Based on the novel by Atiq Rahimi, The Patience Stone is the story of a woman telling a story to her comatose and wounded husband during a war in a Muslim country. Directed by Rahimi and screenplay by Rahimi and Jean-Claude Carriere, the film is a look into a woman trying to tell her own life story to her husband whom she felt had neglected her as she finally gets to speak to him in his comatose state. Starring Golshifteh Farahani, Hamid Djavadan, Massi Mrowat, and Hassina Burgan. The Patience Stone is a riveting and mesmerizing film from Atiq Rahimi.
Set a war-torn Muslim country where a soldier is in a comatose state due to a bullet in his neck, the film is about the soldier’s wife who is tending to him while he is in a vegetative state as she talks about aspects of her life including her frustrations, revelations, and dreams to a man who didn’t treat her very well. It’s a film that follows this woman who doesn’t have many people to turn to with the exception of an aunt who would care for her two daughters during the war as she tends to her husband. The film’s screenplay by novelist Atiq Rahimi and Jean-Claude Carriere largely emphasizes on this woman (Golshifteh Farahani) to reveal a lot to her comatose husband (Hamid Djavadan) while would only step out to see her aunt (Hassina Burgan) who tells her the story of a patience stone where the woman uses her husband as a patience stone to reveal everything and hopefully be released from all of that suffering. Even as she would try to hide his body from militia whom he was fighting against as well as wonder why his brothers had abandoned him during the war.
Rahimi’s direction is quite engaging not just for some of the compositions that are created but also for its intimacy as it is shot on very few locations in and around Afghanistan. While there are some wide shots in the film including a key shot of a battle raging on above the roofs of several houses in the small and rural town near the mountains. Rahimi prefers to use close-ups and medium shots to give the film a somewhat theatrical tone as much of the action takes place at the home of the couple as well as the aunt’s home. There are also some flashback sequences as it relates to the woman recalling her childhood and her wedding day even though the man never showed up. Some of Rahimi’s compositions in scenes where the woman tells the story to her husband would sometimes have her in the foreground and him in the background or vice versa as it play into what she is telling him. Even as she ponders if these ten years of marriage where she didn’t have much to say to him is really worth it. Overall, Rahimi creates an eerie yet entrancing film about a woman telling her own story to her comatose husband during a war.
Cinematographer Thierry Arbogast does excellent work with the film’s cinematography from its usage of natural lights for some of the daytime/nighttime interiors as well as some of the exterior scenes. Editor Herve de Luze does brilliant work with the editing as it uses some unique transitional fade-outs and other stylized cuts to help play into the film’s slow yet methodical rhythm. Production designer Erwin Prib and art director Delphine De Casanove do fantastic work with the set design from the look of the home the couple lives in as well as the place where the aunt lives at.
Costume designer Malek Jahan Khazai does nice work with the costumes as it’s mostly casual from the yellow veil that the woman wears outside to the more stylish but conservative clothes that she wears inside the house. Sound designer Noemi Hampel does superb work with the sound in capturing the sounds of rockets and bombs flying in the air or the smaller moments in some of the sets. The film’s music by Max Richter is wonderful for its mixture of orchestral, ambient, and traditional Middle Eastern music while music supervisor Matthieu Sibony would provide a soundtrack that consists of music from that world.
The film’s incredible ensemble include some notable small roles from Malak Djaham Khazal as a neighbor, Mohamed Al Maghraoui as the local mullah, Hiba Lharrak and Aya Abida as the woman’s daughters, and Massi Mrowat as a young militia who would meet the woman unaware of her real role in the world. Hassina Burgan is wonderful as the woman’s aunt who works part time as a prostitute yet knows a lot about the world while Hamid Djavadan is superb as the comatose husband who is often in a vegetative state as he is silent throughout listening to his wife. Finally, there’s Golshifteh Farahani in a phenomenal performance as the woman who is trying to take care of her husband as she copes with the years of neglect and cruelty she would tell him so much about herself as it’s a very graceful and touching performance from Farahani who is a major highlight of the film.
The Patience Stone is a remarkable film from Atiq Rahimi that features a sensational performance from Golshifteh Farahani. It’s a film that showcases what a woman in a war-torn Muslim has to do to cope with the chaos of war as well as the role of women in that world where they don’t have much to say. In the end, The Patience Stone is an incredible film from Atiq Rahimi.
© thevoid99 2017
Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/20/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.
Based on the novel by Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is the story of a Czech surgeon who deals with two relationships involving an innocent photographer and an artist as they both represent different ideas of what he wants. Directed by Philip Kaufuman and screenplay by Kaufman, Jean-Claude Carriere, and Saul Zaentz, the film is an exploration into a love triangle that occurs during the 1960s where they also endure political and social changes in the former Czechoslovakia. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin, Derek de Lint, Donald Moffat, Pavel Landovsky, Erland Josephson, and Stellan Skarsgard. The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a harrowing yet mesmerizing film from Philip Kaufman.
