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Some of the French stereotypes in the film are hilarious, however. There’s more than a little snobbishness to some of the characters as well, although the character who is the biggest snob is Ego, who is British, and the film goes out of its way to subvert that reputation among foodies and the French throughout the story. On the other hand, who can forget Colette’s line, “We hate to be rude, but we’re French!” The prejudice against the French for their perceived rudeness is a pretty easy joke, but on my few trips to France I’ve never encountered any. Some of these are undoubtedly true, such as Paris’s reputation as a paradise for food lovers, where you can find the best of the best in cuisine. In addition, this American-made film plays up some common outsider preconceptions about France and the French people. That’s not necessarily a bad thing per se, but it does make the film’s Paris feel a bit exaggerated at times. It’s heavy on beauty and the stereotypical visuals of Paris one might expect from a postcard or a quick visit, and light on what one might imagine are the realities of Paris life. Ratatouille’s Paris is still very much a tourist’s impression of the city, however. Of course, as all great films do, Ratatouille uses these visuals to reinforce the themes of the film, about honoring tradition while not being afraid of the new. For those who have visited Paris, this will feel extremely familiar, as this juxtaposition of the old and the new is very much a part of the city’s atmosphere. This gives the Paris of the film a bit of a fantasy feeling, with one sequence feeling like it might be at home in the 1950s while others feeling like they belong in the 21 st century. Compare, for instance, Lalo’s classic Vespa scooter and Colette’s more recent motorcycle. Specifically, the film eschews things like computers and cell phones, and the vehicles on the streets range show a wide range of ages. There’s a certain timelessness to the film, created by combining the classic and the modern, much like Paris itself. But the Paris in the film was never intended to be 100% faithful to the real thing.
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The Paris presented in Ratatouille is visually stunning, capturing both stunning views of the city and landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the street-level, everyday Paris, a bustling metropolis. Ratatouille is practically a love letter to Paris. But one of the most crucial, and often overlooked, aspects of the film is France itself, specifically the city of Paris, which beyond being just the setting for the story is almost a character on its own. The moment when Anton Ego tastes Remy’s ratatouille and is transported back to his youth is one of my all-time favorite film moments, and I remember watching the film for the first time and sobbing from that moment through the end of the credits until the ushers came in to clean up the theater. It was one of the first films I ever reviewed on my blog (almost nine years ago, and it’s embarrassing to read), and one I’ve written about more than once. It’s Pixar’s most adult film, the perfect balance of humor and emotion, with a great message about staying true to yourself no matter what society may think of you. Day 1 focuses on French cinema, while day 2 will cover France as a film subject. This post is a part of the France on Film Blogathon, hosted by Serendipitous Anachronisms.