Hôtel du temps: Internet users amazed by Dalida in Thierry Ardisson’s new program

A troubling, spectacular and bluffing show at the same time. For one evening, Dalida was alive, Monday evening on France 3in « Hôtel du temps », during which Thirry Ardisson offered a long interview with the unforgettable interpreter of « Gigi l’amoroso », « Let me dance » or « He had just turned 18 », at the day before the 35th anniversary of the star’s death, May 3, 1987.

« Dalida is a star that still shines: a tragic icon, » said Thierry Ardisson straight away. In the bathroom of the Hôtel du Temps, in a bedroom or in the dining room, he spoke with a larger-than-life Dalida, retracing her childhood in Egypt, her arrival in Paris at the age of 21, her career, his loves and his suicide.

To dialogue with the star, the production used a technological process called « face retriever », popularized by Nicolas Canteloup every evening at 8:55 p.m. on TF1. An actress, Julie Chevallier – known for the role of Béatrice in the series « The mysteries of love » on TMC – played the role of Dalida during the filming. She must have reproduced Dalida’s gestures, the way she stands and the way she speaks. If her silhouette was kept in the show, her face was replaced by that of Dalida and the voice of the actress was « dalidaïsé ». A process that has amazed many Internet users.

A few netizens shared their criticisms. Either they did not like the concept of « waking up the dead » by judging it creepy, others did not appreciate Thierry Ardisson’s over-read performance or even Claude François’ « face retriever » judged to be a failure. In addition to the singer, other personalities appeared in « Hôtel du temps » to dialogue with Thierry Ardisson or Dalida: Jean Gabin, Eddie Barclay or Thierry Le Luron.

His life, his loves, his career

« Hôtel du temps » allowed us to relive Dalida’s career: « Bambino » her first success, « Gigi l’amoroso » her greatest success or her three weeks of concerts at the Palais des Sports in Paris in 1980. But also to return on the trauma of his father’s death, his strabismus which made him live for forty days with a blindfold after an infection followed by five operations.

The show largely returned to the love life of Yolanda Gigliotti alias Dalida: Lucien Morisse, Jean Sobieski, Luigi Tenco who committed suicide at the San Remo song festival, Lucio, Richard or François. Without forgetting his idyll with François Mitterrand. During their lifetime, neither Dalida nor François Mitterrand had confirmed this love story.

Thierry Ardisson has already put together a « Hôtel du temps » with Jean Gabin, is working on an upcoming interview with Coluche and would like to shoot one on Johnny Hallyday. The show is scheduled to air three times a year on France 3.