``Diva'' Jean-Jacques Benex's feature debut, which created a new wave in the French film industry.

Rich characters predict current diversity

In terms of other characters, there are also people who make a strong impact. Of course Goldish and Alba stir the imagination as to what kind of relationship they have, but the two assassins chasing Jules are rich characters that you'll never forget once you've seen them. In the movie, they are referred to as ``Caribbean'' and ``skinheads,'' but the skinheads' behavior is particularly strange and striking.

As the name suggests, the hairstyle is punk. You can't see the expression in his eyes because of his sunglasses. She always wears an earphone in her right ear and loves chanson. And his catchphrase is, "I hate that guy." That's pretty much all I say. Because of his unique presence, he is often featured larger than other characters on posters, and can be said to be the unsung protagonist of ``Diva.'' Dominique Pinon, who played the role, appeared in Benex films such as `` The Moon in the Ditch '' and `` Betty Blue '', and then became a regular in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's films in `` Delicatessen '' (1991), and appeared in `` Amélie' '. ” (01).

And when I look at the characters as a whole, I notice that there is a high percentage of "non-white" characters. This was a rare level even among French films of the time. Alba, who lives with Goldish, is of Vietnamese descent. The men at the record company who contact Cynthia Hawkins are of Taiwanese descent. Cynthia herself and the prostitute Jules begs for help are black. It's just like a modern Hollywood movie: diversity. At the time of its release, this percentage of non-white people was novel, but it is now a common sight in movies. In a sense, it's also prophetic.

"Diva" (c)Photofest / Getty Images

Wilhelmenia Fernandez, who plays the role of Cynthia, is a talented actress in the opera world who played one of the leading roles in ``La Bohème'' in the 1979-80 season of the Paris Opera House, against such big names as Plácido Domingo. Due to her reputation, she was selected for the role of ``Diva'', and the singing voice in the play is her own.

Frédéric Andrei, who played Jules, played the leading role in a work that was loved by so many people, but it seems that he originally wanted to be a director, and after ``Diva'' he appeared in several TV movies and starred in short films. Gained experience in supervisory work. However, his long-awaited feature film was not a success, and he disappeared from the film industry. ``Diva'' became Frederick's only ``shine.''

In ``Diva'', scenes of Paris such as the Opera Garnier, Place de la Concorde, and Gare Saint-Lazare, as well as Jules's motorcycle riding around the metro station, are also the main characters. And since the opera is an important part, so is the music...I can't say enough about the highlights, which is probably why this movie is loved over time.

Text: Hiroaki Saito

Became freelance in 1997, contributing movie reviews and interview articles to various media such as movie magazines, theater pamphlets, and movie sites. The column is constantly updated on Yahoo! News.

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