighttimes,somedocumentariesaredenseessays,andmostarecommercialsforthemselves.Butthisone,inits83rdyear,isnothingmoreandnothinglessthanavigorousjauntamongtheliving.…