La Belle verte is directed by Colline Serreau,a talented woman film maker from France who made us all laugh with joy with her 1985 film "Trois hommes et un couffin".Her film is probably the only French film of recent times that talks of nature,environment and importance of greenery in our daily existence.In La Belle verte,we see how an alien lady from a green planet descend on French capital Paris in order to gather information about the status of greenery. What follows is absolutely shocking for this alien person as she learns that earth's inhabitants have almost no respect for nature,greenery and environment. Apart from its pro nature stance,La Belle verte is also a searing attack on consumerist society where modern human beings have no idea of nature's power.This forces them to eat meat,listen to music which is nothing but cacophony.An important role in this film is played by Colline Serreau who is effective as Mila,lady from green planet.Thanks to a DVD box set of Colline Serreau's films,la Belle verte is enjoying renewed popularity as a film that has highlighted mother earth's plight.
33 Reviews
Humorous, delightful, philosophically deep and a delight to watch. A hidden gem!
thedarkhorizon25 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
A friend recommended it to me, otherwise I would never have found this gem. (found a German translation for free online)
An alien society takes a trip back to earth - and the female visitor uncovers all kinds of things that humans take for granted and exposes them as unnecessary, overly cruel or just plain stupid. There is a lot of poetry hidden.
Well, to be frank, the first 10 Minutes of the film I was bored, because the film starts with a mass discussion of the alien society in a field about who should go to earth and why. Basically, this long scene serves as an establisher for the story line, but for a viewer who has NO clue what's going on this is overall too long. I was happy I sat through these scenes and got a feeling for their peaceful mindset throughout these images.
After this, when the female protagonist starts her journey, the pace takes up on speed and grip. She runs around, asking questions; encounters humans and re-wires them even with some (seemingly silly) grimaces. Overall, the film feels kind of slap-stick funny, sometimes awkward and stupid - but if you look at the underlying philosophy, you are pleased to see and FEEL how much truth lies in here. "Why is the soil covered with grey concrete?". "Why does a baby need to have papers to 'exist' in a state?". "Why do you need to exchange rectangular paper to get some food?". "Why must you die from an accident caused by noisy, moving boxes?" (cars) "Why do you watch a box showing people telling lies?" (TV) up to encounters with a doctor who the protagonist changes with her mind-beding technique into a good person instead of a cruel one. He starts to help her, starts being more sincere with his family and helps her hide a baby who would have been taken to a sage house. Overall, the film is filled to the brim with great dialogue - for me.
The rest of the film, eg. the art department, the cinematography, the acting, ... is in my eyes good but still average, it wasn't a mind blowing experience from this perspective. BUT the ideas, the (still hands-on well crafted) expected look of the film, the dialogue, the underlying philosophy of this story made me cherish this gem a lot.
Prepare for some mind reset and a good, uplifting time: the film will ask the important questions, but will answer it with an upbeat, happy feeling in the end.. without answering a lot of the questions asked. It made me happy and it changed my destiny a tiny bit.
An alien society takes a trip back to earth - and the female visitor uncovers all kinds of things that humans take for granted and exposes them as unnecessary, overly cruel or just plain stupid. There is a lot of poetry hidden.
Well, to be frank, the first 10 Minutes of the film I was bored, because the film starts with a mass discussion of the alien society in a field about who should go to earth and why. Basically, this long scene serves as an establisher for the story line, but for a viewer who has NO clue what's going on this is overall too long. I was happy I sat through these scenes and got a feeling for their peaceful mindset throughout these images.
After this, when the female protagonist starts her journey, the pace takes up on speed and grip. She runs around, asking questions; encounters humans and re-wires them even with some (seemingly silly) grimaces. Overall, the film feels kind of slap-stick funny, sometimes awkward and stupid - but if you look at the underlying philosophy, you are pleased to see and FEEL how much truth lies in here. "Why is the soil covered with grey concrete?". "Why does a baby need to have papers to 'exist' in a state?". "Why do you need to exchange rectangular paper to get some food?". "Why must you die from an accident caused by noisy, moving boxes?" (cars) "Why do you watch a box showing people telling lies?" (TV) up to encounters with a doctor who the protagonist changes with her mind-beding technique into a good person instead of a cruel one. He starts to help her, starts being more sincere with his family and helps her hide a baby who would have been taken to a sage house. Overall, the film is filled to the brim with great dialogue - for me.
The rest of the film, eg. the art department, the cinematography, the acting, ... is in my eyes good but still average, it wasn't a mind blowing experience from this perspective. BUT the ideas, the (still hands-on well crafted) expected look of the film, the dialogue, the underlying philosophy of this story made me cherish this gem a lot.
Prepare for some mind reset and a good, uplifting time: the film will ask the important questions, but will answer it with an upbeat, happy feeling in the end.. without answering a lot of the questions asked. It made me happy and it changed my destiny a tiny bit.
A glimmer of hope
merlin987717 November 2004
As opposed to the last reviewer, I found this movie completely refreshing. Finally, a movie that presents the quirks of our modern and frantic living in a very humorous and simple way (check out Kooyaanisqatsi if you need a more abstract and poetic view). This movie doesn't "try" to make you laugh, you just do so because you can see yourself in it.
