Inspiration: Jean-Jacques Beineix's "Diva"

We had the pleasure of watching the amazing french film from 1981, Diva, last night, and wanted to share a few of it's amazing interiors. Thoroughly set-designed (and highly romanticized), Diva's main living spaces are a parking garage, used as storage for wrecked luxury automobiles, and a converted loft above a bar...

Back when "loft" was synonymous with a specific style of decor, these are spaces that only truly come alive at night. Diva nails the high-glamour, industrial aesthetic once hugely popular in urban settings. The garage, with it's graffitied walls and bed situated amidst aging, destroyed cars, and the loft, with it's slick black floors, minimal furnishings, and neon art.

Comments (8)

If you liked Diva, you should see Betty Blue by the same director.
The loft and dark feeling makes me think of another classic 80's movie, After Hours. I think I'm the only person that really likes it though.

posted by jakelegs on November 7th 2008 at 8:18am
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It was one of my favourite movies when I was young... I saw it over and over at our local repertory cinema.

posted by mschatelaine on November 7th 2008 at 8:27am
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oh -- but another amazing movie interior (that I kept trying to see again and again, this being the time before DVDs) was the original French Trois Hommes et un Couffin.

posted by mschatelaine on November 7th 2008 at 8:28am
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jakeslegs- After Hours is one of my favorites. But there isn't much that Scorcese has done that I haven't loved.

posted by Lori on November 7th 2008 at 8:43am
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I first saw this movie when I lived in NYC in the late 80's and just rented it again for the first time since - still love it. Love the soundtrack too. Thanks for the great flashback!

posted by greta on November 7th 2008 at 8:50am
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Loved this movie! Used to define my dream loft.

Ages ago, a roommate and I needed a break after a day moving into our new apt. She'd never seen Diva, so we went to Kim's video to rent it.

It wasn't in French movies, or crime or even opera... finally I asked the clerk who said in a bored tone, "Check the "Scourge of the Bourgeoisie" section.

posted by marfa on November 7th 2008 at 10:24am
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Diva! i love that movie! it was our late night movie treat every couple of months for several years. "Scourge of the Bourgeoisie" :-D very fitting :-P

posted by maike on November 8th 2008 at 9:45am
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cool film

how far loft-living has evolved from those days...

posted by khanzen on November 8th 2008 at 9:52pm
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