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Plot

The diva of the title is a famous black opera singer (Wilhelmina Wiggins-Fernandez) who steadfastly refuses to be recorded. The singer is idolized by young French mail-carrier Jules (Frederic Andrei), who sneaks a tape recorder into the theater and records her performance. This is witnessed by a pair of Taiwanese criminals, who unlike Andrei wish to profit from the bootlegged recording. They begin to pursue the boy, as do a couple of home-grown hooligans who believe that Jules is in possession of some murder evidence. The serpentine plot leads to a warm friendship between Jules and the reclusive diva - and to a brilliantly photographed (by Philipe Rousselot) motorcycle chase through the subway tunnels of Paris. Diva marked the directorial debut of Jean-Jacques Beineix, whose obvious fondness for the more esoteric techniques of the Nouvelle Vague never impedes his willingness to simply entertain his audiences.
MPAA Rating:
R
Genre(s):
Action,Crime and Mystery,Drama
Run Time:
123min.
Theatrical Release Date:
04/16/1982
DVD Release Date:
11/19/1997
Distributor(s):
Rialto Pictures
Director(s):
Jean-Jacques Beineix
Starring:
Frederic Andréi , Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez , Richard Bohringer , Thuy An Luu , Dominique Pinon
Themes:
Witnessing a Crime,Flight of the Innocent
Tone:
Lyrical,Tense,Atmospheric,Stylized,Slick
Keywords:
chase,diva,evidence,gangster,opera-singer,police-corruption,postman,tape [recording]
Language:
French