简介：Attheendofthe1950s,celebratedFrenchdocumentarianFrançoisReichenbach(FforFake,Portrait:OrsonWelles),whoselenscapturedthelikesofBrigitteBardotandJohnnyHallyday,spenteighteenmonthstravellingtheUnitedStates,documentingitsdiverseregions,theirinhabitantsandtheirpastimes.Theresult,AmericaAsSeenbyaFrenchman,isawide-eyed–perhapsevennaïve–journeythroughamultitudeofdifferentAmericas,filteredthroughaFrenchsensibilityandservingasafascinatingexplorationofaculturethatisbothimmediatelyfamiliarandthoroughlyalien. Prisonrodeos;MissAmericapageants;visitstoDisneylandandaschoolforstriptease;atowninhabitedsolelybytwins;rowsofnewbornsinincubators,likeproductsonanassemblyline–alltheseweirdandwondroussights,andmore,arecaptured,sansjugement,byReichenbach’scamera,aidedbywhimsicalnarration(providedby,amongothers,JeanCocteau)andajauntymusicalscorebythelate,greatMichelLegrand(Unefemmeestunefemme). TitledL’Amériqueinsolite–literally“unusualAmerica”–initsnativetongue,AmericaAsSeenbyaFrenchmanlovinglyrendersthevariouseccentricitiesofAmericanacircathemid-twentiethcentury,andprovestheoldadagethatrealityreallyisstrangerthanfiction.…