CLASSIC OF THE WEEK: AUDREY HEPBURN FILMS, PART I
For once, instead of talking about one film, I would like to talk about all of the classic films that made Audrey Hepburn’s career. When people talk about Hepburn, they always mention how beautiful she was, her sense of fashion, her elegance. And of course, she was all of those things. But what we should hear first is that she was a dazzling actress. Funny or tragic, desperately in love or filled with imaginativeness, Hepburn delivered in all her pictures great and original performances.
My Classics with Audrey Hepburn will be divided in three parts. Today, I give you the first one:
THE WILLIAM WYLER FILMS
No one has ever filmed Hepburn the way Wyler did. William Wyler, for some reason, has been somewhat forgotten in the list of great directors from the 30s to the 60s. And yet, we owe him a great deal of masterpieces. He is also the one who brought us Audrey Hepburn by putting her as the lead in ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953). Jean Simmons, another great actress, was supposed to play the part of Princess Ann but became unavailable. The director then decided to cast an unknown for the part. Hepburn’s incredible audition crushed all other possibilities. Here is her screen test:
The love story between Princess Ann and journalist Joe Bradley is now legendary. Among my favorite scenes is “the mouth of truth” one where Joe pretends that his hand has indeed been bitten off by the statue because of his lying. The gag wasn’t in the script and Peck improvised it thus surprising Hepburn who screamed. The scene was done in one take and the reaction we see is truly that of Hepburn, scared to death.
The film has that great mixture of comedy and romance and the Peck-Hepburn couple is delightful to watch. Wyler obviously understood the treasure he had found in Hepburn. It is interesting to see how from one film to the other, he starts filming her closer and closer, as if he wanted to capture the secret of such an amazing grace. Hepburn achieves the perfect balance between childish excitement and gravity. Her frail body, which will be used in many different ways by the directors she worked with, embodies here all the royalty and dignity that her character needs to convey. And we have no trouble at all believing she is a princess. And Hollywood thought so too and proved that she indeed was one by giving her an Academy Award for her performance in Roman Holiday.
THE CHILDREN’S HOUR (1961)
Audrey Hepburn was also a great tragedian. As Karen Wright in the Children’s Hour, her desperation and incomprehension brings you to tears. The dynamic that is created between her and Shirley McLaine is incredible, and the subject of the film was at the time very controversial. The two actresses play teachers at a girls’ boarding school who are accused by one of their students of being lesbians. The word is of course never mentioned, and Wyler had to be careful how he handled to subject to avoid censorship. But as always, it is much more interesting when things are unsaid, not shown but implied. According to Shirley McLaine, the actors didn’t really realize what the story really was about. But watching the subtle performances it is hard to think that Hepburn and McLaine were completely oblivious to the subject. In any case, Wyler certainly knew and he scrutinizes his actresses: the body and attitude of McLaine, and as before, Hepburn’s lovely face.
One of Hepburn’s assets is that she was incredibly expressive. The close-ups on her face become all the more relevant in the most tragic moments, when her pain tears up her face. Here, her frail figure becomes the symbol of her vulnerability in this world where everyone is willing to tear her to pieces.
HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1966)
I will have to write again on this wonderful romantic comedy that stars Peter O’Toole alongside Audrey Hepburn. For once, Wyler chooses to film his star in color. And he offers a role to Hepburn a bit far off the ones he had offered her before. Hepburn is no longer the child she was in
Roman Holiday, so Wyler chooses to explore her kooky side. With a magnificent wardrobe (Givenchy, needless to say) and an extravagant make-up, Nicole (Hepburn) is a strong-headed girl, who will attempt anything to save her father from going to jail. She hires a man she believes to be a thief (Peter O’ Toole) to help her steal one of her father’s forgeries at a Paris museum. With witty dialogue and a crazy storyline, the film is so enjoyable that I watched it two times in a row the first time I saw it. With a splendid cinematography, the film benefits from its leading actors. The O’Toole-Hepburn couple satisfies every romantic soul, each one meeting his equal in the other, as far as talent, beauty and humor go.