It's 1968 in Prague, Czechoslovakia as a surgeon named Tomas (Daniel Day-Lewis) spends his life flirting and sleeping with other woman including a nurse named Katja (Pascale Kalensky). Tomas also has a mistress named Sabina (Lena Olin) who works as an artist as she is the only real friend he has and understands him better than anyone. Then one day as Tomas goes to a country spa town to perform surgery, he catches the eye of a waitress named Tereza (Juliette Binoche) who shares his love for books and such. She had dreamed of going to Prague to make it as a photographer as she joins him. Knowing that Sabina has connections with the art world, she manages to give Tereza a job working for the press which she was happy though she noticed the chemistry between Sabina and Tomas. Thanks to Sabina, Tereza's work as a photographer makes her a success as they go to a party where Tereza makes Tomas jealous when he dances with his colleague Jiri (Tomek Bork) while making speeches about morality and insults towards the Russian politicians. During that night, they're at a club with the politicians where one of them told the band to play the Russian anthem that then becomes a rock n' roll number.
When Tomas writes an article to the press about the Russians, it unfortunately attracted the attention of the Russians. Despite just being married to Tereza, Tereza's knowledge of Tomas' love of sex and women makes her insecure as she tries to walk out only to catch a glimpse of the Russian tanks arriving.The Russian invasion in Prague is captured by Tereza’s camera as she sees Sabina leave for Switzerland. The two later join when Tereza has been caught photographing the event, even when she sends film rolls to foreigners. In Switzerland, Sabina caught the attention of a university professor named Franz (Derek de Lint). The two fall in love as they have their own affair that is great except for the fact that he's married. Tomas and Tereza arrive as Tomas gets a new job though Tereza finds that her love of photography is being stifled by having to do nude photographs for money and attention. She contacts Sabina for some nude photography and vice versa as for a moment, they briefly bonded until Franz's arrival to tell Sabina the news that he's leaving his wife. Sabina, unsure of wanting a relationship with Franz since she also adores Tomas and Tereza, chose to leave Switzerland and Franz. Tereza also leaves the country to return to Prague with their dog Karenin as Tomas realizes he needs her as he returns to Czechoslovakia but with his passport now confiscated.
Now in a new Czechoslovakia, Tomas tries to get his old job but his boss (Donald Moffat) told him that he couldn't unless he sign documents over the article he wrote. After an Interior Ministry official (Daniel Olbrychski) tries to get him to sign, Tomas ends up cleaning windows for a living while Tereza becomes a waitress at a bar. Befriending an engineer (Stellan Skarsgard), Tereza finds herself increasingly insecure with Tomas returning to old habits with women.
In response, she meets with the engineer but suspects something is wrong. Turning to a former ambassador (Erland Josephson) about what had happened, Tereza's guilt forces she and Tomas to leave Prague for good to live in the country with their friend Pavel (Pavel Landovsky) his pig Mephisto, and his nephew (Pavel Slaby). It is there Tomas is forced to confront his demons, his life with Tereza, and his old affairs with Sabina.
While it's obvious that Kaufman, co-screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere, and producer Saul Zaentz made some changes from the book in their adaptation to add eroticism to the story. The result is a fascinating drama about a doctor whose life and love for two women collide with his own reality in the backdrop of the Russian invasion in 1968. The film is really about a love triangle where all three characters love each other yet have troubling sharing one another. It's also the heart of film and story where they all have trouble sharing each other yet one when two bonds with one forced to watch, there's a sense of jealousy and confusion. It's the characters of Tomas, Tereza, and Sabina that drive the story.
The script by Kaufman and Carriere works in its structure and how the relationships are perceived. The first act is really about Sabina and Tomas with Tereza having to watch while marrying Tomas in a relationship where sex is something mysterious to her. In the second act, there's a scene that's really about Sabina and Tereza and their brief bond. Yet, with Tomas not really aware of what's going on, another observer appears in the form of Franz who doesn't really understand Sabina's role in the love triangle she appears in with Tomas and Tereza. When the third act arrives, Sabina is gone as the film becomes more about the fragile yet tender relationship of Tomas and Tereza and all of their faults. Essentially, the film is about relationships and how fragile they are with each character carrying a different trait.
Tomas is a man filled with charm and bravado who succumbs to habits with women that makes him unfulfilled emotionally. Tereza is a woman who is essentially a woman filled with innocence as she offers love but when it comes to sex, she doesn't really know anything while not wanting to expose herself physically. When she is forced to confront those demons, she becomes confused forcing Tomas to confront his own flaws. Then there's Sabina, she kind of represents the observer of the entire relationship. She’s the only one who understands Tomas' desire for women and Tereza’s insecurities as she tries to help her be confident. Yet, when she is confronted with things like love and security in the form of Franz, it's a world she's not used to since she prefers her own individuality. Therefore, she doesn't appear much in the third act until the end of the film.
