
Jean Vigo’s “Taris”
JEAN VIGO IS ONE OF the truly original directors in the history of film. He made only four films, totaling approximately 165 minutes, and yet this limited output has earned his reputation as a preeminent master of film. Three of his works, A Propos de Nice (1929), Zéro de Conduite (1933), and L’Atalante (1934), are frequently referred to as among the great works of cinema and the fourth, Taris (1931), while not as well known, is nevertheless an accomplished work.
Each of the four films differs in mode and structure yet important elements link them. A Propos de Nice, a documentary that belongs