Roman Holiday, so Wyler chooses to explore her kooky side. With a magnificent wardrobe (Givenchy, needless to say) and an extravagant make-up, Nicole (Hepburn) is a strong-headed girl, who will attempt anything to save her father from going to jail. She hires a man she believes to be a thief (Peter O’ Toole) to help her steal one of her father’s forgeries at a Paris museum. With witty dialogue and a crazy storyline, the film is so enjoyable that I watched it two times in a row the first time I saw it. With a splendid cinematography, the film benefits from its leading actors. The O’Toole-Hepburn couple satisfies every romantic soul, each one meeting his equal in the other, as far as talent, beauty and humor go.
My favorite scene is of course the closet one, the turning point in Nicole and Simon’s relationship. Hepburn is marvelous as she passes from a state of awkwardness because of their lack of space and privacy to the discovery of true love. The other scene is towards the end, when Nicole discovers that Simon wasn’t a thief. That scene is more of an O’Toole one, but it reflects the perfect harmony of their acting.
My first advice if you are in a Hepburn mood (and who isn’t?) is to watch first these three Wyler films and notice how the fascination of the director for his actress never stops but increases as he challenges her to take on very different, but equally grand, parts.
Have a very Hepburn week and see you next Wednesday for the second part of the Audrey Hepburn classics. Viddy Well!
E.C
lire le billet
SKYFALL: TRAILER REVIEW
Agent Bond is back on the screen… Again. Just when you think they have used all the possible intrigues for saving the world from villains with ridiculous accents, Hollywood manages to surprise us: From American Beauty, Sam Mendes went to directing British gentleman 007 in this new opus titled Skyfall. I was not expecting the director of Revolutionary Road and Road to Perdition to be seduced by such an enterprise, but it might just be that all the boys wish to be a part of the Bond adventure.
The cast also proves quite interesting – apart from Daniel Craig which I never found “James Bondish“ enough… I miss the Roger Moore/ Sean Connery days. This new Bond movie stars Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Javier Bardem. This should add a little depth to the characters. And if Javier Bardem’s haircut proves half as threatening as it was in No Country for Old Men, James Bond is in trouble.
So for those of you who have been eagerly waiting for their fix of explosions, gun shooting and tailor-cut tuxedos that never get creased or dirty; rejoice! Here is the trailer.
Logline: Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
Release dates: October 26 (France, UK), November 9 (US)
Viddy Well,
E.D.
Release dates: October 26 (France, UK), November 9 (US)
Viddy Well,
E.D.
THE MASTER: TRAILER REVIEW
This is the film we wanted to see at Cannes this year. Unfortunately for the Film Festival, Paul Thomas Anderson’s film wasn’t ready yet. After the extraordinary There Will Be Blood, it looks like the director is about to deliver another masterpiece with The Master. Nothing had been revealed of the film but the storyline: “A 1950s-set drama centered on the relationship between a charismatic intellectual known as “the Master” whose faith-based organization begins to catch on in America, and a young drifter who becomes his right-hand man.” (Source: IMDB). The film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Laura Dern. But this first trailer only shows us Freddie Sutton, Phoenix’s character. And I have to say, it is a pleasure to finally see Joaquin Phoenix back on a screen. We are also very eager to see some footage from James Gray’s latest, Low Life, in which Phoenix also stars.
It this scene, Phoenix seems to be questioned by a military officer. From all the close-ups in the trailer, we can tell that Phoenix’s acting is very Brando-like. We can also hear some of Jonny Greenwood’s score, which he composed for the film. Greenwood was also behind the legendary score of There Will Be Blood.
We’ll have to wait until October 12 in the US to see the picture. So let’s hope The Master will at least be at the Venice Film Festival in September.
Enjoy and Viddy Well!
E.C
lire le billet
DE ROUILLE ET D’OS, de Jacques Audiard.
Audiard, auteur. De Rouille et D’os annihile tout doute possible.
On reconnait ses marques comme autant de signatures au bas de chaque plan. Elles s’affirment au fil des films, Audiard tisse sa toile sur fond de thèmes récurrents. Un flou mesuré qui rappelle celui de Sur mes lèvres. Il filmait alors la nuque, le visage, l’oreille sourde d’Emmanuelle Devos, son appareil auditif. Il filme ici le corps amputé, les jambes de Marion Cotillard, ses prothèses. Les corps prennent une place centrale par l’importance accordée au détail, ce sont des ébauches tronquées par des jeux d’ombres.
Audiard choisit ce qu’il veut nous montrer, rien ne lui échappe. Il s’applique et s’éxecute, enchaîne des images contrôlées et justes. Lumière, montage cut, effets ralentis, importance du son, performance technique avec des effets spéciaux impressionnants ; il maîtrise son langage, on en est conscients. Le spectacle se déroule, on admire cet art de savoir disposer de la matière filmique comme on l’entend. Une maîtrise que l’on ressent également dans le jeu des acteurs : Audiard sait les diriger, les tenir sans relâche, même, c’est évident. Après un détour Hollywoodien, Marion Cotillard revient en force, le cinéma français lui va bien mieux. Puis Tahar Rahim laisse la place au nouveau prophète, car chacun des personnages principaux du réalisateur nous apporte sa bonne parole. Matthias Schoenaerts apparait comme une masse virile qui tire le film vers l’avant : la force directrice, c’est lui. Un boxeur filmé par des ralentis constants qui ne sont pas sans rappeler ceux de Raging Bull (s’agit-il d’un hommage à Scorsese ou de son influence bienveillante ?).
Dans la salle, les spectateurs se crispent par moments face à la violence assumée, créatrice, moteur d’une mécanique interne. Les silences tendus lors des scènes de sexe animal se font sentir (des scènes qui deviennent trop systématiques peut-être, on a bien compris la première fois), puis lors des bagarres sanglantes. Le sang devient un motif dans la filmographie de l’auteur : sang sur les dents et la bouche ou sur les mains meurtries le plus souvent. Les personnages se font écho : Vincent Cassel blessé dans Sur mes lèvres, la main ensanglantée du pianiste Romain Duris dans De battre mon coeur s’est arrêté, la scène du rasoir caché dans la bouche de Tahar Rahim dans Un Prophète, et ici la perte d’une dent de Matthias Schoenaerts. Une virilité castrée (chez l’homme et la femme) qui ne freîne pas pour autant, au contraire, elle motive et incite à la révolte. Les personnages sont souvent encerclés, traqués. De l’univers carcéral en fond de Sur mes Lèvres avec Cassel ex-tôlard, puis dans Un Prophète, Duris également poursuivit dans une cage d’escalier dans De battre mon coeur s’est arrêté, jusqu’aux combats de boxe illégaux dans ce dernier film. Les personnages se relèvent toujours et rétorquent. Hommes ensanglantés, bagarreurs, bourrus. Femmes aux corps lésés ; Emmanuelle Devos sourde dans Sur mes Lèvres, une femme qui ne parle pas et qui communique par la musique dans De battre mon coeur s’est arrêté, puis ici Marion amputée. Tous s’affranchissent d’un passé non pas en surmontant leurs obstacles, mais en les heurtant de plein fouet.
Un rentre-dedans qui passe par le visuel et par cette esthétique qui s’affirme à chaque film. Car s’il y avait une part d’innocence chez les personnages en marge de Sur mes lèvres, toute candeur a maintenant disparu. Audiard ébauchait son style. Depuis, la forme a mûri. L’auteur connait son monde, rien ne lui échappe, il sait ce qu’il veut dire et comment le dire, il va droit au but, confiant. Il n’y a maintenant de la fragilité que chez l’enfant. Il n’y a pas d’innocence, l’homme est animal et pourvu d’une humanité qui se travaille. Marion parle de «délicatesse». «Tu sais très bien ce que c’est, tu n’as pas arrêté d’en avoir avec moi, de la délicatesse», dit-elle. De la délicatesse Vincent Cassel en a pour Emmanuelle Devos dans Sur mes lèvres, et Romain Duris pour Linh Dan Pham dans De battre mon coeur s’est arrêté. Ça se recherche, ça demande un effort. Si l’histoire d’amour ne fascine pas, c’est parce que ce qui compte c’est la recherche de son humanité dans le rapport avec l’autre, une lutte qui devient plus nette chez ces personnages façonnés par la violence.
La plus belle surprise du film réside sans doute dans la place accordée à l’enfant. Précieux et fragile, il accompagne l’histoire. Son absence est regrettée lorsqu’il disparaît vers le milieu du film, mais on la comprend. L’enfant n’est plus là car il est absent de l’esprit de son père. Cet enfant, Audiard nous l’enlève pour mieux nous le rendre, puisqu’il revient à la fin dans toute sa puissance avec une scène d’une beauté fulgurante.
Alors, chef-d’oeuvre ? Presque. Si l’accident donne origine à l’histoire du film, il reste absent de la forme – pas d’accidents filmiques, rien n’échappe aux plans, pas de risques pris, sans doute par soucis de ne pas trop en faire, le contenu est déjà chargé, il ne faut pas tomber dans l’excès. Mais voilà, c’est trop contrôlé, trop tenu, la musique, parfois trop présente, l’usage du ralenti systématique, c’est trop de tout. Mais au final, qu’importe. On écoute Bérénice Béjo quand elle nous dit «Tais-toi» dans son discours d’ouverture du Festival de Cannes, et on remercie Monsieur Audiard de nous avoir donné un autre beau film.
Viddy Well,
E.D.
P.S.: Je suis «opé» pour aller voir le prochain.
lire le billet
THE NEWS
Cruel, Cruel Cruel Cruel…
We are indeed in the darkest timeline… Just a few days after an amazing finale, Dan Harmon, the mad genius behind Community, announced that he got fired. David Guarascio and Moses Port have been hired as the new Community showrunners. This is really terrible news. The show’s cast members are appalled as well and have left many comments on Twitter. Community is by far one of the best comedies on TV. So we can only hope that the spirit of the show will remain and that the cast members will “die protecting his vision” as Alison Brie (Annie) promised…
Wes Anderson never stops!
The director has already finished writing his next script which apparently takes place in Europe. This move seems logical since Wes Anderson has now been living in Paris for quite a long time.
James Bond never dies…
We are not done with James Bond films apparently. Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie, director of Moon and Source Code) is planning to direct a biopic on Ian Fleming. I haven’t seen Moon which was supposed to be great, but Source Code was really awful. Let’s hope Jones will do a good job this time.
Mia Wasikowska meets another Carol
The actress will star in Carol alongside Cate Blanchett. Carol is an adaptation of a Patricia Highsmith novel, The Price of Salt. In the 1950s in New York, a love story begins between a young woman working in a department store and an unhappily married woman, afraid to lose her daughter if she were to leave her husband. The film will be directed by John Crowley (Boy A).
Rumor has it…
Our source at the Cannes Film Festival tells us that the rumor is going around that John Hillcoat’s Lawless (which is apparently really bad), was only granted a spot in the official competition as a favor to the Weinstein brothers. Indeed, the Weinsteins were of great help is getting The Artist in the Oscar run… Though, I would like to say that The Artist deserved all the awards it received.
Viddy Well!
E.C
lire le billetTHE MUSICAL POST: ON THE TOWN
Now, I’m sure all of you know the famous “New York, New York” song from the beginning of On the Town. New York is indeed a “wonderful town”, but that song is really famous and I felt like posting another song from this movie today.
Directed in 1949 by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, the film tells the story of three sailors who get one day to visit the Big Apple. Each sailor will of course find love during the day. This song is performed by Frank Sinatra and Betty Garrett. The two characters are at the top of the Empire State and sing their love in a humorous way. It’s always such a delight to listen to The Voice, that I couldn’t resist.
So, Enjoy “You’re Awful” and Viddy Well !
E.C
lire le billetLE FANTASTIQUE M. ANDERSON
«C’est le temps de l’amour, le temps des copains, et de l’aventure, Quand le temps va et vient, on ne pense à rien malgré ses blessures ». C’est sur cette chanson de Françoise Hardy que Sam et Suzy célèbrent leur arrivée sur la terre qu’ils ont conquise, une petite crique paradisiaque éloignée de tout. Loin de leur parents trop occupés à sombrer dans leurs dépressions respectives, de leurs camarades prêts à tout pour les éliminer, et avant tout, loin de leur solitude. En entendant ces paroles, on ne peut s’empêcher de penser que Moonrise Kingdom est né de cette chanson, de sa poésie, et de sa mélancolie.
