Diva 1981

Sid Smith, Chicago Tribune: The movie's a maelstrom of possibilities touching ethnic relations, high art, fashion and modern morality, not to mention cinema. Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: ...frightfully chic-looking... Read more

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader: Any film with this much stylistic assurance is impossible to fully resist. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: As with so many pop moments a quarter-century on, what once looked sexy now smells a little sexist. Read more

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: Made with wit and humor, this French stunner abounds in the go-for-broke spirit of a first film made by a talented, nervy director. Read more

Entertainment Weekly: Read more

David Edelstein, New York Magazine/Vulture: This is style as a force of nature. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: A light-headed, fleet-footed French caper, Jean-Jacques Beineix's ultra-stylish Diva stormed the art houses when it was released in 1982, and it's still a lot of fun now -- though its hip patina feels more quaint these days than cool. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Here is a director taking audacious chances, doing wild and unpredictable things with his camera and actors, just to celebrate moviemaking. Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: It's a supremely gorgeous and supremely shallow motion picture, but it believes in art with a capital A. And practically nobody does anymore. Read more

Leba Hertz, San Francisco Chronicle: I still loved every minute of it. Read more

Hank Sartin, Time Out: Read more

Time Out: The most exciting debut in years, it is unified by the extraordinary decor - colour supplement chic meets pop art surrealism - which creates a world of totally fantastic reality situated four-square in contemporary Paris. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: The novel touches, bizarre chases and plot twists, breathtaking camerawork by Philippe Rousselot and tension-filled editing, make Diva a superior piece of entertainment. Read more

Nathan Lee, Village Voice: Half a century later, a glut of uber-groovy meta-thrillers has blunted the novelty of Diva, but its gamboling flair is still a kick. Read more

Philip Kennicott, Washington Post: Diva, as a lifestyle, a fantasy, a model for alienation and solipsism and eccentricity, has gone deep into all of us. Read more