Kaufman’s direction is top-notch for its observation and subtle approach towards the film's erotic moments. Whereas nudity is used to titillate or shock the audience, Kaufman does it with emotions where the most erotic moment doesn't have to be a naked woman but rather other body parts like the eyes or what's going on in that scene. In the more politically-driven scenes, the recreation of the invasion isn't shot in Czechoslovakia (due to its political climate at the time) but in France. Yet, the mix of stock footage and real-life footage shot in black-and-white almost made the film documentary-like. While a lot of the film was shot on location in France along with French soundstages and parts of Geneva, Switzerland. The film managed to give that feeling of oppression both physically and psychologically. Credit must go to Kaufman for not overplaying or under-emphasize the drama. Instead, he brings the characters to life and the story itself in what is definitely one of his strongest efforts.
Cinematographer Sven Nykvist brings some gorgeously shot sequences with his mastery craft with wonderful interior shots done with great intimacy. The exteriors are also notable from the lively look of Lyon as Prague in the first act along with the countryside that includes a shot on magic-hour in the third act. Editor Walter Murch also brings his mastery with his wonderful cutting style that plays like a camera capturing the action. Murch's use of stock footage mixed in with recreated shots of the Russian invasion is also genius to convey the chaos as Murch's work is brilliant. Production designer Pierre Guffroy definitely creates wonderful interior designs for the film including his recreation of Prague in the soundstages. Featuring paintings by another artist and a look that is very spacious yet intimate in the first half of the film, the look definitely changes to something more claustrophobic until in the later part of the third act where everything's natural.
Costume designer Ann Roth helps with the film's differing look with the dark clothes that Tomas wears to the exotic lingerie Sabina wears, and the country-like dresses and city-like clothes that Tereza wears. Sound designer Alan Splet does wonderful work with the sound, notably the Russian invasion sequence to bring the layering of sounds from sirens, tanks, and everything that goes on. Music composer Mark Adler brings a soft film score to convey the drama of the Russian Invasion. The rest of the music is flourishing, lyrical piano music by Janacek that soars throughout the entire film.
Then there's the film's cast that is wonderfully superb with small performances from Anne Lonnberg as a Swiss photographer, Clovis Cornillac as a young man who harasses Tereza at a bar, Pascale Kalensky as Nurse Katja, Pavel Slaby as Pavel's nephew, and Bruce Myers as a Czech editor. Other minor performances from Tomek Bork, Daniel Olbrychski, and Erland Josephson as the ambassador are very memorable including Stellan Skarsgard as a shady yet charming engineer and Donald Moffat as the chief surgeon. Pavel Landovsky is excellent as Tomas' friend Pavel, a man who loves his pet pig Mephisto while giving Tomas and Tereza a home late in the film as he muses on the changing times. Derek de Lint is great as a Franz, a university professor who falls for Sabina but isn't sure about her quirks as he doesn't realize what kind of life she leads.
In her first American film, Swedish actress Lena Olin gives a magnificent, sensual performance as Sabina. Though her character is kind of a sexpot of sorts, Olin brings depth to the character as some of her more seductive appearance isn’t what she's not wearing but rather what she's showing. It's a brilliant performance from the actress who is truly a joy to watch. Juliette Binoche is amazing as the more introverted Tereza. Binoche displays an innocence and fragility to the character that is unsure about love and sex while being forced to confront her own failures and her relationship with Tomas. Binoche's performance is very strong and engaging while her scene with Olin with the camera is truly one of the most seductive and jaw-dropping for their emotional responses. Daniel Day-Lewis is in great form as Tomas, a charming, womanizing surgeon who seems to love women more than anything. It's also his downfall yet Day-Lewis brings a lot of wit and a sly face to the character that is a joy to watch. His scenes with Binoche and Olin, whether separate or together, are amazing to watch in how he manages to act with them. Even using a Czech accent, Day-Lewis brings a lot of authenticity to the character while remaining witty in his situations.
The 2006 2-disc, Region 1 DVD from Warner Brothers presents the film with a new, superior transfer that is an improvement over its previous DVD releases including the 1999 Criterion DVD. Presented on widescreen and newly superior sound. The only real negative of the DVD is that due to the remastering and superior film transfer, the three-hour film is split in two. After the first two hours are in the first disc. The film ends in a fade-out with the third hour opening very abruptly. Despite that huge flaw, the film definitely works to its original theatrical presentation. The audio commentary track by director Philip Kaufman, co-screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere, Lena Olin, and Walter Murch is the same commentary from the original 1999 Criterion DVD. While all the tracks are done separately, they're all very informative. Kaufman, who dedicates his commentary to sound designer Alan Splet who died a few years prior, discusses a lot of the film's themes, the difficulty of trying to be faithful to the book while fawning over Juliette Binoche's performance. Jean-Claude Carriere discusses his friendship with Milan Kundera, the themes of the book, and the difficulty of the adaptation.