Ce qui est merveilleux dans le dernier film de Wes Anderson, c’est l’aventure visuelle qui nous est offerte. Le cinéaste crée un pays des merveilles, où les fantasmes enfantins les plus fous se réalisent. L’esthétique employée n’est donc pas éloignée du précédent film du cinéaste, Le fantastique Mr. Fox.
Orphelin pour une raison que l’on ignore, abandonné par sa famille d’accueil, sans amis, Sam trouve en Suzy la personne qui va combler tous ses manques. Cette petite fille du même âge est une sorte de double inversé de Sam. Elle est l’aînée d’une famille nombreuse, souffre d’un tempérament colérique et violent, et possède une imagination sans limites. Elle fuit la réalité de sa vie dans des livres, s’imagine avoir un superpouvoir que lui fournissent ses jumelles. Lorsque Sam et Suzy se voient pour la première fois, c’est le coup de foudre. L’amour fusionnel qui les habite est un amour de roman, de conte de fées, un amour inconditionnel, qui vient s’opposer puissamment au désamour qu’ils ont tous deux connu. Rien ne peut les séparer : ni l’indélicatesse de Sam qui rit lorsqu’elle lui apprend pourquoi elle a fugué, ni le pouvoir de l’autorité parentale.
Anderson met en scène le fantasme de tout enfant qui rêve d’amour. Place donc au conte de fées, aux grandes scènes romantiques – comme lorsque Sam peint Suzy à la manière dont Jack peignait Rose sur le Titanic – à une abondance d’ennemis prêts à tout pour séparer les amoureux, le tout dans une esthétique splendide aux couleurs chaudes. L’orange et le jaune dominent comme si le monde de Mr. Fox avait été transposé dans la réalité des années 60. Comme leur prédécesseur, un élégant renard rusé, Sam et Suzy doivent survivre avant de pouvoir réellement vivre. Après un long périple, se produit une chose merveilleusement étrange. Alors que dans la première partie se rejouait entre les enfants Sa Majesté des mouches, la situation se renverse. Les enfants, séduits par la vision de cet amour passionné, se réunissent et s’engagent à tout faire pour que le couple reste uni.
Pendant ce temps, au monde des adultes, on se morfond dans sa tristesse. Du côté des hommes, on combat la dépression. Le père de Suzy (Bill Murray) pense au suicide, le chef des Scouts, Master Ward (Edward Norton) désespère de ne savoir maîtriser ses troupes, tandis que le gentil policier, Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) souffre de sa solitude. Les femmes elles manquent cruellement d’instinct maternel. La violence du monde adulte contamine le monde de l’enfance, et c’est bien ce virus de la tristesse et de la dépression que nos deux jeunes héros fuient. La violence reste présente dans leur relation aux autres mais est détournée afin de la rendre romantique (encore un fantasme adolescent), et gentiment comique. Voyez cette scène où Sam fabrique des boucles d’oreilles avec des hameçons et les offre à Suzy qui, malheur, n’a pas les oreilles percées. Sam lui en perce une, à la barbare, elle crie, souffre, saigne. Puis se retourne vers son âme sœur et lui dit « Fais l’autre ».
Et c’est le lyrisme, le romantisme, la fantaisie du royaume des enfants qui l’emportent. Alors que la vie de Sam est menacée, les adultes sortent de leur torpeur égocentrique. Le doux Captain Sharp se prend d’affection pour le petit Sam, et décide d’en prendre la garde. Comme dans un conte de fées, le père et le fils se trouvent enfin.
Avec Moonrise Kingdom, le fantastique Wes Anderson nous livre un véritable poème cinématographique, parfois drôle et souvent mélancolique. Très vite, en sortant de la projection l’envie de se replonger dans ce monde des merveilles nous reprend. Françoise chantait justement : « le temps de l’amour, c’est long et c’est court, ça dure toujours, on s’en souvient. » Et de ce film aussi, on se souviendra.
Viddy Well !
E.C
lire le billet
THE NEWS!