This may not be a movie that Americans will quite get into since the type of humor and cultural background is very French in deed (and it does point out the absurdity of a lot of things we do here in North America as well as in Europe). It is highly commendable for the social comments it passes (just check out the scene where Vincent Lindon accidentally scratches someone else's car's rear view mirror or when the baby doesn't exist since it doesn't have papers). The movie as a lyrical feel to it and gives us hope. We just have to listen a bit closely. I give it a solid 7,5/10
This may not be a movie that Americans will quite get into since the type of humor and cultural background is very French in deed (and it does point out the absurdity of a lot of things we do here in North America as well as in Europe). It is highly commendable for the social comments it passes (just check out the scene where Vincent Lindon accidentally scratches someone else's car's rear view mirror or when the baby doesn't exist since it doesn't have papers). The movie as a lyrical feel to it and gives us hope. We just have to listen a bit closely. I give it a solid 7,5/10
Don't listen to Phroggy, best movie ever made.
maxsimona26 January 2000
This movie is undiscovered or perhaps denied genius. Watch it, give yourself to it, you can't help both feel great and wonder what our society's up to these days, how really far behind we are, of our own selves, even. Fantastic idea from start to finish, (ET's, super-advanced humans have been keeping track of a number of civilizations, including ours, which has been the slowest to develop. They're surprised we still use money, and live less than a hundred years. What they note through this point of view will astonish you.) Well done, really well done, every detail well cured, and thoroughly thought out. Surprising, entertaining, intelligent movie. Visually and conceptually stimulating, a more mature movie than say, Rambo. But fit for kids, too.
An inhuman film
rgcustomer9 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Rather than comedy (it has few laughs) this film is more correctly labeled religious.
The film is based on a sort of hippie perspective that all we need to do is throw away the efforts of the last few centuries and we'll just naturally be healthier, live longer, and even gain telepathy.
It's of course fairy tale nonsense, and destructive to our future. Any human society living as depicted on the all-white-people planet would soon succumb to disease and population loss. It would be especially hard on women, who would have to have more children to offset the increased infant mortality. The rest of the universe doesn't care what you think. You're just food, or an obstacle.
It's telling that the connection of one mind to another, to control its behavior is called "disconnection". This is the language of propaganda.
In the end, I felt a little bit like I was seeing more Cirque du Soleil nonsense, but without the production values, where some idiot acting the fool claims to reveal deep truths about ourselves by jumping on things.
The film is based on a sort of hippie perspective that all we need to do is throw away the efforts of the last few centuries and we'll just naturally be healthier, live longer, and even gain telepathy.
It's of course fairy tale nonsense, and destructive to our future. Any human society living as depicted on the all-white-people planet would soon succumb to disease and population loss. It would be especially hard on women, who would have to have more children to offset the increased infant mortality. The rest of the universe doesn't care what you think. You're just food, or an obstacle.
It's telling that the connection of one mind to another, to control its behavior is called "disconnection". This is the language of propaganda.
In the end, I felt a little bit like I was seeing more Cirque du Soleil nonsense, but without the production values, where some idiot acting the fool claims to reveal deep truths about ourselves by jumping on things.
Disconnect yourself
dibau_naum_h3 March 2004
did you ever wonder why the floor under your feet , in the place where you live are covered with a gray material, & you can't see the soil? why this floor is full of poop? why are there boxes of metal emitting gases that you must breath? why you live in high cages, forced to hear the noise of these metal boxes? why you're driving them, & not using your feet, causing you to eventually have heart attack, if you won't die earlier from cancer from the gases, or an accident with the fast moving boxes? why you eat corpses of animals? why you use pieces of paper entitling you to any value, without which you won't have nothing, not even food? why you eat unhealthy food? why you're sitting every evening watching a box showing people telling lies, & dirtying your mind? why do you let yourself be led by fat selfish people caring only about themselves, their money & power, why don't we really listen to each other, talk to each other, why do we have these hierarchies, in which the stupidiest, incapable ones rule, control & exploit the goodness & capable weaker ones? why we go about doing wrong immoral things just because we're being told, why we we're constantly mad, worried & frustrated with such small trivial things, like a scratch in the mirror of our cars, & never see, appreciate & thank the beautiful wonderful life, nature & world that sorrounds & support us? why we ruin the world, poison ourselves, live in ugliness, support the rich selfish people exploiting us, selling us lies, tobbaco, weapons & arms, killing people with the money that we're forced to pay them as taxes?
if you haven't wondered on all this, its because you're like an ant, small cell in the super-organism, & can't see beyond your cell's vision. what you need is to be disconnected, shocked by artists such as Coline Serreau, that have a vision that you don't have, consciousness, different from that of the ants. such artists, like Jesus & Johann Sebastian Bach, cause the world to change, the super-organism to evolve into something more intelligent, more good for its cells, that are given life.
if you haven't wondered on all this, its because you're like an ant, small cell in the super-organism, & can't see beyond your cell's vision. what you need is to be disconnected, shocked by artists such as Coline Serreau, that have a vision that you don't have, consciousness, different from that of the ants. such artists, like Jesus & Johann Sebastian Bach, cause the world to change, the super-organism to evolve into something more intelligent, more good for its cells, that are given life.
Funny
mohamadacma30 September 2020
There is a planet out there devoid of earth problems and where people are living happy lives and long liives( 200-300years old). They send people to planets to spread happiness. Nobody wants to go to earth but a woman who she thinks has earthling relatives volunteers and go to earth to see all the noise,pollution, and people shouting at each other. She uses her superpower by putting her two hands on her head and wringing her head back suddenly,and by doing that she disconnects people and thy become happy, or kind toward nature and other people. Favorite scenes at the airport with two sons. Worth watching
Basically, everything we need to know
anwaldi-50-1619977 June 2011
7th June 2011. I am 30 years old and live in London, UK. I was born in Gran Canaria and, a day like today, I happen to watch "La Belle Verte"...........
