Let’s get some of this out of the way. Trafic is generally perceived as Jacques Tati’s filmic low point – we won’t count the 1974 Parade in this discussion seeing as it was initially shot for television and only subsequently released theatrically. Regardless, the banner of bummer being levied on the last of Tati’s Hulot films is kind of ridiculous. It’s merely an extension of earlier efforts. And while it had been twenty some odd years since the franchise was began, Trafic isn’t too far detached from earlier efforts.

The opening few minutes are as chock full of gags as anything Tati worked out earlier. And while the film’s been figured to carry a dark tone, that honestly might just be as a result of production techniques dating back to 1971 when the film was shot.

The main difference when contrast the various Hulot films is that the character plays a more central role in Trafic then elsewhere. There’re even a multitude of short lines of dialogue to hear, a marked difference between this flick and others. But really, that seems to have been out of necessity more than desire even as Hulot’s omni-presence isn’t remotely distasteful.

After having bankrupted himself and a production company with Play Time, the only way to finance further filmic work was to more prominently figure Hulot. And while that might not have been the best arrangement for Tati, he understood the financial issues weighing upon his shoulder. So, with that stipulation informing the writing of Trafic, Tati needs to be lauded simply for maintaining a relative persistence of vision.

With the Hulot spending a good amount of time on screen, it was necessary to give him something to do, instead of allowing the character to roam free and occasionally stumble into comedy. What’s interesting is the job Tati sussed out for the character. He designs cars.

Distinctly separating the feel of this film is Hulot being active. And in effect, he imposes design on others in lieu of design determining his actions. No longer can a man walking down a long corridor prompt Hulot’s actions. He makes campers.

In that, though, it’s interesting to note the character and the films in which appears all have to do with transportation – or at least feature various modes pretty readily. In the first Hulot film, he pulls up in  a jalopy. The second, his brother-in-law loves his car so much, his wife buys him a new garage door. And Play Time revolves, literally, around a traffic circle. But, Trafic might be Tati’s road movie. Kinda.