I really would like to know, how is French cinema, television, and the celebrities different from American?

Show all answers

Vladimir ILL

Most of our best actors are people with a strong education, and high references - they very often play in films, but also theater if not singers sometimes - They are "professionals"
and the volume of their butts is not the predominant factor - but the volume of their brain has a role to play -
"Saturday night fever" is the example which makes here many people piuke - Travolta's brain how many ounces ?

French films are built on strong scenarios, give high importance to psychology, and relationship analysis - we are in that field very strong -

French films do not kill the spectators with avalanches of primal effects - such as noises, crashes, horror, violence for violence - this is very primitive and very quickly boring - so it requires a constant auction escalade -

It is true that our channels are invaded with trash - nobody is obliged to look at them - but it is true also that the realization of a film - both GOOD AND POPULAR is possible - american films treat the public as minced meat for sausages and this shows a kind of social despise which french can detect and reject, - until today -

Nick

Well, 1st I'm French so sorry for my English!

French TV is getting closer and closer than US TV.

We have most of your TV shows/ series but only the best remain on air because the others are canceled in case of a lack of audience!

Of course (and unfortunately) we have Reality TV and most of the Real-TV-programs are based upon American shows. For instance "la Nouvelle Star" is the French version for "American Idol", "Koh Lanta " is quite similar to "Survivor" (and runs for 8 years), and we used to have "Fear Factor" on air. Private TV channels are those who broadcast most of these programs (TF1, M6, etc...). In September stars for 8 years "Star academy" a program where you follow a group in a castle who learns to become a singing-star... even if we don't talk about' em two years later ^^.

TV games are really similar to the US ones. The most famous is "Qui veut gagner des millions?" (Who wants to be a millionaire?). We used to have "Etre vous plus intelligent qu'un Ã©lÃ¨ve de 10 ans?" and "A prendre ou a laisser" French versions of your shows "Are you smarter than a 10 y/o" and "Deal or No deal?"...

Public TV (France 2, France 3, France 5, France Ã”, France 4) are the most intelligent with cultural programs for all ages (some are really boring.... some are not!). For Music you can watch "TARATATA" on France 2 late on Friday evening where you'll see a lot of good bands and stars.
Every main channel has its own "J.T" (Journal TÃ©lÃ©visÃ© = NEWS), but the best are those on TF1, FR.2 and the "Soir 3" late on FR.3. The channel "LCI" provides only news.

For cinema and TV you'll quick see that most of the movies and shows from the US are (unfortunately) dubbed in French... and that's crap!! When going at the movies to see a foreign movie, check for the times where you see the indication "VO" which means "Version Originale" (the movie is in English for instance and subtitled in French. These are much better. On TV if you have a satellite/Cable TV you can sometimes choose your language. You have to know that French movies are not the best and not really impressive but very often the story is good and not boring. Avoid French comedy (except if you really are good in French) because they are addressed mainly to French People and you might not understand everything. (I don't mean you're stupid!!^^, it's just that you have to know that you have cultural jokes, word play). Actually it could be funny if it's a movie with jokes about the situation...Anyway!.... To sum it up: prefer cultural programs on TV to shows, games, etc (BTW, French TV doesn't have many talk shows. Many of them are in the late evening on TF1, FR2 and M6), go to the movies to see French Thrillers and Police movies. Avoid comedies and prefer the VO movies for foreign movies!^^ To answer to your question: there is quality but you have to find it, to want it...'cause you can also have crap! Hope that helps.... sorry for my English and have a good time at the Movies!^^

sweetmommy

For the most part, French films still have great story lines and low budgets that do not support big CGI and Special Effects, just good story telling. Unfortunately, most countries follow the "American Way" and I'm sure that France will start, if they haven't already, "Reality Shows". Ugh!

Carlo T

Here's the thing. French cinema is excellent - or at least thoughtful. Some of French TV is public - a bit more like BBC than PBS in that it's actually influential. Much of it is brainy stuff and news, although private TV channels are mostly crap, lame sitcoms and the like. Not all of it though. Theatre, I'm not sure about.

The problem is this: French people nowadays go for American TV and movies. They get the same crappy stuff we get, and they eat it up. I think this is ridiculous, but they love it. If you go to France and you want to watch only French movies and TV, you will not be bored. But the preponderance of entertainment there is American, subbed or dubbed. And it's not usually the occasional brilliant American work, it's mostly the generic explosions movies, and (literally, I kid you not) Jerry Springer and Chuck Norris.

Rose

Hey there!

You say there is nothing good on American TV now... I dare you to go to France and write me back about your experience.

I had to work in France for a couple of months. I'm a french Canadian so I understand the language. I think that TV in France suck unless you're from there. The only thing on TV (75%) of the time was political talk about their president. 20% of the time there was OLD translated American movies and as for the rest... boring.

I've also went to se some movies and I just didn't get it comedy wise.

Another fun fact about France that you may not be aware of is that nothing is open on Sundays and they take breaks in the middle of the day during the week and on Saturdays. I found it hard to plan my shopping around inconvenient hours like that. When I got back home I was so happy to set foot into a mall. I never thought I could miss shopping so much.

BUT the #1 reason to go there is the food! OMG! SOOOO GOOD!!!

#2 WINE! Cheap and awesome wine galore!

Please, seriously, go to France and e-mail me what you think!

Bon voyage!

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: