France’s greatest film comedian was born Jacques Tatischeff in Paris, the grandson of a one-time general in the Imperial Russian army. At the height of the depression in the 1930s, Tati abandoned a comfortable career in the family's Paris framing business to take to the stage. There, the seeds of his most famous character, Monsieur Hulot, were sown. Hulot would feature in four of Tati's six films as director. All of these films will be available to own as a Blu-ray box set for the first time on 21 July 2014. Photograph: Everett Collection/REX
Tati stars in his first comedy feature as François, an inept village postman who dreams of attaining the speed of the American postal service – on his rickety bicycle. The film was shot in black and white, as well as colour. But the colour version remained unscreened until 1995. Both are presented on the Blu-ray release. Photograph: STUDIOCANAL
Tati's most famous comic creation makes his debut in a film whose influence is still felt today – in characters such as Mr Bean. The film lampoons the French on holiday and became such a favourite that the seaside town where it was made (Saint-Marc-sur-Mer) is the proud home of a statue of the director. Photograph: STUDIOCANAL
The film that won Tati his first Oscar was also his first to be released in colour. The bumbling Hulot is charged with taking care of his nine-year-old nephew Gérard and struggles to deal with the youngster's understanding of the modern world – and, by extension, France's postwar identity. Photograph: STUDIOCANAL
At the time of release, Play Time was the most expensive French film ever made. It was a huge success with critics, who praised its hilarious, dystopian vision of a near-future Paris, as observed by a bemused Hulot. A commercial failure at the time, however, it is now widely regarded as Tati's masterpiece, and in 2012 was voted the 37th greatest film ever by the BFI. Photograph: STUDIOCANAL
Hulot makes his final appearance in this feature, in which he is an automotive inventor travelling to a motor show in a car so stuffed with gadgets that he can't remember what they all do. Once again, Tati uses the idea of a man at odds with the modern technological world to produce belly laughs of recognition – and a sense of wistfulness about the cost of progress. Photograph: STUDIOCANAL
In 1973, Tati was approached by Swedish TV to capture on camera the mime and clown performances of his early stage shows. This fascinating glimpse into the artistry behind the antics is the result. Photograph: STUDIOCANAL
In addition to the feature films, the Tati Blu-ray box set also features a selection of his shorter films. Tati began writing films in the 1930s, and continued almost up to his death. Included on this disc are: On Demande Une Brute (1934); Gai Dimanche (1935); Soigne Ton Gauche (1936); L'Ecole des Facteurs (1946); Cours du Soir (1967); Dégustation Maison (1976) and Forza Bastia (1978). Photograph: Everett Collection/REX FEATURES
Each of the films comes with a specially made companion documentary, and housed in a handsome box. To order or purchase (available 21 July 2014), click on the link above. Photograph: STUDIOCANAL
