“Could be the great urban expressionist fantasy of the 90s, like SUNRISE and LONESOME in the 20s and PLAYTIME and ALPHAVILLE in the 60s.” – Jonathan Rosenbaum
“An outrageously contrived paean to freedom, a crazy mixture of scabby naturalism and rock-video mescaline stage on a movie set worthy of Stroheim.” – J. Hoberman
Leos Carax’s delirious saga of l’amour fou burns with an intoxicating stylistic freedom as it traces the highs and lows of the passionate relationship that develops between a homeless artist (Juliette Binoche) who is losing her sight and a troubled, alcoholic street performer (Denis Lavant) living on Paris’s famed Pont-Neuf bridge. Capturing their romantic abandon with a giddy expressionist energy—especially in a wild dance sequence set against an explosion of fireworks— this whirlwind love story is an exhilarating journey through a relationship that confirmed Carax’s status as one of the leading lights of the post–New Wave French cinema. ♫ Features Zoltán Kodály Sonate Pour Violoncelle Seul: Opus 8.
Awards and Nominations
1993 Nominee BAFTA Film Award - Best Film not in the English Language
1992 Nominee César- Best Actress (Meilleure actrice) Juliette Binoche
Needle Drops | January 2–24, 2026
Some combinations of scene and sound are so striking they become irrevocably linked in our cultural memory. Well-timed tunes punctuate the edit, trigger strong emotions, and communicate unspoken stakes. Classical music with its sweeping instrumentation shines in many iconic movies and is a joy to experience in the cinema among a rapt audience. In collaboration with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, who mounts a live presentation of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY with a full orchestra and choir accompaniment on January 9 and 10, the Siskel Film Center presents our favorite films featuring indelible classical music cues.
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu