A R C H I V E1 9 8 3  
.2
  Pascal Kané
Chirico par Cocteau | La Couleur de l'Abīme
 
  France 1981 | France 1983
36:00, colour | 52:00, colour
'Chirico par Cocteau' is an episode from 'Regards Entendus' (see Grandrieux & Kuntzel). Cocteau dedicated two texts ('Le Mystère Laïque' and 'Des Beaux-Arts Considérés comme un Assassinat') to the metaphysical period of Giorgio de Chirico. Kané accepted Cocteau's challenge and violated De Chirico's work by trespassing with the camera to film what it has to say rather than what it shows. To allow De Chirico's silence to be heard, Kané chose 'Nabucco' by Verdi. Jean Marais narrates. 'La Couleur de l'Abīme' is a fantastic film in which a colour turns out to be a living being threatening to encircle a house. No simulated monsters are needed to frighten Stevenin and his family to death, just special video effects.

Chirico par Cocteau
Text: Jean Cocteau, Quotes from Giorgio de Chirico, Recitation: Jean Marais, Music: Giuseppe Verdi, Production: INA for TF 1

La Couleur de l'Abīme
Camera: Gilberto Azevedo and others, Special Effects: Stéphane Huter, Music: Béla Bartók, With: Jean-Franccedil;ois Stevenin, Evelyne Dress and others, Production: INA