Olin's commentary is often on many of her scenes as she talks about some of the costumes, her friendship with cinematographer Sven Nykvist and the brief scenes that Erland Josephson had whom she had worked with in a couple of films for Ingmar Bergman. Walter Murch discusses a lot of the film's more technical pointers as he reveals he never goes to a film set during production and some of the editing techniques he did for the film in using two different editing machines before the age of computers. Along with the film's theatrical trailer in the 2nd disc, a 30-minute featurette entitled Emotional History: The Making of The Unbearable Lightness of Being features interviews with Philip Kaufman, Jean-Claude Carriere, Walter Murch, and producer Saul Zaentz. Kaufman talks about discovering the novel in 1984 and turning to Saul Zaentz to make it into a project. Bringing Jean-Claude Carriere to help write the script where they added some more erotic elements to the story with Kundera's permission.
Murch discusses the editing of stock footage intercut with recreated footage shot during production. He would later talk briefly about his friendship with Kaufman whom he knew during the early days of American Zoetrope in the early 70s with founders George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola. Zaentz discusses the film's release in 1988 where in the U.S., it did OK despite rave reviews from critics while it was a bigger hit in Europe. Particularly a screening in Russia at the time Communism fell down where Kaufman is convinced the film took a small role in helping end Communism in Eastern Europe.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a phenomenal film from Philip Kaufman that features great performances from Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, and Lena Olin. Armed with a great supporting cast as well as some amazing technical work, the film is truly an intriguing and compelling film about a love triangle that occurred during some intense moments involving events in history. In the end, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is an exquisitely rich and sensational film from Philip Kaufman.
Philip Kaufman Films: (Goldstein) - (Fearless Frank) - (The Great Northfield Raid) - (The White Dawn) - (Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 film)) - (The Wanderers) - (The Right Stuff) - (Henry & June) - (Rising Sun) - (Quills) - (Twisted (2004 film)) - (Hemingway & Gellhorn)
© thevoid99 2015
(Co-Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival)
Based on the novel by Gunter Grass, Die Blechtrommel (The Tin Drum) is the story of a young boy who rebels against the world of adults and society by banging on a tin drum to express his disdain for the world. Directed by Volker Schlondorff and screenplay by Schlondorff, Jean-Claude Carriere, and Franz Seitz with additional contributions from Grass, the film is an exploration of a young boy coming of age in post-World War I Germany as he would deal his surroundings as it would emerge into World War II. Starring David Bennent, Mario Adorf, Angela Winkler, Daniel Olbrychski, Katharina Thalbach, and Charles Aznavour. Die Blechtrommel is an extraordinary yet sprawling drama from Volker Schlondorff.
The film explores the twenty-year journey of a young boy who at the age of three would experience an accident that would prevent his body from growing as he comes of age from his birth in 1924 to the end of World War II as he bangs a tin drum to deal with his disdain for the world around him. All of which is told from his perspective from the day his mother was conceived to how he was born as Oskar (David Bennent) deals with his surroundings as his mother Agnes (Angela Winkler) is married to the shopkeeper Alfred (Mario Adorf) yet has an incestuous affair with her Polish cousin Jan Bronski (Daniel Olbrychski) whom Oskar thinks is his real father. In reaction to his lack of growth and understanding about the world, a tin drum Oskar was given by Jan at age three would be his outlet for his frustrations as he would be connected to it. Any chance it’s taken a way from him, he would yield high-pitch screams that are strong enough to break glass as it would be the kind of talent that would help him survive despite his encounters with tragedy.
The film’s screenplay is very grand as it starts off with the conception of Agnes by her mother Anna (Tina Engel) who meets this strange man while hiding from the police. Years later as she becomes a grandmother, Anna (Berta Drews) would watch over her family as she watches Oskar become rebellious as the two would encounter tragedies and events that would shape their home of Danzig as it was once a place where Germans, Poles, and Kashubians would live together. Yet, the arrival of Nazi Germany and Alfred becoming part of the movement would cause a lot of issues as his marriage to Agnes would suffer. Much of the film’s first half is about Oskar coming of age while his tin drum is the one thing he carries as it represents the child in him as well as his thirst for rebellion and chaos such as causing a disruption during a Nazi rally.
The film’s second half takes place at the start of World War II as Alfred hires a housekeeper named Maria (Katharina Thalbach) who would become Oskar’s first love despite the fact that he still looks like a young boy. Yet, their relationship is complicated by Alfred’s presence as well as the chaos of war where an encounter with the midget circus master Bebra (Fritz Hakl) would have Oskar be part of a traveling circus troupe to entertain Nazi officers and soldiers where Oskar would fall for the performer Roswitha (Mariella Oliveri). It would all play to the sense of journey that Oskar endures as he would try to hold on to some semblance of innocence that he would have as a child but the complications in being an adult as it’s a film about not just growing pains but also a boy becoming a man through the most troubling of circumstances.
