Absolutely! A bar pianist in his early days, De Funes never betrayed the music on screen. No doubt the composers were sensitive to the modernity of his performance, relying mainly on the concepts of rhythm and break, which are fundamental elements of music writing. They appreciated the musicality of his gestures and face.
Between 1963 and 1982, two amazing decades, the only false note is the musical soundtrack. Stingy In 1980. Vladimir Kosma was contacted. But Jeanne de Funes [l’épouse de Louis, Ndlr] managed to apply it… piano teacher Jean Bizet, who had never written for film. Given the ambition of the project, it was close to derailment!
The first important composer of his career as a star was Raymond Lefèvre…
Yes. participates from Break the bank In 1963 and the first constable. He is the one who composes the famous march of gendarmes“pipe” (in the spirit Bridge over the River Kwai) that de Funes wants to hear in all episodes. Lefèvre was reluctant, afraid of the effects of repetition, obsolescence. He said: “I like this march. But it is neither Mozart nor Ravel.”
De Funès moves effortlessly into this modernity
Is Lefebvre the one who took De Funes to the pop universe?
Yes. Since 1967 Summer holidays, immerses him in the rhythms and sounds of Carnaby Street. De Funès moved effortlessly into this modernity, as he did three years later Men’s Orchestra. François de Roubaix, who wrote the score for this musical, understood that everything in de Funes was built around rhythm and rhythm.
With psychedelic pop ballets, the film was a relative failure upon release. But over the years, it has developed a die-hard core of enthusiasts. for Louis de Funès compared to the series constable By Jean Girault, it was almost an avant-garde film.
In 1971, the soundtrack to La Folie des grandeurs celebrated the spirits…
Director Gérard Oury expected a classical score in the style of the 16th century. However, Michel Polnareff has created a score that balances between neo-Morricone cavalcade, flamenco and Arab-Andalusian folklore – all crowned by a wonderfully tender love theme.
Impressed by the quality of his work, De Funes acted out one of his rare tantrums on TV: he found it unacceptable that the disc was not available on Wednesday, when it was released theatrically.
Does Vladimir Cosma Lui have a special place in his career?
Cosma signed his last film before the heart attack. The Adventures of Rabbi Jacob (1973) and the next two – wing or thigh (1976) and Controversy (1978). Certain themes in these fairly lyrical comedies provide an emotional counterpoint.
Today Louis de Funes exists with and without image
De Funès, you write, accompany the evolution of musical fashion?
What stands out most, in retrospect, is the synthesis embodied in this magical bracket. We slide effortlessly from yé-yé beats to pop beats, from disco influences to electronic instruments. Cabbage soup – his swan song before the end constablenot necessarily necessary.
Do you have any regrets?
I really wish De Funes lived long enough to see the continuity of his films and soundtracks. How would he react to cell phones? Gendarmerie marchto cascade remixes of his account Men’s Orchestrato performances that thrilled the public with repeated readings of Le Sacre du Tympanum Jo or some Summer holidays?
Today Louis de Funes exists with and without image. A handful of semi-quartz is enough to bring back the magical figure that 21st century kids have always grasped nowadays.
Film music expert Stéphane Lerouge regrets that De Funes “did not live long enough to see the continuity of his comedies and their music”.(Photo Jérémie Imbert).
La Zizanie: The Rejected Song by Pierre Perret
Producer Christian Fechner for the credits of La Zizanie in 1978 I would like a song performed by Pierre Perret. Stephane Lerouge says: The author of “Zizi” writes the words in slang language on the theme composed by Vladimir Kosma. He juggles the words “vioque” or “orgasm,” throws spikes into “new calotins,” evokes “unfortunate journeys.” [qui] would like to have children. Louis de Funes and his wife drown at the first screening of the mixed film. Their veto is absolute: too vulgar! Three weeks before its release, Cosma relied on the song’s lip sync to transform the song into an extreme instrumental version. Perret’s title, On sème la zizanie, was not found until 32 years later.
