- Location: Century Boulder
- Here it is: Martin Scorsese's most enjoyable film is about a young orphan who lives in a Paris train station and discovers one of the great pioneers of early cinema. Hugo may also be in the running for Scorsese's best film, although I hesitate to formally rank a filmography that includes Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas. The point is, Hugo is an amazing film made even more striking by how different it is from all of the director's other work. Did I mention that it was filmed in 3D? Or that it was about lovable kids instead of violent sociopaths? Seriously, these are key differences to note.
- The plot really is that simple, namely that a charming young waif named Hugo (Asa Butterfield) discovers that film legend Georges Méliès (Ben Kingsley) is working at a toy shop in the Montparnasse train station. Although nominally in the care of his inebriate uncle (Ray Winstone), Hugo has made his home in the labyrinthine mechanical guts of the station, reliably keeping the clocks wound while evading the humorless Station Inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen) and his redoubtable canine assistant. Hugo's real goal, however, is to fix the robotic automaton that he and his father (Jude Law) were attempting to restore before his father's untimely death. Méliès' toy shop has some of the parts he needs, but Hugo's minor acts of thievery have hardly endeared him to the shopkeeper. Maybe "Papa" Georges' enthusiastic goddaughter Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz) has the key to bringing these two together and rediscovering the long-lost cinematic magic that Méliès once created.
- As interesting as these events are, they wouldn't be nearly as captivating if not for the creative settings and colorful characters surrounding them. The station itself is a marvel of mechanical engineering whose hidden hallways are populated with clanging chains and grinding gears between which Hugo is constantly wriggling (in three dimensions, all of which are put to good use). Its clocktower is so improbably tall that Hugo's desperate emulation of Harold Lloyd carries with it a real sense of danger. As for the picturesque station lobby, the real attraction there is the charming stable of characters whose personalities probably owe more to Tati than Méliès. My favorites are the woman with the contemptible dachshund (Frances de la Tour) and the man who loves her (Richard Griffiths), although it would be remiss of me not to mention the surprisingly friendly bookstore owner (Christopher Lee) or the charming flower girl (Emily Mortimer).
- Honestly, Hugo would have been great if it had stopped there. The most astounding part of the film, however, arrives near the end when Méliès finally becomes convinced of the value of his work. As he fondly recalls the miracles that he once brought to celluloid life, the audience is treated to an absolutely mesmerizing look at the work of this seminal fantasy filmmaker. Some of the shots incorporate beautifully restored versions of Méliès' actual creations, including his famous Le Voyage Dans la Lune. Others depict his memories of the filmmaking process, including whimsical costumes, various forms of visual trickery befitting a stage magician, and of course the beautiful lead actress (Helen McCrory) who eventually became his wife. As he recalls his heyday, you can't help but feel invigorated with the joy that Méliès, Scorsese, and the film's talented cast and crew obviously have for film as a creative endeavor. I can't summarize the feeling better than to quote Méliès: "If you ever wonder where your dreams come from, look around. This is where they're made."
- At one point, Hugo dreams about the train derailment that actually occurred at Montparnasse station.
- This was adapted from the novel by Brian Selznick, who is related to famed producer David O. Selznick.
