Three years after publishing “(very) dear cinema”, Renaudot prize for the essay, the critic Eric Neuhoff signs “Little praise in love with cinemas”, a first-person story, borrowing from nostalgia, and declaration of love to the room dark of yesteryear.
Cinema critic well known to listeners of the Sunday radio program “Le Masque et la plume” on France Inter, Eric Neuhoff has published a new book devoted to cinema.
After a pamphlet on French cinema released in 2019 ((very) expensive French cinema, published by Albin-Michel), in which he scratched the industry and several filmmakers, Eric Neuhoff opts this time for the love letter to the cinema of yesteryear, with “Little loving praise of cinemas”, published by Privat.
In a story filled with personal anecdotes, returning to his first emotions of the cinema (and not only), the critic evokes – not without nostalgia – an era that he considers bygone, including in the exercise of his profession. of criticism. As in “(very) expensive French cinema”, there emerges a strong impression of “it was better before”.
“It’s the story of my life. We have arrived too old in a world that is too new. Before, film critics were treated like royalty. The press officers rolled out the red carpet for them. Bowing gave them scoliosis. Everyone was very caring with the journalists. The daily newspapers were glorious (…) With such bibs, the chroniclers rolled mechanics. They weren’t just anyone.”, regrets the journalist and critic, who today works in the columns of Figaro.
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More broadly, on the film industry, he writes, with the touch of irony he is accustomed to: “The cinemas fight as they can. We grew old together, poor soldiers of a decimated army. The battle is being lost. Grants are raining. Magic money does not exist. We observe, sheepish, helpless, the art which disappears from the screens. (…) He perishes before our eyes and we barely have a gesture to save him. The Caesars commit suicide live. We reissue Gone with the Wind with the kind of warnings we read on cigarette packets. No need for warning to note that French films are to be consumed in moderation. Their abuse would be fatal. The time is gray.
Eric Neuhoff also comments a lot on his experience of the cinema. The book also includes Eric Neuhoff’s “Last sessions” chronicles, devoted to some of his idols, from Monica Vitti to Peter Bogdanovich, via Eric Rohmer.
“Little praise for cinema lovers”, Privat editions, €17.90, available in bookstores since May 5, 2022