I haven't read many reviews of the ones already written, but I have seen that many people have given 10 out of 10. I also give 10 out of 10 because it somehow expresses that this "film" should be watched by everybody that needs to "wake up", to see our existence from the distance, with objectivity. It doesn't matter if some people claim that it gets "repetitive". That's just like saying that your mother's, girlfriend or boyfriend kisses are "repetitive". This film is pure LOVE. Forget about cinematography, or technicalities of filmmaking. This film is a film but it could well be a book, or a theatre play. Coline Serreau probably thought that in these days, with film this could get further, to everybody, that's why, I guess. There's only been another film that made such an impression to me: "Into the Wild". Thanks Coline. Thanks for helping me to continue to get re-connected. I keep trying.
I haven't read many reviews of the ones already written, but I have seen that many people have given 10 out of 10. I also give 10 out of 10 because it somehow expresses that this "film" should be watched by everybody that needs to "wake up", to see our existence from the distance, with objectivity. It doesn't matter if some people claim that it gets "repetitive". That's just like saying that your mother's, girlfriend or boyfriend kisses are "repetitive". This film is pure LOVE. Forget about cinematography, or technicalities of filmmaking. This film is a film but it could well be a book, or a theatre play. Coline Serreau probably thought that in these days, with film this could get further, to everybody, that's why, I guess. There's only been another film that made such an impression to me: "Into the Wild". Thanks Coline. Thanks for helping me to continue to get re-connected. I keep trying.
When it wasn't boring it was simply insulting
siderite25 June 2018
The film starts with the tired idea of the noble savages: far away on their pristine planet, an agrarian society, that lives in harmony with itself and nature and has people with mental powers, decides it is time to send people on Earth, just because they haven't done it in 200 years. It's just that no one wants to go. Earth is stupid and ugly and corrupt. Yet, one of them wants to go, a woman who has heard her mother was actually from Earth. And she comes, teleported by the mental powers of her peers, only to scorn everything, from the polluted air to the dirty water, from the eating of meat to the concept of money. It goes like this until the very end, where the film just ends.
What I found insulting is that, under the guise of well intended ignorance, the alien woman wreaks havoc with everything and everybody around her, from mental rapes to breaking technology, just because "it's bad for us". Yet she and her society prove again and again that they are very capable of doing the very things that they scorn at the beginning. Her sons soon join her, for the single reason of getting beautiful Earth girls. They quickly learn to drive a car and listen to music, then have fun making two football teams in a large match start dancing and kissing each other, or professional concert players do random interpretations of rock music. When they return, they take a rock CD, after explaining how great their "concerts of silence" are.
I managed to see the film through just because I expected it to end with a great reveal, a satire of the satire, to prove that having double standards and being arrogant about your own culture to the point where you can just violate another was the whole joke. Alas, the film took itself seriously to the end. Imagine a vegetarian with the mental power to "disconnect" you, whenever you feel like eating pork. It's like that the entire movie.
What I found insulting is that, under the guise of well intended ignorance, the alien woman wreaks havoc with everything and everybody around her, from mental rapes to breaking technology, just because "it's bad for us". Yet she and her society prove again and again that they are very capable of doing the very things that they scorn at the beginning. Her sons soon join her, for the single reason of getting beautiful Earth girls. They quickly learn to drive a car and listen to music, then have fun making two football teams in a large match start dancing and kissing each other, or professional concert players do random interpretations of rock music. When they return, they take a rock CD, after explaining how great their "concerts of silence" are.
I managed to see the film through just because I expected it to end with a great reveal, a satire of the satire, to prove that having double standards and being arrogant about your own culture to the point where you can just violate another was the whole joke. Alas, the film took itself seriously to the end. Imagine a vegetarian with the mental power to "disconnect" you, whenever you feel like eating pork. It's like that the entire movie.
A complete new vision of where we come from
my-647-82694415 November 2014
This movie gives a new perspective about things. It goes way beyond our roots as human beings and teach us to appreciate the very basic of out way of life.
Since it was written, directed and acted by Coline Serreau, whose mind have created one of the most interesting "futures" or "origins" of the human race. Because it differs from all the robots, clones, zombies, chaos, destruction, desolation, etc. that we have seen across the ages.
Humorously presented, it touches a very special feeling in us as humans and leaves us thinking why, really, are we here.
It may be kind of hard to see for some people because it touches all of our main aspects in life: politics, religion, classes and races. But make no mistake, this picture should be seen by everybody. You won't regret.
Since it was written, directed and acted by Coline Serreau, whose mind have created one of the most interesting "futures" or "origins" of the human race. Because it differs from all the robots, clones, zombies, chaos, destruction, desolation, etc. that we have seen across the ages.
Humorously presented, it touches a very special feeling in us as humans and leaves us thinking why, really, are we here.
It may be kind of hard to see for some people because it touches all of our main aspects in life: politics, religion, classes and races. But make no mistake, this picture should be seen by everybody. You won't regret.
Hippie Almighty - The mess is the message
Mikelito22 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This is a very feminine movie. If the evil, vile, yes vicious rule of Man is ever abolished we could be looking at a plethora of movies like this.