Volker Schlondorff’s direction is very stylish in not just some of the surreal elements that he creates as it has elements of satire. There’s also moments in the film that are gripping to watch such as a key scene in the second act where Oskar is with Jan at a Polish post office on the day World War II began as well as some chilling scenes involving the war. Yet, the intense moments involve some scenes at the home Oskar lives with his parents that includes this very powerful argument where Oskar watched his mother feel hurt because she didn’t want to eat eels that Alfred cooked as looking at them made her sick. It would add to some of the drama that would occur that would shape Oskar in his growth. Especially in his angst as the drums and his screams serve as his emotional outlet that would often cause chaos in his surroundings as much of the film is shot in West Germany with some amazing wide shots along with some close-ups and medium shots that Schlondorff would use for the drama.
The direction also has moments where Schlondorff creates an element of fantasy such as a book about Rasputin that Oskar was reading as it comes to life as well as his birth scene. There’s also moments where Schlondorff pushes buttons such as a scene where Oskar and Maria are undressing to go into the beach as it plays to Oskar’s growing fascination with sex. Especially as it creates some ambiguity over Oskar’s relationship with Maria as she would eventually be pregnant as it would later play to Oskar going into his own personal journey in his encounter with the Nazism and war. The film’s ending is about not just the end of his journey with his tin drum but also where he would go as the war ends as well as the fact that his home for twenty years will never be the same. Overall, Schlondorff creates a very fascinating and intoxicating film about a boy coming of age in early 20th Century Germany.
Cinematographer Igor Luther does fantastic work with the very lush and colorful cinematography from the way some of the interiors look with its vibrant colors to some of the gorgeous imagery for some of the exterior scenes. Editor Suzanne Baron, with additional work by Peter Adam for the director‘s cut, does excellent work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward with some rhythmic cuts for the intense moments in the drama and war scenes. Production designers Piotr Dudzinski and Zeljko Senecic, with set decorator Bernd Lepel and art director Nikos Perakis, do amazing work with the set pieces from the home where Oskar lived in to the Nazi rallies and places Oskar performs at.
Costume designers Inge Heer, Dagmar Niefind, and Yoshio Yabara do brilliant work with the evolution of the clothes in Oskar‘s life from the uniforms he would wear later on to the dresses that his mother wore. Makeup artist Ruzica Vidmar does terrific work with some of the makeup that includes the stuff Oskar wears in his days at the circus. The sound work of Peter Beil, Walter Grundauer, and Peter Kellerhals is superb for the way the tin drum sounds as well as Oskar‘s screams plus the scenes set during the war and such that would surround Oskar. The film’s music by Maurice Jarre is great for its mix of bombastic orchestral music with some somber pieces along with percussive-based themes and themes that involve the didgeridoo.
The film’s incredible cast includes some notable small appearances from Heinz Bennent as a scoutmaster friend of Alfred in Greff, Andrea Ferreol as Greff’s wife Lina whom Oskar would later have an affair with, co-screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere as Rasputin, Wojciech Pszoniak as a Jewish shopkeeper who appears late in the film, Roland Teubner as Oskar’s grandfather, Fritz Hakl as the midget circus master Bebra, and Mariella Oliveri as the performer Roswitha whom Oskar would have a relationship with. Tina Engel and Berta Drews are wonderful in their respective roles as the younger and older version of Oskar’s grandmother who has a penchant for hiding things under her skirt. Charles Aznavour is terrific in a small yet memorable performance as the Jewish toyshop owner Markus who has feelings for Agnes while always providing Oskar with a new tin drum.
Daniel Olbrychski is excellent as Oskar’s uncle Jan who had always been kinder to Oskar while maintaining his love for Agnes. Katharina Thalbach is amazing as Maria as the housekeeper Oskar falls for as she would later forge a relationship with Alfred causing tension between the two. Mario Adorf is superb as Oskar’s father Alfred as a man who is a talented cook and shopkeeper who joins the Nazi party in the hopes it would help Germany until its new rules forces him to question his allegiance. Angela Winkler is brilliant as Oskar’s mother Agnes as she is this woman who adores her son while being torn in her devotion to Alfred and Jan. Finally, there’s David Bennent in a remarkable performance as Oskar as this young boy whose body wouldn’t grow since the age of three as it is a truly fierce and wild performance as a young boy who is this mix of boyish charm with the intelligence of a man as it’s a truly unforgettable performance from the young actor.
Die Blechtrommel is a tremendously sprawling yet touching film from Volker Schlondorff that features a magnificent performance from David Bennent. The film isn’t just an offbeat yet compelling coming-of-age story but also a film that explores a boy dealing with adulthood and the emergence of Nazism in his small German town. In the end, Die Blechtrommel is a phenomenal film from Volker Schlondorff.
