Hugo

From his lengthy filmed discourses on cinema history to founding his own film preservation societies, few filmmakers have expressed their passion for the medium in the manner of Martin Scorsese. Indeed, documentaries A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies and Il Mio Viaggio in Italia, and organisations The Film Foundation and The World Cinema Foundation sit alongside his frequent public comments on the importance of celebrating our celluloid past – a topic that also informs his latest movie, Hugo.

Scorsese’s 22nd fictional feature unravels the story of the titular orphan (Asa Butterfield, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas), an inhabitant of a busy Parisian train station. Attempting to avoid discovery by the discerning station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen, Brüno), he spends his days winding the building’s clocks, and his nights repairing a miniature mechanical man inherited from his dearly departed father (Jude Law, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows). In endeavouring to restore the robot, he draws the attention of toy store owner Georges (Ben Kingsley, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time) and his enthusiastic god-daughter Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz, Let Me In). Their connection sparks a quest for answers about the automaton, and those connected to it.

When it was first announced that Scorsese would bring Brian Selznick’s award-winning 2007 novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret to the screen, apprehension infiltrated critical circles. The prospect of the Taxi Driver, Goodfellas and Gangs of New York director adapting family fare appeared incredulous, as did his use of 3D technology. However, the masterful auteur immediately dismisses any doubts with a mesmerising, immersive opening sequence. From that point onwards, he unveils a wondrous, joyous cinematic experience, heightened by its accessible story and enhanced by the use of the third dimension.

As the details of Hugo’s plight are revealed, the reasoning for Scorsese’s involvement is easily apparent. A love letter to the early days of movie-making, the content is a cinephile’s dream, with the construction of the tale an obvious labour of love for the film aficionado. Offering gorgeous glimpses of historical highlights, the feature embraces all aspects of the medium and its continued relevance to modern audiences. The inclusion of 3D imagery organically enunciates his point, whilst providing perhaps the best example of its execution in contemporary cinema.

The outstanding work of Scorsese’s frequent collaborators augments the director’s vision, alongside spirited performances from the extended cast. Robert Richardson’s sumptuous cinematography and Howard Shore’s emotive score provide the perfect framework for the talented ensemble to enact John Logan’s charming screenplay, with Thelma Schoonmaker’s editing of the elements astounding in the assembly. The exuberant odyssey that results abounds with delight, marking what may just be Scorsese’s greatest cinematic achievement. Make no mistake – as an enchanting adventure for all ages, a musing on imagination and a chronicle of film history, Hugo is the epitome of movie magic.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Hugo
Director: Martin Scorsese
USA, 2011, 126 min

Distributor: Paramount
Rated TBA
In cinemas Thursday January 12, 2012