The main character is a Woman and she is the only volunteer of her Planet willing to travel to and sanitize and re-educate Earth which is described as the most backward, idiotic, violent Planet in the Universe.
You see, there's this future advanced society of (let's say) hippies on another planet (or time) who don't drive cars, have no TV or money.
"Hippies from Space" - All of them are Caucasian by the way. But don't worry - later on it is revealed that Australian Aborigines are the ultimate sages of Planet Earth. Now if that doesn't convince you of the film's good intentions...
Our female hero comes to Earth via White Bubble (no less) in a garment from the time of the French Revolution and by golly she is repelled by all that horrific meat-eating, air-polluting etc. This is a setting that guarantees some people's instant vomiting:
Hippies from the Future/Cosmos in Paris. A sure-fire blockbuster and next in line to be re-done by Hollywood. Yeah right. "Universal Hippie" (Rated R).
Coline Serreau (of 3 Men and a Baby) wrote, directed AND starred in this movie. If you are frenchophobe and misogynous I strongly suggest you skip this one.
And by the way this happens to reek of eco-fascism in almost every scene. But it is a comedy we must assume - at least the first 30 minutes lead you to believe that. So who knows. In fact it looks like a generic 80s comedy from Europe but it was done in the 90s. Evidently genius transcends the time of mere mortals.
I only have a fuzzy idea of what the "Mastress" of this oeuvre wants but I think: She's criticizing the Modern Age but making fun of the supposed alternatives as well. I hope so because those future hippies are horrific. Almost as dull as the Eloi in Time Machine.
There are memorable, funny scenes in this movie and some that make you cringe. The low point of the movie comes your way during a hospital scene - our hero "re-loads" her energies with the help of a new-born which happens to be the product of a Serb having raped a Bosnian after which she abandoned the child. I have no idea what stuff like this is doing in and for a comedy. It is just one example why it all looks like the essay of a freakishly creative 8-year-old school girl.
Oh, and there is a silent concert here as well, meaning our future genius hippies participate in it telepathically. Can you dig it, man? You see, this is a very esoteric piece we have here. And lurking around every corner there are cathartic collapses and spiritual re-births of bad world-polluting evil-doers.
Incidentally Jesus was, of course, one of those E.T. hippies himself. This is a prequel to "Bruce Almighty" of some sorts. Kind of like "Hippie Almighty". That makes it 3 alternative titles with the word Hippie in this review. I guess we will leave it at that.
This mess of a movie seems to lose its way half-way through. There is a lot of dancing & prancing of people in nature. Skippy hippies on Planet Green. In fact this movie endangers you to believe the French are all women. With or without.
Bummer, I thought "Hippie" was written "Hippy" - what a pity - I imagined those "Hippys" jumping around on their Planet Green like "Skippy" - the credible land-bound Flipper of Australia.
I think it's best to watch this movie drunk or in a feminine state of mind. Of course this is a compliment. So flip your wig and dig it, "Man"?
The main character is a Woman and she is the only volunteer of her Planet willing to travel to and sanitize and re-educate Earth which is described as the most backward, idiotic, violent Planet in the Universe.
You see, there's this future advanced society of (let's say) hippies on another planet (or time) who don't drive cars, have no TV or money.
"Hippies from Space" - All of them are Caucasian by the way. But don't worry - later on it is revealed that Australian Aborigines are the ultimate sages of Planet Earth. Now if that doesn't convince you of the film's good intentions...
Our female hero comes to Earth via White Bubble (no less) in a garment from the time of the French Revolution and by golly she is repelled by all that horrific meat-eating, air-polluting etc. This is a setting that guarantees some people's instant vomiting:
Hippies from the Future/Cosmos in Paris. A sure-fire blockbuster and next in line to be re-done by Hollywood. Yeah right. "Universal Hippie" (Rated R).
Coline Serreau (of 3 Men and a Baby) wrote, directed AND starred in this movie. If you are frenchophobe and misogynous I strongly suggest you skip this one.
And by the way this happens to reek of eco-fascism in almost every scene. But it is a comedy we must assume - at least the first 30 minutes lead you to believe that. So who knows. In fact it looks like a generic 80s comedy from Europe but it was done in the 90s. Evidently genius transcends the time of mere mortals.
I only have a fuzzy idea of what the "Mastress" of this oeuvre wants but I think: She's criticizing the Modern Age but making fun of the supposed alternatives as well. I hope so because those future hippies are horrific. Almost as dull as the Eloi in Time Machine.
There are memorable, funny scenes in this movie and some that make you cringe. The low point of the movie comes your way during a hospital scene - our hero "re-loads" her energies with the help of a new-born which happens to be the product of a Serb having raped a Bosnian after which she abandoned the child. I have no idea what stuff like this is doing in and for a comedy. It is just one example why it all looks like the essay of a freakishly creative 8-year-old school girl.
Oh, and there is a silent concert here as well, meaning our future genius hippies participate in it telepathically. Can you dig it, man? You see, this is a very esoteric piece we have here. And lurking around every corner there are cathartic collapses and spiritual re-births of bad world-polluting evil-doers.
Incidentally Jesus was, of course, one of those E.T. hippies himself. This is a prequel to "Bruce Almighty" of some sorts. Kind of like "Hippie Almighty". That makes it 3 alternative titles with the word Hippie in this review. I guess we will leave it at that.
This mess of a movie seems to lose its way half-way through. There is a lot of dancing & prancing of people in nature. Skippy hippies on Planet Green. In fact this movie endangers you to believe the French are all women. With or without.
Bummer, I thought "Hippie" was written "Hippy" - what a pity - I imagined those "Hippys" jumping around on their Planet Green like "Skippy" - the credible land-bound Flipper of Australia.
I think it's best to watch this movie drunk or in a feminine state of mind. Of course this is a compliment. So flip your wig and dig it, "Man"?
Best film I've seen in years
nik-20225 July 2009
If you don't understand French you are gonna miss a lot in this film because the dialogues are incredible. It was really difficult to get a hold of this film in France and after seeing it I understand why. It shows our society for what it is and how we are all just a bunch of sheep following the leader. No one wants to be shown that they are a sheep, so its no wonder this film received very little exposure. I will make sure that everyone I know will see this movie and make sure that all their friends see it too. Its a wake up call that was made over 10 years ago and we still haven't understood the message. Every high schooler, every college student should see this film, you should see this film. Its a film that calls for change. Loved it.
It will change you
MartijnBrasem2 January 2009
When I first saw this movie on Youtube, I was amazed about the foresight of her maker, Coline Serreau. That's why it's a shame after its release in 1996 this movie was banned in the EU and neglected in the rest of the World. It was far ahead of its time, and the ones who banned it knew that it would change the people, as a result of which they would lose their power. However, times have changed and the DVD can now be downloaded for free at www.romanovs.info/labelleverte.php with English, Russian or Portuguese subtitles. This movie is no SF anymore but will be our true reality in the next few years. Dear ones, watch this amazing movie, and let it change you, so that you can change the world.
Simple and beautiful
HenrikAjax25 October 2006
Once again I am struck by the original talent of Coline Serreau, who shows in "la Belle Verte", in a very simple and yet beautifully profound way, all the insane sides of humanity. Very much unlike her later film "Chaos" (2001) ,the choice of style and expression for "La Belle Verte" is a very undemanding form of comedy, which gives the movie an altogether very light tone, totally free of complexions and not at all inviting to intellectual debate. She simply points to the almost ridiculously obvious differences between a life of beauty and respect of life and one of disease, stress and egoic battle. Interesting is off course also to see the director herself in the leading part. Merci Madame! /Henrik Ajax
Best movie that shakes you and wakes you up !
jad_kojok18 December 2021
After this movie there is no going back to all the lies. You will remember the truth.
The life we are living in is a unnatural mess, and we are living in an Alice in Wonderland world where everything is wrong and upside down, where fear, paranoia and anger rules over love, peace and compassion.
Definitely watch this movie so that we can Share the truth and wake up! Let's create paradise on earth! :)
The life we are living in is a unnatural mess, and we are living in an Alice in Wonderland world where everything is wrong and upside down, where fear, paranoia and anger rules over love, peace and compassion.
Definitely watch this movie so that we can Share the truth and wake up! Let's create paradise on earth! :)
Nice Idea but Shame
milangucic5 August 2009
Since I am a big environmental fighter for clean and sustainable life, this movie was a big refreshing from the start. A funny, simple said story was something new for me since watching Earthlings. Excellent acting crew, camera, director, screenplay and story were very much promising until beautiful nurse forbidden to alien Mila holding a baby whose mother left it because Serbs raped her (during the war in Bosnia probably-but not said). It had to be a Serb who was a rapist and a Bosniak women who is a victim. Crimes were on both sides but this was a classic fascistic move from a story writer or director. Shame, this movie was more promising but fascistic media always has to be involved in our lives. In 90s every Serb was a war criminal and now every Muslim is present as Osama Bin Laden but that's another story. Shame Shame!
A True reflection of our time
guigarel29 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this film at the theater in 1996 and I just loved it. But I never watch it again until today and I was not disappointed as I feared: This movie is as Wonderful as I remembered it! I think this movie is excellent but that most of the people find it disturbing. And it is (!!) as it's about the stupidity of our world!! And people don't want to know how stupid they are, how they live their lives, closed in in their comfort and habits. But if you're not like this, you will just love this movie as it is pure genius. The whole film is very well done, with beautiful pictures, good acting and it's very funny. It's just the scene of the football match that I think was a little too much and off the subject. Otherwise Coline Serreau offer us a perfect movie: smart, funny, beautiful and touching.
shame
simon-16022-7003917 September 2021
I think some of the messages and the intent of the film are interesting, I simply couldn't get past the terrible acting. The performances were very "stage like" no subtlety, no nuance, amateurish French is not my first language, however it's not the script or the narrative, just the delivery that I couldn't handle.
Excellent Movie - Much Better than 5 Stars!
shiva3336 June 2010
Just saw this last night. It is very original, funny and has a great message. It's not the best piece of film-making cinematically speaking that I've ever seen, but well worth seeing and will give you a fresh look at "progress" of western civilization.
I only wish there were more films like this that had a real message to them, unlike the trite "slices of life" that are so common.
Warning that I don't the translation if very good.I don't know French very well but the title itself should be translated "The Beautiful Green" and not "Green Beautiful", plus we saw other translation anomalies. Wish I knew French better!
I only wish there were more films like this that had a real message to them, unlike the trite "slices of life" that are so common.
Warning that I don't the translation if very good.I don't know French very well but the title itself should be translated "The Beautiful Green" and not "Green Beautiful", plus we saw other translation anomalies. Wish I knew French better!
