Earlier this afternoon a person of accomplishment and respect informed me that the way to pronounce the last name of Michel Hazanavicius, director of The Artist, is first of all to drop the “h” and say “azah-nava-shoosh .” That didn’t sound right. All along I’ve been saying “Hahznahvicious,” as in Sid Vicious, and I’ve been to France eight or nine times so I know a little something about the tongue.

So I double-checked with a couple of Weinstein Co. publicists, and one of them said you need to pronounce it (this is how she wrote it in the email) “Ahzahnavishus.” Another vote for Sid Vicious! I’m sorry, but I’m standing by this pronunciation. I can’t roll with Michel Azanavashoosh…stupid. Can anyone settle this, or at least tell me I’m right in not agreeing with the above-referenced “person of accomplishment and respect”?