法兰西特派

看了片會法語的同學們應該對影片裡面的一些法語細節包括配樂都會心一笑，贴上一篇文章關於小鎮名字，非常有意思，有興趣的可以讀一讀。

The French Dispatch is a fictional publication, inspired by writer-director Wes Anderson’s love of The New Yorker; unlike the latter, The French Dispatch is set in a made-up place in France with the made-up name of Ennui-sur-Blasé — here’s what it means. For a while before the film’s release, Anderson admitted it was hard to explain exactly what the story was about. The French Dispatch is a love letter to journalism and the name of the fictional French city of Ennui-sur-Blasé highlights the core of the film’s message.

The French Dispatch follows the eponymous publication’s staff, led by editor-in-chief Arthur Howitzer, Jr. (Bill Murray) as they put together the stories for the magazine’s final edition. The selections include three short stories, all come to life by a plethora of actors, including Benicio Del Toro, Jeffrey Wright, and Frances McDormand. The start of the film introduces viewers to the city of Ennui before offering a bit of background information on it and how the editor-in-chief came to found such a publication, which curates stories from around Ennui for each of its sections: arts and artists, politics/poetry, tastes and smells.

The name of the French city consists of two distinct words which, while French, are also commonly used in the English language. Ennui is largely associated with boredom, a lack of interest, and it stems from the Latin inodiare (which the word “annoy” also evolved from); blasé means to be indifferent, apathetic. Combined, Ennui-sur-Blasé basically translates to “boredom-on-apathy.” It’s an interesting choice to give The French Dispatch’s fictitious metropolis such a name, especially when the characters at the center of the stories likely wouldn’t be described as dull at all. The meaning behind the city’s name alludes to its eccentricities, but also the mundane lifestyle of its citizens.

That is exemplified in Owen Wilson’s segment in The French Dispatch, in which his journalist character gives the audience a tour of Ennui, highlighting its downtrodden areas, its typical transportation system, and overall lack of idiosyncrasies. It’s the journalists’ job to bring life to a story with their words — stories that would have otherwise, in The French Dispatch’s case, seemed too ordinary before being published. The film is all about collecting stories and spinning them into something delightful, charming, and light (even when they involve dark elements). The name of the town stands in stark contrast to the whimsical nature of The French Dispatch's articles and it’s possible the stories are elevated in such a way so as to distract from the general disinterest that permeates Ennui.

The fact that the stories are perhaps more intriguing than the daily lives of Ennui’s denizens also makes the name stand out. The characters themselves approach the events with a sense of indifference, though their actions show their investment in retelling the stories they witnessed. All of these elements fit the vibe of The French Dispatch, with Anderson likely wanting to bring sparkle and pizzazz to the humdrum life, so that when the people of Ennui-sur-Blasé picked up The French Dispatch, they would be able to escape the monotony and enter an ordinary story that was made extraordinary.

by Mae Abdulbaki

https://screenrant.com/french-dispatch-movie-town-ennui-blase-boredom-meaning/