It was only a matter of time before Hollywood rose to the occasion… After Facebook, Aaron Sorkin, director of The Social Network, is to become the official director of computer-oriented dramas with an adaption of Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs. Sony bought the rights to the film in October, before the book even got published. Good move. I can already picture this as Oscar material, with potential Apple goodies bags for glamorous guests.
Spotlight on Ridley Scott’s Prometheus: the movie has not been released yet but there is already talk about a possible sequel. Co-writer Damon Lindelof stated to fans earlier this week: «If you like it and want more, there is TOTALLY a design for this story to continue in cool and unexpected ways». More interestingly, it seems they have always thought of Prometheus as «a new, grand mythology».
Let’s keep in a Ridley Scott/ Sci-Fi vein, with a possible sequel to the 1982 classic Blade Runner! Writer Hampton Fancher is in talks to reunite with the director. According to website The Wrap Movies, Hapton Fancher and Ridley Scott announced last thursday that they had planned the initial film as a trilogy.
The Exorcist is back… as a play this time. The stage adaptation will open on July 11, with John Doyle, known for his adaptation of Sweeney Todd, as director. Brooke Shields is to star as the mother of the possessed child, and Richard Chamberlain as the priest. If you find this hard to picture, you are not alone. What will happen to the «going down the stairs backwards» scene, the heads turning and projections of vomit? These are to be toned down, apparently. Wise decision. Playwright John Pielmeier said «The story of the battle bewteen faith and evil needed no spinning heads or green vomit.»… «The horror should unfold instead on a simple set with an incredible cast, and the central conflict between doubting Father Karras and the demon should be a series of debates, in which the young girl possessed is the least of the figures present». I am not convinced…
After playing Hitchcock, Anthony Hopkins will star as Ernest Hemingway alongside Annette Bening as his wife. Andy Garcia will star in the film, as well as direct Hemingway and Fuentes. The film will focus on the writer’s life in the early 1950’s in Cuba and how he was inspired to write The Old Man and the Sea.
My question is, who will one day play Anthony Hopkins?
Viddy Well,
E.D
lire le billet
CLASSIC OF THE WEEK: SLEEPING BEAUTY
Today, I would like to go back to the basics. My love for movies was born at a very early age, when I saw Disney’s Sleeping Beauty for the first time. It was the first animated film I really loved, Snow White didn’t have much effect on me, apart from the Evil Queen. Sleeping Beauty was a shock on all levels.
First of all, the characters are just fantastic. My preference did not really go towards Aurora, the blond princess (although she’s by far the best Disney princess). No, the ones I liked, and still do, were Prince Phillip (my first movie love) and Maleficient. These two are the greatest couple in the history of animated film! Remember that scene when Maleficient chains Phillip to a wall and nags him, mocking the rules of the fairy tale itself? And that famous line: “For the first time in sixteen years, I shall sleep well.” What a wonderful villain! Not to mention her first entrance: the lightening strikes and there she appears, out of a green flame. Using Tchaïkovski’s music was a stroke of genius: it provides the necessary musical quality for us to feel really chilled.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCV0hy6ex1c
The great thing about Sleeping Beauty is that it achieves a great balance between a romantic story and a pleasurable feeling of fear. The first part of the film when Phillip and Aurora meet in the forest is very endearing. Aurora is daydreaming. Her “forest” friends – an owl, squirrel and birds – steal Phillip’s clothes and dress up as him. Aurora dances with them and while she continues to sing “Once upon a dream”, the real Prince takes their place and finishes the dance with the princess in hiding. Terribly romantic, the scene is also beautifully crafted: observe the different movements of the camera which allow us to feel how united the two are and yet how alone in that great forest… A paradise soon to be lost…
This is what makes this animated film so much more appealing than all the others, because it is also artistically impressive. The entire aesthetics of the film have remained imprinted in my mind. My favorite scenes involve Maleficient, most of the time. Her hypnotizing of Aurora is terrifying: we follow the princess slowly walking towards her death. Equally horrific is the curse she places on the castle: once a colorful and lively place, it is now dark and lifeless, and subject to Maleficient’s need for destruction. Brambles rise from the ground with lethal thorns that remind us of the equally lethal spindle of the spinning wheel. Sleeping Beauty offers a grand spectacle of the fight between good and evil. The three fairies help Phillip during his escape: every element used against him is magically turned into something harmless and beautiful: the rocks meant to kill him become lovely bubbles, the arrows aimed at him metamorphose into flowers, the lava into a charming rainbow… and the most awe-inspiring of all: the transformation of Maleficient’s raven into a statue.
