Flashback Friday: Hugo (Scorsese, 2011)

Martin Scorsese directing a family movie seems like an odd idea. After all, how could the filmmaker behind Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, and The Departed create a moviegoing experience suitable for children? But after watching his first attempt at the genre, it is very clear why he was chosen- the film is an adoring love letter to silent cinema. And who better to direct this passion project than Marty, who is a world-renowed expert on film history? Based on the Caldecott-winning novel, this movie proved that 3-D and emotional drama can blend seamlessly together. With stars Asa Butterfield and Ben Kingsley reuniting for another highly anticipated book-to-screen adaptation, Ender's Game, released today, Movie Critic's Club is taking a short look back at one of 2011's standout pictures. Today on Flashback Friday, we're going on a film-loving adventure with Hugo. 

The Invention of Hugo Cabret made history in 2008 by being the first novel to ever win the Caldecott Medal, which is usually reserved for picture books. But Brian Selznick's Hugo Cabret is not like any other novel- on every other page is striking animation, nearly doubling the book's size but significantly adding to its imagination. 

Almost immediately after the book's publication, Martin Scorsese bought the film rights, hiring the talented John Logan (The Aviator, Gladiator) to adapt the screenplay. Hugo is the first movie Scorsese filmed in 3-D, and his first movie not shot on film. He was curious about the technology, and was eager to make his own contribution to the technique. It had, in recent years, received a revival- but no three-dimensional picture had matched the depth of 2009's Avatar. 

Despite a lukewarm box office draw, Hugo was critically acclaimed, landing on several year-end "Best Of" lists for it's strong depiction of the magic of the movies. It became an awards darling, earning the most Oscar nominations (11) for the 84th Academy Awards, including those for Best Picture and Best Director. Eventually, it tied with Best Picture-winner The Artist for most wins (5). 

Asa Butterfield plays the titular character, with the same emotional baggage he brought to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008). Hugo Cabret is an orphan who lives in a train station, repairing the building's clocks so that inspectors won't find him. He was extremely close with his father (Jude Law), but after his dad dies in a horrible fire, Hugo is left alone and bewildered. His sense of wonder, however, was not damaged, and the child becomes obsessed with repairing a mechanical automaton that he and his father were working on before his death. 

Hugo encounters a group of eccentric characters in the station, played by several successful actors like Emily Mortimer, Richard Griffiths, and Christopher Lee, who shines as the station's kind librarian. Hugo, meanwhile, avoids an obsessive Inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen). Chloe Grace Moretz of Kick-Ass fame co-stars as a lonely girl eager for adventure, who fatefully encounters Hugo and sets out to solve the mystery of the automaton along with him. 

(WARNING: Spoilers throughout the next few paragraphs. Part of the mystery of Hugo is revealed here, so you may want to watch it first before reading the next two paragraphs. Spoilers end with the paragraph that starts with "The CGI is remarkably effective...".) 

Ben Kingsley wonderfully portrays George Milles, a silent film director and highly influential moviemaker from the 1930's. He made over 500 films in his lifetime, but all the footage was lost after World War II, and only a few pictures remain. Best known for his Voyage to the Moon (drawn by the automaton), Milles disappeared for years before receiving a public revival in the latter years of his life. Kingsley's depiction of him in the film is mostly true, despite some minor dramatic changes (Milles actually had two wives, the first of which was the movie star, not like the one in Hugo; plus, Cabret is a fictional character, and Milles managed to bring himself into the limelight). 

Part of the magic of Hugo comes from Scorsese's stark dedication to the preservation of Mille's memory. He features many short films, shot by Milles himself, throughout the story. Plus, there are numerous allusions to other cinematic milestones- the hilarious clock tower theater scene from Safety Last!, as well as various early movies and audience reactions.   

The CGI is remarkably effective, bringing an early 20th century train station in Paris to glorious life. The screenplay packs an emotional wallop, and viewers will find themselves falling in love with Hugo's story and pure innocence. The costuming, special effects, and sound work rather well, and there are several moments of awe-inspiring movie magic. 

But at its heart, Hugo is a coming-of-age adventure that provides a fun history lesson in early filmmaking. Through various allusions and a sympathetic protagonist, Martin Scorsese proves he was the right man to bring this motion picture to life. In some ways, like Roger Ebert said, this was the mob director's most personal project: filled with a passion for the movies, Hugo radiates with an adoring love of cinema. And for us film lovers, there's no greater treat than that.