Young Torless
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the novel by Joseph Kessel, Belle de Jour is the story of a housewife who spends her afternoons as a prostitute while her husband is at work as she deals with her sexual desires. Directed by Luis Bunuel and screenplay by Bunuel and Jean-Claude Carriere, the film is an exploration into a woman trying to find sexual fulfillment as she’s not finding that in her marriage prompting her to take drastic actions. Starring Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Francisco Rabal, and Michel Piccoli. Belle de Jour is a provocative yet entrancing film from Luis Bunuel.
The film explores the world of a bored housewife of a surgeon who decides to become a prostitute in the afternoons to fulfill her sexual desires. There, she encounters men who give her the sexual fulfillment she craves which would have an ironic effect in her relationship with her husband until she meets a troubled criminal who wants her. It’s a film that is largely told from the perspective of the protagonist Severine (Catherine Deneuve) who has these fantasies of being beaten and insulted yet has a hard time living that out in the real world as she is bored and aloof which confuses her husband Pierre (Jean Sorel) who often works. Yet, she is also quite cold to his friend Henri Husson (Michel Piccoli) who would mention about the brothel that one of Severine’s old friends used to work at which prompts the curious Severine to see what is there where she would find this strange balance of fantasy and reality.
The film’s screenplay by Luis Bunuel and Jean-Claude Carriere creates a unique story that is largely told from a woman’s perspective where it’s opening scene is where Severine and Pierre are riding in a carriage where Pierre demands the carriage drivers to beat her. It’s a very strange moment to open the film but the fact that it’s Severine’s fantasy makes it even stranger into why would this woman want to feel pleasure from being whipped by men and such? Pierre has no clue about Severine’s fantasies as he is also baffled by her reluctance to have sex with him but he respects her too much to not do anything against her will. Still, there is that question of maybe Severine wants Pierre to take action but it doesn’t happen where she also is also attracted to Husson in some respects though she also despises him greatly because of how flirtatious he can be.
The script is also intriguing in how Severine manages to be part of this world of sex where she works for this very stern brothel madam known as Madame Anais (Genevieve Page) who shows her the ropes of what to do. Under the name Belle de Jour, Severine would become one of class and intrigue to the clients she meets. Yet, it becomes more troubling in its third act with the arrival of a criminal named Hyppolite (Francisco Rabal) who is an old friend of Madame Anais as he is joined by his young protégé Marcel (Pierre Clementi) whose attraction to Severine is very unstable. Notably as it clashes with everything she wanted but also the stability that she craves for at home.
The direction of Luis Bunuel is very entrancing in the way he blurs the idea of fantasy and reality. Most notably with its opening sequence that seems real but it has an air of surrealism that is common with a lot of Bunuel’s work as there would be these scenes that are presented in some of the beautiful ways. Even as it has this degradation that makes it so strange where Husson throws mud at Severine in one scene while she’s tied up on a tree in another scene to showcase how extreme these fantasies of sadomasochism can be. Even where Severine finally gets to act in these fantasies where there is a sense of happiness that occurs where even the fantasies become more playful in some respects.
The compositions that Bunuel creates are mesmerizing in the way he puts his actors into a frame or how he maintains the idea of reality and fantasy colliding. Notably as some of the moments of reality where Severine interacts with the other prostitutes showcase an intimacy in some of these scenes as well as scenes between Severine and Pierre where it’s quite calm. Still, Bunuel does create some great scenes in these moments where he would also include moments of symbolism to suggest the fate that Severine might face. Most notably a sequence where Severine is hired to play the dead wife of a man in this elaborate yet strange funeral scene. Things get darker in the third act where her encounter with Marcel is one that is just chaotic as it also begins to blur the idea of reality and fantasy where Severine must make a choice. Overall, Bunuel creates a very fascinating and captivating film about a woman trying to find fulfillment in her sexual desires.
Cinematographer Sascha Vierny does amazing work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography from the way the scenes in the forests look with its vibrant colors to some of the lighting schemes that is created in some of the film‘s interiors. Editor Louisette Hautecoeur does brilliant work with the editing where it is stylized with its jump-cuts and dissolves as it plays to some of the film‘s humor and strange moments. Production designer Robert Clavel does fantastic work with the look of the brothel that Severine works at as well as her lavish home that she and Pierre live in. The costumes of Helene Nourry is superb for its sense of style in the clothes that Severine wears that ranges from quaint and innocent to some of the sensual clothing she has to wear for work. The sound work of Rene Longuet is excellent for some of the effects that is created to play up that blur of fantasy and reality as well as in creating an atmosphere in some big scenes in the film.
