Something French with a modern feel to it... you could look into Peignot Bold. Another showing of this well-known face.

About the typography of “The Artist” (that should have been lettering): http://www.marksimonson.com/notebook/view/the-artist-vs-the-lettering-ar...

A typeface inspired by french cinema (albeit a specific fraction of it): http://carvalho-bernau.com/jlg/

Hi Both,

Thank you I have tried the various options you have suggested on layout. Some interesting covers developing.
One font that is looking nice is Parisian BT .
I also think the Jean-Luc Godard’s font could look really interesting used really big and covering most of the image. I doubt the publisher would go for it, but I will try it in any case. Because you never know.

When I think of the history of French cinema, I think of auteurs who were formally innovative—e.g. Melies, Gance, Cocteau, Godard, and now Hazanavicius.

While it’s true that Cassandre’s Peignot was also formally innovative in its day, it has rather a traditional art deco look, even in the true unicase setting.

Why not go with something post-modern that suggests innovation today?
Pierre di Sciullo: http://www.quiresiste.com/realisations.php?lang=en

Excoffon, 20th century master: https://www.myfonts.com/person/Roger_Excoffon/

I immediately thought of Cahiers du Cinema. Perhaps a review of its covers over the years would provide some inspiration:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Cahiers+du+Cinema&client=firefox-a&hs=l2...

And I second trying the Jean-Luc Godard typeface….

Hi Nick,

Thanks for sending me Excoffons way. I know some of his fonts but had no idea they were by a French Foundry/designer. Mistral looks a bit American to me for some reason.
They are the sort of fonts I would dismiss often as they are so unique/different.
That is very often a reason for using them of course as design is often about making a statement/making something unique. Banco is a really interesting one.

Hi Kthomps5,
Thanks I will have a look at your link. I have done a layout already using the Jean-Luc Godard face.
It's certainly got power on the page and looks really modern somehow. Seems a little similar to Knockout.
Don't know if I can do the kind of Justification Jean-Luc uses in his title sequences though.
It just doesn't sit well to my eye, though many designers would disagree.

Recent Criterion idea of what looks like French cinema lettering
Don

A general specific french cinema style? Hardly to grasp. Let Google sort out images to “cinema français affiche” and you’ll see – everything. But looking for “cinema français affiche 1930” reveals a different scenery: type like Marlowe or the stunning Mostra Nuova by – Mark Simonson. To him I’m especially grateful for his intricate review of type in the film The Artist. For a very long time I feel that lettering and type is awkwardly neglected by film makers, mostly. Mark’s article opened my eyes upon how crucial (!) script and lettering is for a silent movie in particular.

Thanks Andreas for sharing the asymmetrical Body and Brain lettering. I can't recall if this is now a digital font but it leaves no doubt that it's circa 1932.
I'll add it to my collection with Florida and similar lettering from the era like:

Don

Only semi-asymmetrical but otherwise similar to Body and Brain, Ultra Modern circa 1928. the upper case: https://www.myfonts.com/fonts/redrooster/ultra-modern-rr/
Don

A modern interpretation: http://www.losttype.com/font/?name=oilcan

You may use attached font :)

A great French film from 1953, the Wages of Fear, uses thick and thin lettering similar to Peignot, but without the quirky features of the lowercase.
Don