Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

How sad is this?

Admirable film.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

"Hatter's Ghost" is a forgotten Claude Chabrol film that seems to have a reputation of being a lesser work in some circles (Leonard Maltin, for example, awards it only *1/2 out of 4 stars), but let me tell you, it is made with a mastery of the film medium that most directors never even come close to achieving. However, it is also one of Chabrol's darkest films ever, with a troubling streak of misogyny that is not unprecedented in the director's filmography (see "A Double Tour" or "Pleasure Party"). Michel Serrault gives an astonishing performance that should have received much more recognition, but the fact remains that we are asked to spend a full two hours in the company of a human monster. The experience is definitely not for all tastes, but thanks to the ingenious way Chabrol slowly reveals the full extent of the situation, it's also very absorbing. And, as is the norm for a Chabrol film, this one is also extremely well photographed and scored. *** out of 4.

The plotting of "Chapelier" is actually quite dull, I must admit. But nevertheless the movie is a great piece of entertainment. The one person that makes it worth your while is Michel Serrault. He ranges among the finest actors that France brought to the screen. Here, he simply plays a total nuthead, which is absolutely entertaining to look at. Should you ever come across this movie on TV, watch it!

"Les fantômes du chapelier" ,very well received at the time of release,still stands as Chabrol's best movie in the eighties,though certain aspects of its premise have undergone some reassessment.Seen today,the movie displays flaws that were hardly noticeable 20 years ago.First of all,Michel Serrault overplays:his over-the -top performance ,once lauded ,seems now exasperating and throws the movie off balance.(I wonder what Chabrol's other favorite,Michel Bouquet, would have done in this part).This imbalance is increased by the fact that Charles Aznavour's character is not present enough on the screen.Aznavour gives a wonderful portrayal of an Armenian émigré,whom bourgeois Serrault enjoys humiliating and demeaning.With hindsight Aznavour beats Serrault hands down.The problem with "les fantômes du chapelier" is that it recalls other superior movies:bourgeois impunity had always been treated by Chabrol himself during his 1967-1973 heyday (notably:"la femme infidèle","la rupture" "juste avant la nuit""docteur Popaul"),but also long before him:Henri Decoin's "non coupable" (1946) and "la verite sur Bebe Donge" (1952): in the 1946 film,the intention is much clearier and scarier than in Chabrol's 1982 effort,and ,anyway,Serrault is no match for Michel Simon.We can also mention George Lautner's "le septième juré". "Les fantômes du chapelier" has an eerie side,verging on fantastic ,but ,again,there's the rub:let's face it,it looks like some kind of "psycho" of which the secret would have been be revealed sooner.Something intriguing:the camera often shows a "Ben Hur" poster in the neighborhood .A tribute to William Wyler is dubious from a "nouvelle vague " family director,but who knows?See it anyways.Its several incredible moments will make it worth your while.For Charles Aznavour and for Chabrol's always absorbing depiction of a small town.

A hatter in a provincial town (Michel Serrault) leads the life of a respectable citizen but is in fact a serial murderer. The only person to suspect this is his neighbour the tailor (Charles Asnavour). It is difficult to believe that this film was made in the eighties as not only is the film set in the fifties but it has a totally fifties style production. It seems to be exactly the kind of film that Chabrol and the other members of the nouvelle vague were rebelling against. The story is very straightforward, the characters are stereotypes, the female characters are two dimensional and treated as objects. "Le Boucher" made years earlier is far more modern and superior in every way. The story is well told if you suspend your disbelief and the acting on the whole is good. The town in which it is set is very photogenic, with narrow cobbled streets and no traffic. Not only does it compare badly to other Chabrol films but also to other Simenon adaptations. "Monsieur Hire" has a similarly paced and straightforward story line but is more adventurous in visual style and tells a more modern story with two more believable characters. "Le Horloger de Saint-Paul" has almost a documentary style and requires a lot of thought as the development is to do with the main character rather than the storyline, and is far superior.