The film’s incredible cast includes some notable small roles from Marguerite Muni as Madame Anais’ maid, Georges Marchal as a duke who hires Severine to come to his home, Macha Merill as Severine’s friend Renee, Francoise Fabian and Maria Latour as a couple of women who work for Madame Anais, and Francisco Rabal as the notorious yet cautious criminal Hyppolite. Pierre Clementi is excellent as the unpredictable and fierce Marcel who falls for Severine as she has everything he wants yet has a hard time not being with her. Genevieve Page is superb as Madame Anais as a woman who is stern but also very kind as she helps Severine figure out how to play her part while dealing with the fact that Severine is only working in afternoons. Michel Piccoli is great as Henri Husson as a man who is attracted to Severine no matter how much she despises him as he’s one full of charm and wit while he would be the one that would play a key role into ending Severine’s time as a prostitute.
Jean Sorel is terrific as Severine’s husband Pierre as he’s sort of this aloof yet kind surgeon who loves his wife but doesn’t know what she wants as he’s quite oblivious to her activities while being a much more brutal person in her fantasies. Finally, there’s Catherine Deneuve in a remarkable performance as Severine as this woman who sort of has this cold yet lost personality early in the film to someone who seems to enjoy being beaten and humiliated in her fantasies as it’s definitely one of Deneuve’s finest performances in her career where she shows a bit of skin but also shows something much more in this film.
Belle de Jour is a phenomenal film from Luis Bunuel that features a radiant performance from Catherine Deneuve. The film is certainly one of the most interesting takes on the world of sexual fantasies and sadomasochism as well as what a woman wants in her life as she is just simply trying to find herself. Most notably as it would also play into the idea of reality and fantasy in what a woman wants. In the end, Belle de Jour is a sensational film from Luis Bunuel.
Luis Bunuel Films: Un Chien Andalou - L’Age d’Or - Land Without Bread - (Gran Casino) - (The Great Madcap) - Los Olvidados - (Susana) - (La hija de engano) - (Mexican Bus Ride) - (A Woman Without Love) - (El Bruto) - (El) - (Illusion Travels by Streetcar) - (Wuthering Heights (1954 film)) - Robinson Crusoe (1954 film) - (The Criminal Lives of Archibaldo de la Cruz) - (El rio y la muerte) - (Cela S’apelle l’Aurore) - (Death in the Garden) - (Nazarin) - (La Fievre a El Pasao) - (The Young One) - Viridiana - The Exterminating Angel - Diary of a Chambermaid - Simon of the Desert - (The Milky Way) - Tristana - Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - (The Phantom of Liberty) - (That Obscure Object of Desire)
© thevoid99 2013
(Winner of the Best Actress Prize to Juliette Binoche at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival)
Written and directed by Abbas Kiarostami, Certified Copy is the story about a British writer and a French antiques dealer who meet in Tuscany as they get to know each other while talking about the concept of authenticity. The film is an exploration into what is real as well as the concept of art as it is told by led by two people in the course of a day. Starring Juliette Binoche and William Shimmel. Certified Copy is a rapturous yet provocative film from Abbas Kiarostami.
The film is a very simple story about a writer (William Shimmel) who meets an antiques dealer (Juliette Binoche) where they spend the afternoon in Tuscany talking about the idea of authenticity in not just art but in humanity and such. During the duration of the afternoon, their discussions become more passionate to the point that it raises questions about everything including themselves as the woman is also the mother of a nine-year old. They would encounter various people along the way including young couples getting married as their discussion gets more heated about the idea of romance. It’s all part of a world in which Abbas Kiarostami questions the idea of authenticity in not just art but also humanity and the idea of romance.
While there isn’t much of a script that Kiarostami has created, it does raise a lot of questions into these ideas of what is real and what is forgery where he asks about these two people. Do they know each other or are they attracted to each other as both of them couldn’t deal with the reality about themselves? They are the many questions Kiarostami delves into while the writer has written a book about the idea that there might not be the idea of originality once it gets re-printed and forged. Even in the idea of humanity where the writer thinks that marriage is destined to fail though the antiques dealer disagrees thinking there could be hope.
Kiarostami’s direction is quite engaging in its simplicity as he doesn’t really do a lot of visual trickery with the exception of a shot of the two in a car while the front window is reflecting these gorgeous images of the buildings. Still, Kiarostami maintains something that is still engrossing about the conversations that are unfolding between two people and some of the people they encounter as he does create some beautiful compositions where he also puts something in the background to add a sense of interest. Even in the way he places the actors in a frame while having them in a certain location in Tuscany that adds something that is quite intoxicating to watch. The location itself is a character of the film where it plays to that sense of romance that is around the characters but it also plays into the idea that it could be a fantasy or a reality the characters don’t want to face. Overall, Kiarostami creates a very delightful and captivating film about authenticity in art and humanity.
