Like its Southern California influences in the Paisley Underground (Rain Parade, Three O’Clock), named as an homage to the psychedelic heyday of Jefferson Airplane and Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Green Pajamas must hold the world’s record for most albums (somewhere around 30) recorded by a band with the fewest number of live appearances (somewhere more than 30) over a career that has spanned almost 30 years. Jeff Kelly and Co. recently released longplayer Death By Misadventure via longtime Pajamas label Green Monkey. Kelly and bandmates Laura Weller and Eric Lichter will be guest editing magnet magazine.com all week. Read our recent feature on them.
Kelly: Charlotte Gainsbourg is getting a bit closer to being a household name in the U.S. with her records, 5:55 and IRM, as well as a best-actress win at Cannes for her astonishing performance in Antichrist. She is always working and is always brilliant: Check Melancholia for recent proof of that. But she has been a huge star in Europe ever since she was a kid, not only for her great dramatic acting—very visible of late—but for her wonderful comedic rolls as well.
Here’s a short list from a long filmography of some things a casual fan may have missed and that might lead you to believe, as I do, that she is one of our greatest actresses:
L’effrontée (1985)
The Little Thief (1988)
The Cement Garden (1993)
Jane Eyre (1996)
La bûche (1999)
My Wife Is An Actress (2001)
Happily Ever After (2004)
Lemming (2005)
I Do (2006)
The Tree (2010)
Serge Gainsbourg—her father, a notable singer, songwriter, actor and director—wanted to make her a star, and we can all thank him for that. But it’s the woman herself, with her plainly humble persona, who fulfilled his wish with her own hard work. Never a false note, often mesmerizing, always deeply human: a true movie star for our time.
P.S. If you know and love 5:55 you should check out this beautiful, exquisitely French song from the film L’un part l’autre reste, sung (in but a whisper) by Charlotte. Watch the video after the jump.
