Entr'acte (1924)

In the avant-garde spectacle of Entr'acte (1924), the line between the living and the dead is beautifully blurred in a ballet of absurdity. René Clair and Erik Satie, in a bold defiance of convention, leap beside a cannon, its mouth trained towards the unsuspecting audience, unleashing a shot that seems to transcend the limits of the screen. The tranquility of a funeral procession is disrupted when the mourners begin to leap in the wake of a camel-driven hearse. This solemn march descends into a surreal chase as the cart unhitches, sending everyone into a frenzied pursuit. The chase culminates in the coffin tumbling to the ground, but instead of a grim end, the deceased springs forth, brandishing a magic wand. In an act of incomprehensible wonder, the coffin vanishes and so do all those who had been drawn into this peculiar pursuit, leaving nothing but echoes of their existence. The film culminates as René Clair steps through the sign of the end, stumbles and falls. A kick sends him reeling backward, adding another layer to the tantalizing enigma that is Entr'acte. This piece of cinematic surrealism seamlessly intertwines reality and fantasy, death and life, inviting viewers into a world where everything is not as it seems, and the ordinary is replaced with extraordinary wonder.

Entr'acte is a comedy movie featuring Jean Börlin.

Entr'acte is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.