Cinematographer Luca Bigazzi does excellent work with the film‘s very evocative cinematography to capture the beauty of the Tuscan fields and its small towns as well as some nice low-key lighting schemes for some of the film‘s interiors. Editor Bahman Kiarostami does wonderful work with the editing as it doesn‘t play into any particular style while keeping things low-key for some of its long takes while using a few rhythmic cuts to capture the drama. Production designers Giancarlo Basili and Ludovica Ferrario do nice work with the set pieces from some of the cafes the characters attend to the wedding halls they encounter. The sound work of Olivier Hespel and Dominique Vieillard is terrific for the sound work where it has this nice layer of being naturalistic but also with the mixing to combine these layers of effects that is happening in the locations including the music that’s played in the background.
The film’s cast largely consists of some small performances that includes Adrian Moore as the woman’s son, Gianna Giachetti as a café owner the antiques dealer talks to, Filippo Troiano and Manuela Balsimelli as the marrying couple the characters meet, and Agathe Natanson and famed screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere as an old couple the main characters meet at the town square. William Shimmel is amazing as the writer as a man who tries to explain his thoughts of authenticity as well as humanity itself as it’s quite remarkable to watch him act with someone as revered as his co-star Juliette Binoche. Binoche’s performance is definitely full of radiance and energy as a woman who has a very keen opinion on art as well as life as she is also enchanted by what she sees while dealing with her own personal drama surrounding her son as well as the fact that his father isn’t around much as it’s Binoche at her most exquisite.
***Additional DVD Content Written on 6/1/13-6/5/13***
The 2-disc (1-disc Blu-Ray) Region 1 DVD from the Criterion Collection presents in its 1:85:1 theatrical aspect ratio in the widescreen format with 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound in English, French, and Italian with English subtitles all approved by its filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami. The first disc of the DVD includes the film and its trailer. The second disc of the DVD includes various special features relating to the film and its creator.
The first big special feature is Kiarostami’s 1977 film The Report which bears similar themes to Certified Copy in its drama where it is presented in an old analog master made from a subtitled theatrical print which had been damaged due to heavy use while Kiarostami explained that the original negative was destroyed during the Islamic Revolution. It’s a very engaging film that explores a man dealing with his own issues in his life from being accused of bribery to a breakdown in his marriage as the film features an early appearance from Iranian actress Shoreh Aghdashloo.
The 16-minute interview with Abbas Kiarostami has the filmmaker talking about the film and why it took him a long time to make the film. He talked about a lot of things in the film that were based on personal experiences as well as the desire to work with Juliette Binoche as the two were fans of each other’s work and he invited her to Tehran and she made a cameo in his 2008 film Shirin. Kiarostami also talked about directing William Shimmel and trying to get him comfortable in playing the part while revealing some of the similarities between this film and his 1977 film The Report.
The 52-minute making-of documentary Let’s See “Copia conforme” is an Italian-produced documentary directed by Irene Bufo. The documentary explores not just Kiarostami’s process as a filmmaker but also how his approach to filmmaking was so different for the Italian crew he was working with. Notably as cinematographer Luca Bigazzi reveals a lot about Kiarostami’s approach where the differences between his approach and the usual process he’s done are huge since Kiarostami keep things going while trying to find the right notes in a performance. Juliette Binoche and William Shimmel also delve into Kiarostami’s approach with actors where Binoche reveals into why she was approached to do this film as he is a fan of her work and vice versa while Shimmel reveals the similarities of acting in front of a camera and on stage as an opera singer. It’s a very intriguing short documentary that reveals how Kiarostami stages thing and the relaxed approach he brings to the making of the film.
The DVD also comes with a booklet that features an essay entitled At Home and Abroad by New York-based film critic Godfrey Cheshire. Cheshire’s essay reveals the genesis of how Kiarostami came up with the story and the timing of when he made the film around the same time there was an uproar over the Iranian election. Cheshire also talks about the film’s plot in general and how it breaks conventions while remaining accessible as he points out Robert Rossellini’s Voyage to Italy and Kiarostami’s 1977 film The Report as examples of what Kiarostami was doing. Especially the latter as it would return Kiarostami to explore the world of relationships as he had been unable to do so in Iran as it’s a wonderful essay from Cheshire.
***End of DVD Tidbits***
Certified Copy is a tremendous film from Abbas Kiarostami that features brilliant performances from Juliette Binoche and William Shimmel. The film isn’t just one of the most intriguing films about art and life but also the idea about the ideas of authenticity. It’s also one of Kiarostami’s more accessible features where he can bring something different in a world outside of Iran but still be engaging over what he presents and the questions he wants to ask. In the end, Certified Copy is an incredible film from Abbas Kiarostami.
Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) - The Traveler - (A Wedding Suit) - The Report - (First Case, Second Case) - (Fellow Citizens) - (First Graders) - Where is the Friend’s House? - Homework (1989 film) - Close-Up - Life and Nothing More… - Through the Olive Trees - Taste of Cherry - (The Wind Will Carry Us) - (ABC Africa) - (Ten) - (Five) - (10 on Ten) - (Shirin) - Like Someone in Love - 24 Frames
© thevoid99 2013
