Summer Hours

Director Oliver Assayas (Demonlover, Irma Vep) was the subject of a retrospective about five-years ago at the Rice Media Center. The RMC showed select films of his from the 80s and 90s. For the program Assayas had sent a list of music to be played before each film, different songs reflecting his state of mind when doing each film.
You have to admire any director that took the time to write down a discography of mostly new wave and post-punk songs to accompany showings of his earlier works. At the end of Summer Hours (L'Heure d'été), currently unwinding at the River Oaks Three, the credits roll with a similar fresh sound. Although I consider late 60s psychedelic folksters The Incredible String Band obscure by American standards those in the know accept it (the song is off their second LP The 5000 Spirits or The Layers of the Onion) as one of the core LPs from that era. Films by Oliver Assayas mean something.
Summer Hours imparts as much character into non-animate objects like designer armoires and desks, late 19th century vases and famous paintings as it does .... (continued)