Cockatoo Interview Transcript

Author: Jean Cocteau
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: The Collected Dialogues with Jean Cocteau includes 14 of the most important interviews from Cocteau's life, along with 14 self-portraits. Cocteau referred to all his film works as "poetry in motion," and the book elaborates in detail on his thoughts about film and poetry. In this book, readers will encounter some of Cocteau's recurring phrases, spontaneous bursts of inspiration, and the other image he never fully acknowledged in the eyes of others. They will also encounter familiar figures and anecdotes he once shared. The dialogues are filled with fresh revelations, while old stories take on a new glow. We revisit these conversations, reassembling this collection, which does no harm to the poet. Although he was often criticized for his wide-ranging interests, this time, the poet's work reveals a profound consistency, with a single thread running through it from beginning to end. However, once we return to the poet as he is known to the world, this thread may vanish entirely. This collection does not completely overturn his past autobiography with a completely unfamiliar face. The book still contains all the familiar elements: his desire to appear younger, his distinctive awkward posture at work, his reflections on his own and others' works, his admiration for Stravinsky, Apollinaire, Picasso, and others. Moreover, in this book, the well-known figure takes on a new style, becoming richer, more complete, and more vivid.