A Masterpiece
Scarface3024 June 2017
It is a film about Values. Real values. About best things in life - things that are not actually 'things'. And it's very funny in places. I would say it's best to watch the picture in a mellow spiritual mood together with a loved person, if there is one. If there isn't - La Belle Verte will surely bring out your inner good and you will soon find yourself in a better position towards those around you. To put it short - French cinema at its best!
La Belle Verte est un film génial
funkeltropfen24 September 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I'll write this comment as a response to another one.
First: "ET's all white and clean-cut": this is not automatically racist. This green planet is shown like a paradise, all right, but it is not shown as the only way to live right. "Sur les autres planètes, ils nous apprennent des choses!" - ("On the other planets, they teach us stuff!") says one of the Green-Planet-people. So, they are not perfect!
Also, they are saying that they have no problems because they only have ONE race on their planet. They are not saying that it is a BETTER race. They even explain the development of the Earth as "the most degenerated having the power" (and you honestly cannot say anyone else than the Whites are meant because humanity started to develop in Africa and I wouldn't say the colored people have the mass of the power on Earth.)
Later, the sons of Mila, the main character, talk to her about Aborigines: "They are beautiful! All black!" Also, the Aborigines are represented as the only people on Earth known to the Green-Planet-People who are as developed as they are, not destroying nature, knowing to do telepathy etc.
Yes, white people living in a paradise and making fun of humans on Earth - but making fun only of the WHITE people on Earth.
So much for "fascist" or "racist".
No work- simply not true. They live as farmers and farmers have to do farm work, as shown later on in the film.
No music - A CD with Elvis Presley music is brought to the people of the Green Planet, and they dance to it. Also, there has been music there in former times. This is perhaps what the Green Planet can still learn from the Earth.
No arts- well, you can say that you are bored without any arts, but those people are represented as having a very colorful life in their heads, and so many abilities with their heads - perhaps they don't need this. Or they can still learn to make visual arts, like learning to make music again. Nobody is telling you in the film that the arts are bad. Also, who knows what is happening on the other planets? Perhaps they have arts?
One of them is forced to go to Earth - oh come on. I could write the whole dialog down where Mila says she wants to go to Earth. Her sons try to keep her back and say "Mama, you're all right?" They are definitely not forcing her. Finally, the head woman asks here: "Mila, are you going or not?" and she says yes. That's it.
Do you know why they scramble the brain of some guys? Not to make it all 100 percent right. In the assembly of the Green Planet, before, they discussed that one can't make a whole population jump stages and stages of mental development, like "pulling on a salad won't make it grow." The head woman of the assembly says:" But we can put something on it" and that is what this "brain-scrambling" is.
They are attempting to make something better, but they can't change everything. What do you mean by saying "nothing gets any better?" You talk as if the Green-Planet-People had to make things better in terms of their paradise, and immediately, please. Don't forget that the film shows at the most some WEEKS of Mila and her sons on Earth. Wanna change the Earth in weeks?
They make the people around them THINK and change little ways of being. That's already much. They tell of their planet and they will come back. The Earth will not continue to be deserted of the "ET"s! And they're not messing everything up. Some mechanical devices like automates and two, three computers mess up, and a whole football match becomes a hilarious waltz dance - but this is really not the way a terrorist works to mess the Earth up. To say it short - it doesn't hurt and it makes spectators laugh. If you didn't laugh, fine. But let the others laugh.
To the football match again: maybe the fun of the people watching it is spoiled, but you certainly have fun watching it at home in front of your TV, and they don't DIE or anything. Also, the thing is not just to annoy people, but to make them think, again. Their fun could be spoiled when the game is boring. So what? They would hang in their seats and think: "Oh, I'd rather be home now." The way their "fun was spoiled" in the film, the masses rushed to the front, rushed in crowds from their seats, it wasn't clear what their emotions were, but they were certainly curious. Finally, the people playing the football match certainly had fun in the film reality. You don't get so often to kiss someone passionately on a football lawn while the judge is taking a shower on the same lawn and your whole team is dancing.
Finally: There are very few special effects, but there are some. Or can I go to your house and rent a white bubble with which to travel to the green planet? I promise I won't take you with me :-)
First: "ET's all white and clean-cut": this is not automatically racist. This green planet is shown like a paradise, all right, but it is not shown as the only way to live right. "Sur les autres planètes, ils nous apprennent des choses!" - ("On the other planets, they teach us stuff!") says one of the Green-Planet-people. So, they are not perfect!
Also, they are saying that they have no problems because they only have ONE race on their planet. They are not saying that it is a BETTER race. They even explain the development of the Earth as "the most degenerated having the power" (and you honestly cannot say anyone else than the Whites are meant because humanity started to develop in Africa and I wouldn't say the colored people have the mass of the power on Earth.)
Later, the sons of Mila, the main character, talk to her about Aborigines: "They are beautiful! All black!" Also, the Aborigines are represented as the only people on Earth known to the Green-Planet-People who are as developed as they are, not destroying nature, knowing to do telepathy etc.
Yes, white people living in a paradise and making fun of humans on Earth - but making fun only of the WHITE people on Earth.
So much for "fascist" or "racist".
No work- simply not true. They live as farmers and farmers have to do farm work, as shown later on in the film.
No music - A CD with Elvis Presley music is brought to the people of the Green Planet, and they dance to it. Also, there has been music there in former times. This is perhaps what the Green Planet can still learn from the Earth.
