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6.7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Taris remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have ten minutes to spare today, you should probably just watch this. It is perfect for anyone who likes old-school weirdness or just wants to see what people thought was cool in 1931. If you hate black-and-white films where nothing 'happens,' you will probably be bored out of your mind within thirty seconds.
Jean Vigo made this little documentary about a guy named Jean Taris. Taris was a big-shot swimming champion back then, and this movie is basically a video manual on how to swim like him. 🏊♂️
It starts out pretty normal, or as normal as things got back then. Taris stands by the pool in a sweater and talks to the camera. He looks incredibly uncomfortable, like a kid being forced to give a speech in front of the whole school. His eyes keep darting around. It is kind of charming how awkward he is before he gets into the water.
But then, he jumps in. And that is when the movie actually starts to feel alive.
Vigo uses these underwater shots that must have been a total nightmare to film in the early 30s. You see Taris moving through the water, and it looks so heavy and thick. There are all these tiny bubbles clinging to his skin like little diamonds. 💎
The sound is a bit crunchy and distorted, which actually adds to the vibe. It feels like you are eavesdropping on a dream someone had a century ago. It is much more hypnotic than something like White Pants Willie, which is just... different.
There is this one moment where Taris is swimming toward the camera and his face looks almost scary. He has this intense focus, like he is trying to fight the water instead of just moving through it. I found myself staring at his weirdly high-waisted swimsuit more than his actual stroke technique.
Vigo plays with the film speed too. He reverses the footage at one point so Taris flies out of the pool and lands on the deck perfectly dry. It is a simple trick, but it made me laugh. It feels like the director was just having fun with his new toy.
The editing is a bit jumpy in places. One second he is doing the crawl, and the next, the film cuts so fast it almost gives you whiplash. It is not smooth, but it has a rhythm that works if you don't think about it too hard.
I noticed that the water in the pool looks kind of dark and murky. Not like the bright blue chemical pools we have now. It looks like he is swimming in a giant vat of cold tea. 🍵
Some of the shots remind me of the quiet mood in The Sorrowful Song of the Sea. Just that feeling of being isolated in a big, wet world.
Taris eventually does some underwater acrobatics. He blows out all his air and just sinks to the bottom, sitting there like he’s waiting for a bus. It is strangely peaceful to watch. You can see the light flickering through the surface of the water in big, shaky stripes.
The film doesn't try to explain much. It just shows you. I like that it doesn't have a narrator talking over every single second, telling you why swimming is good for your health. It is just a visual diary of a guy who is really good at not drowning.
It’s definitely a better use of time than watching something like Felix Puts It Over, even if that one has its own weird charms. This feels more like art, even if it was meant to be an educational short.
The ending is the best part. Taris finishes his laps, gets out, and suddenly he is dressed in a suit and hat. He just walks away like he didn't just spend the last nine minutes half-naked in a pool. It is so abrupt and funny.
Overall, it is just a cool little artifact. It is not going to change your life, but it might make you want to go for a swim. Or at least appreciate how much easier it is to film things underwater now. 🌊
I caught myself re-watching the part where he does the breaststroke because the way his arms move looks like a giant frog. I mean that as a compliment. It is pure grace, even if the film grain makes it look like it was shot through a screen door.
If you like movies that feel like they were discovered in a dusty attic, this is for you. If not, well, at least it is short enough that you won't feel like you wasted your afternoon.
IMDb —
1917
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