The final combat is the high point of the film. From Maleficient’s transformation into a dragon, the sky around burning with a yellow and green fire, to her death, wonderfully pictured by the black mark on the ground stabbed by Phillip’s sword, the whole scene is epic.
Let’s not forget the comic aspect of the film. The three fairies, Flora, Merryweather and Fauna, enchant us with their failed attempt at baking a cake the non-magical way. The two kings Stefan and Hubert share some laughs together and make us laugh with them: these two are always drinking or eating…
Finally, the romance achieves its peak when Phillip kisses Aurora and she wakes from her deadly sleep. Then, they reunite as they had met: through a dance. In the palace’s ballroom, they dance until they are lifted to the skies. Before the story ends and the book is closed, the image freezes them in their eternal waltz. As a kid, my friend and I used to argue on the color that her dress took when the story ended. Was it the color of the rose or of a blue lily? Take a guess…
Viddy Well!
E.C
THE NEWS
Lots of movie news on Viddy Well today!
Starting with Terrence Malick’s next movie – yes, you’re reading right, only one year after his previous one: The Tree of Life. This should reduce the average time between the release of Malick’s films to less than several years now. We are still far from Woody Allen’s rate of one movie per year though…
This one was filmed in 2010 and is entitled To the Wonder. A romantic drama starring Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Olga Kuryenko, Javier Bardem, Rachel Weisz and Barry Pepper – quite the cast! Some were hoping for it to premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (which starts today!) but it is still in the process of creation in the editing room. It is most probably worth the wait…
The synopsis is the following: “It concerns a philanderer (Ben Affleck) who, feeling at loose ends, travels to Paris, where he enters a hot-and-heavy affair with a European woman (Olga Kurylenko). Said Lothario returns home to Oklahoma, where he marries the European woman (in part for visa reasons). When the relationship flounders, he rekindles a romance with a hometown girl (Rachel McAdams) with whom he’s had a long history.”
Next in line: Isabel Coixet, director of My Life Without Me (2003) and The Secret Life of Words (2005) will be directing The Age of Adaline, a fantasy romance that was initially to star Katherine Heigl who is now out of the project. Andy Tennant, director of The Bounty Hunter, was previously set to direct the movie. It seems this project is taking a new, more interesting turn.
News from twitter: Director Stephen Fry recently posted: «M’coll Hugh Laurie and I are cooking up a project together. We will be working again soon. Sorry to be mysterious but more news when I can».
Followed the next day by: «M’coll Hugh & I will be working together to voice the new animated feature of Oscar Wilde’s THE CANTERVILLE GHOST».
Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie have worked together before on comedy projects. They met at the University of Cambridge which they attended alongside Emma Thompson.
I never had these sort of people in my class…
James Franco is in a literary mood: he will star alongside Mila Kunis and Jessica Chastain in an adaptation of the 1983 book of poems Tar by C.K. Williams.
He also chose Olivia Wilde, Chloe Sevigny and Whoopi Goldberg for an adaptation of Black Dog, Red Dog, by Stephen Dobyns.
They are still looking for directors. James and producer Victorino noval selected ten directors from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts as potential directors. A good deed indeed, giving young directors such an opportunity!
And finally, fresh news on period drama Madame Bovary, the adaptation of Gustave Flaubert’s classic. Ezra Miller who recently starred in We Need to Talk About Kevin is joining the cast as Madame Bovary’s lover and will star alongside Mia Wasikowska and Paul Giamatti. The director Sophie Barthes previously directed Cold Souls.
Mia Wasikowska is also to star in another adaptation as a Dostoyevsky character. The Double is to be directed by Richard Ayoade (Submarine, 2010). Interesting career choices so far!
That’s it for today, and stay tuned for news on the Cannes Film Festival!
Viddy Well,
E.D.
lire le billet