No arts- well, you can say that you are bored without any arts, but those people are represented as having a very colorful life in their heads, and so many abilities with their heads - perhaps they don't need this. Or they can still learn to make visual arts, like learning to make music again. Nobody is telling you in the film that the arts are bad. Also, who knows what is happening on the other planets? Perhaps they have arts?
One of them is forced to go to Earth - oh come on. I could write the whole dialog down where Mila says she wants to go to Earth. Her sons try to keep her back and say "Mama, you're all right?" They are definitely not forcing her. Finally, the head woman asks here: "Mila, are you going or not?" and she says yes. That's it.
Do you know why they scramble the brain of some guys? Not to make it all 100 percent right. In the assembly of the Green Planet, before, they discussed that one can't make a whole population jump stages and stages of mental development, like "pulling on a salad won't make it grow." The head woman of the assembly says:" But we can put something on it" and that is what this "brain-scrambling" is.
They are attempting to make something better, but they can't change everything. What do you mean by saying "nothing gets any better?" You talk as if the Green-Planet-People had to make things better in terms of their paradise, and immediately, please. Don't forget that the film shows at the most some WEEKS of Mila and her sons on Earth. Wanna change the Earth in weeks?
They make the people around them THINK and change little ways of being. That's already much. They tell of their planet and they will come back. The Earth will not continue to be deserted of the "ET"s! And they're not messing everything up. Some mechanical devices like automates and two, three computers mess up, and a whole football match becomes a hilarious waltz dance - but this is really not the way a terrorist works to mess the Earth up. To say it short - it doesn't hurt and it makes spectators laugh. If you didn't laugh, fine. But let the others laugh.
To the football match again: maybe the fun of the people watching it is spoiled, but you certainly have fun watching it at home in front of your TV, and they don't DIE or anything. Also, the thing is not just to annoy people, but to make them think, again. Their fun could be spoiled when the game is boring. So what? They would hang in their seats and think: "Oh, I'd rather be home now." The way their "fun was spoiled" in the film, the masses rushed to the front, rushed in crowds from their seats, it wasn't clear what their emotions were, but they were certainly curious. Finally, the people playing the football match certainly had fun in the film reality. You don't get so often to kiss someone passionately on a football lawn while the judge is taking a shower on the same lawn and your whole team is dancing.
Finally: There are very few special effects, but there are some. Or can I go to your house and rent a white bubble with which to travel to the green planet? I promise I won't take you with me :-)
Good Idea at the start, but becomes boring towards the End
nicholas.rhodes18 May 2002
No doubt about it, the idea for the film is quite original. An alien from a lovely planet is sent to earth for the first time in 200 years to see how the earthlings are doing. The novelty comes from its reaction to earth's current state, pollution, noise, cars, big trees etc However, I find the novelty wears off about half way through the film and the story becomes incredibly weak and repetitive. The alien returns to its planet together with sons and 2 girlfriends found on earth. The latter part of the film shows long scenes of "gymnasts" prancing around in the grass and swinging from trees. The whole thing starts to get boring and I nearly fell asleep ! From what I can gather the "planet" scenes were shot in the Auvergne area of France, a region of extinct turf-coloured volcanoes, a very beautiful area and thus one of the saving graces of the Film. But let's face it, French cinema has never been very adept at this kind of film, it's more a US speciality. So certainly nothing to write home about, and nothing lost if you miss it.
It is OK
victiminvesta25 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
So there is a hippie commune somewhere out there in the Universe and they live, as hippies should, in peace and harmony with Nature. Agrarian society. Communicating with each other by telepathy, attending "silent concerts", and do interplanetary travel in some sort of egg shaped bubbly crafts. For reasons I did not quite get they travel to various planets, Earth included and marvel at silly things the earthlings do - like money, wars, cars, tech. Etc. You know, the evils of civilization. As we learn deeper into the movie Jesus and JS Bach had been also the messengers from that planet. So, I surmise, they sort of monitor Earth and try to influence it of sorts. So, the main protagonist Mila, wants to go to Earth for no other reasons but because her mother was an Earthling. Just to check out on Earth. So she gets into egg-shaped bubbly thing and gingerly travels to modern day Paris. Where of course she discovers a few things that are wrong like air pollution, water pollution, inedible food or food made from animals (strong vegetarian message). In process of communicating with Earthlings she proceeds to screw with them so that they "open their eyes", start hugging trees, ditching their shoes to walk barefoot, discover disgust for meat eating or start throwing stale cookies at the evil cars. You know, the hippie agenda. Then things start to get a bit random, as I think at this point the director ran out of ideas. Since she can't consume inedible processed food she gets herself into maternity ward and grabs a baby who was conceived as the result of a rape of a Bosnian woman by Serbian soldiers. The baby was abandoned and being cared for by a nurse. So holding a baby "charges" Mila somehow. She falls asleep to be awaken by the nurse who like "WTF?". While they are talking the head doctor barges in and starts giving them hard time. So Mila does that mindf* thing on him and he turns into an idiot who realizes that he, as a man, has no idea as what is it to give birth to a child. Mila tugs along with "enlightened" Doc to his apartment. Sleeps on a balcony. He has out of control impudent brat son and a wife who stays with him only because of money. All these revelations are triggered by Mila's trickery. So random stuff like that. Add to this that she communicates with her planet by sitting ankle deep in the water and by holding her hands to her temples and flapping them funny. Now back to the baby. She need the baby, the nurse is conflicted because the baby will be taken away soon by Child Protection Service and she apparently is attached to the baby. So they steal the baby and go to their flat where there is also nurse's sister. Both rather attractive. While there, Mila, ankles in the bathtub communicates to her sons just to say "Hello" and they get a glimpse of two sisters and immediately want to go to Earth to get to know them. They convince their local sage commune leader to send the to Earth and they land in that egg shaped bubbly thingie somewhere in Australia among aborigines who live just like them on their planet in harmony with Nature so they are surprised to contrast that to all the bad rap their mother was giving them about Paris. So sooner or later they take a flight from Australia to Paris pulling similar mindf* on airline and customs personnel. Having arrived to Paris they meet the sisters, the Doc's son who is getting all better without watching TV all day long, they drive cars, have fun at soccer field by getting both teams perform silly ballet and then kiss and hug each other (gay theme). And then they just go back to their planet with the sisters and the baby in tow! And that's it! So how silly does that sound to you? IMO it is pretty silly.
