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Jean-Jacques Beineix's wonderfully stylish thriller was largely responsible for the renaissance of foreign language film in the UK in the early 80s and remains impressive viewing today. The story of Jules (Andrei), an opera-obsessed courier whose bootleg recording of a rare concert by American diva Cynthia Hawkins (Wiggins-Fernandez) is believed to be a tape connecting the chief of police with a Parisian vice ring precipitates a frantic search for its whereabouts by two murderous thugs (Pinon and Gerard Darmon).
Beineix's debut - from the impressively taut novel by Delacorta - is not only stunningly composed (director of photography Philippe Rousselot imbues the film with a seductive neon hue), peppered with thrills like the moped chase on the Metro, it also fair bristles with a sadistic, Dystopian tension in which heroes and villains are readily interchangeable. A hybrid of genres: noir, new-wave, and fairytale romance - "Diva" has the lot yet still manages to wear its composite nature with distinct daring and élan.
The cast acquit themselves adroitly, with Bohringer's charming existentialist a particular high-point though Pinon's cultured knife-throwing heavy runs him close. Vladimir Cosma's opera-tinged score rounds things off nicely, creating a witty, playful intelligent film as enjoyable as it is influential. A rarity, something from the 80s well worth re-visiting.
"Diva" is on 91Èȱ¬2 at 12.00am, Sunday 21st January 2001.
