I don't know how he does it, but Michel Gondry has a habit of taking concepts that could either be extremely pretentious or extremely maudlin and focusing them through the lends of his creative mind to create something really damned beautiful. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind is still a vital part of the modern film conversation, and even lesser praised outings like Be Kind Rewind and The Green Hornet manage to sing with Gondry's energy and quirkiness. With the latest look at his new film, Mood Indigo, it looks like he's maintained his visual game, while not losing a step with his thematic prowess.
We spotted the fresh trailer on YouTube, and while it is as beautiful as it is heartwarming, it doesn't showcase the really outlandish nature of Gondry's film. Mood Indigo is the story of Colin (Roman Duris), a man who one day demands to the universe that he fall in love. Sure enough, he does just that as he meets the reassuring (and equally interesting) Chloe (Audrey Tautou), with whom he engages in a whirlwind love affair. Just as things look to be proceeding towards their happy end, the newlyweds encounter a bit of a snag: Chloe comes into contact with a spore that is killing her slowly. The only treatment is that she needs to be surrounded by fresh flowers at all times.
The story is based off of Boris Vlan's 1947 novel L'Ecume Des Jours, or Froth On The Daydream, which was also the basis of a Russian opera in 1981 from composer Edison Denisov. Staying power seems to be the strong suit of this project, and Michel Gondry's imaginative retro futuristic imagery helps keep it rooted in the original era of the story while setting it in the present day. If the trailer left any doubt what type of movie this was going to be, then the film's official poster definitely seals the deal.
All this movie needs is a pair of crazy kids from our modern times and a field of classically painted flowers for them to sit amidst. That combination tells you all you need to know about this movie, as well as the man who is behind it. Much like the films that he makes, Michel Gondry is one of those filmmakers that not only loves to find the traces of bygone eras in our modern times, he loves to celebrate the fact that these things have survived. Mood Indigo is slated for theatrical release on July 18th, 2014; which leaves plenty of time to demand that the universe help you plan a date night to go see it.