So, enlightened hippies stole 2 hot girls + baby from that stupid planet Earth and everybody is happy. And that is basically it.
I hope that may be a lot was lost in translation and the French dialog must have been witty and full of zingers. I could only hope.
I would not say I totally did not enjoy the movie. But it is a silly movie.
So, enlightened hippies stole 2 hot girls + baby from that stupid planet Earth and everybody is happy. And that is basically it.
I hope that may be a lot was lost in translation and the French dialog must have been witty and full of zingers. I could only hope.
I would not say I totally did not enjoy the movie. But it is a silly movie.
Totally lovely
PatX19 October 2003
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is very nice, talking about how important it is to be careful of the nature, and stuff like that. I would use those words: Gaïa is there, loving us, and we are part of it, and we most be careful, because She will survive, where we couldn't. Please do not interpret what i say a I spoiler, because it is not. It is just the way I see maybe one of the many messages passed by this lovely movie, a cult movie, for me, indeed!
In fact, one who see this movie and stay unaffected, is either totally unable to understand french language (or can't read subtitles if there is any ;) ) or has a mental or emotive blockage. The call to the truth of human nature, where the human life is leading, where there is a way to get the (f word here) away from this worldwide situation, in a better world, it lies in our hands to improve our world!!! =)
Anyway...
You do what you want, but this movie is a cult movie for me, as was The Fifth Element and The Matrix.. Keys are there, ready to be used to unlock some interesting realms...
Have fun seeing this movie and g'day!
In fact, one who see this movie and stay unaffected, is either totally unable to understand french language (or can't read subtitles if there is any ;) ) or has a mental or emotive blockage. The call to the truth of human nature, where the human life is leading, where there is a way to get the (f word here) away from this worldwide situation, in a better world, it lies in our hands to improve our world!!! =)
Anyway...
You do what you want, but this movie is a cult movie for me, as was The Fifth Element and The Matrix.. Keys are there, ready to be used to unlock some interesting realms...
Have fun seeing this movie and g'day!
Colline is the female renaming of Jaques !!?? ;-)
draagme3 January 2013
Lali Rao, wrote in an earlier comment : " ... An important role in this film is played by Colline Serreau who is effective as Mila ..." Filmmaker = main actor. This is a very intrinsic "detail". ;-)
This is a brilliant 100% situational-observational comedy, where I feel at every corner the leading example of the great master in this kind of universally not much used type of humour: I'm talking about Jaques Tati. Here, I feel the female reincarnation of mister Tati. And it's also reflected in that simple fact, Colline plays her own film, just as Jaques has done, ever since he started standing behind and in front of the camera at the same time. Of course, there is zero copy of 'style' involved. It's rather a splendid continuation of a unique manner of working and of building humour out of the observation of daily reality, through eyes that give it a unique turn. THAT, is it ! But, YES, it would be better you understand french. By translating, part of the soul is killed, because those translators don't understand the product, and the product is very french ! The biggest mistake from Anglosaxon's is always looking for "morality", "higher messages", etc... if it's not full slapstick to remind them of so called humour. Laughing can be both refined and more intellectual referenced. That's what Tati learned us. Observe closely, and the COMIC already jumps onto you, from every situation in daily life. Colline Serrau understood this lesson from "the master". ;-)
( And YES, I write humour as humour, not as humor, as this site's spelling checker wants me to do. Because I'm European, and stick to "English". Beg me pardon, Americans... ;-) )
This is a brilliant 100% situational-observational comedy, where I feel at every corner the leading example of the great master in this kind of universally not much used type of humour: I'm talking about Jaques Tati. Here, I feel the female reincarnation of mister Tati. And it's also reflected in that simple fact, Colline plays her own film, just as Jaques has done, ever since he started standing behind and in front of the camera at the same time. Of course, there is zero copy of 'style' involved. It's rather a splendid continuation of a unique manner of working and of building humour out of the observation of daily reality, through eyes that give it a unique turn. THAT, is it ! But, YES, it would be better you understand french. By translating, part of the soul is killed, because those translators don't understand the product, and the product is very french ! The biggest mistake from Anglosaxon's is always looking for "morality", "higher messages", etc... if it's not full slapstick to remind them of so called humour. Laughing can be both refined and more intellectual referenced. That's what Tati learned us. Observe closely, and the COMIC already jumps onto you, from every situation in daily life. Colline Serrau understood this lesson from "the master". ;-)
( And YES, I write humour as humour, not as humor, as this site's spelling checker wants me to do. Because I'm European, and stick to "English". Beg me pardon, Americans... ;-) )
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