Masterpiece


This movie is a masterpiece, in the best tradition of the female way of directing. I mean by that the way they make you grasp things by little details, as for instance the scene after the big party when in the morning we are shown the rests of the fete, bits of food, consumed candels, all the remains of a futile way to spend life that leads to boredom and emptyness with MA as a living proof of it, soaking in her bathtub and stearing at nothing. I think that people that disliked this movie shouldn't bother to watch movies at all. SC, as the real artist she is, got something wery profound about MA: she wanted to show the queen of France for what she really was, i. e., a quite ineducated young girl who was thrown into one the most difficult european courts without any preparation. She would show this lack of knowledge not only by her crazy expenses (they were such after all, and don't give that crap about her not beeing the only resposable for the national debt, I'm aware of it, but she was indeed careless about money) but also by his political attitude towards the starting revolution; in fact she was not only absolutely against it, but against any kind of reforms, so she really wasn't fit to face such harsh times. She was not prepared to and she wasn't willing to commit herself to the task either, because you cannot call her stubborness against the raising of the new ideas a proof of a clever political conduct. Those who complained about the lack of historic truth should watch the interview given by Antonia Fraser about the picture, they can find it in the dvd's extras. She says she was struck in the best way by the depiction of MA made by SC. For those who said that they didn't care about the prettyness of the movie, on what planet are you living on? All that stuff, the shoes, the dresses, the food, that WAS Versailles. Do you know, evidently you don't, that the Rohan family, one of biggest in the ancient France, went banckrupt beacause they squandared theyr fortune in the attempt to please MA? At that time if some wanted to be well regarded at court, he or she HAD to have a big fortune so they would be able to spend money in dresses, jewelry and parties. There was no other way. So don't make you laughable remarks about the feature beeing just a useless show of luxurious things. One can object about MA aknowledging the crowd: that I agree wasn't historical, in the sense given by the director, wich is, she feels finally free from the stuffy world of Versailles. But an artist has the right to make choices, that you cannot object. The ending of the movie was very original, the director has the right to her own interpretation, she or he cannot be stuck by history, he or she must go further, follow his or hers penchant wich made him or her an artist

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ctg:

Thank you for your wonderful post about this special movie! Some of your comments are very perceptive:

'I think that people that disliked this movie shouldn't bother to watch movies at all.'

I agree with this statement. It is a definitive movie and completely unique. Also, extremely beautiful and well arranged. I find it mesmerising. The first time I watched it, I was so stunned that I rewound it immediately and watched it again three times! There really is nothing else out there to match this movie.

Sofia Coppola knew what she wanted to do with this story and I think she should be proud of herself and her labour of love. I cannot thank her enough for making such a perfect movie.







http://www.wix.com/butterflyinabottle/bernadettebutterfly

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Garbage.



http://us.imdb.com/name/nm2339870/

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[deleted]

I, too, LOVE this movie! I was hooked from the start, but when I saw the converse sneakers, all I could say was BRILLIANT! I watch it every time it comes on the movie channels. I actually look for it and wish they would play it more often than some of the other movies that are shown. The soundtrack is amazing. Even the beautiful opera music, and haunting melodies that are played while she is saying goodbye to her family and friends at the end. I think Sofia Coppola did a terrific job and has a wonderful eye for beauty. I thought the scene where MA and her brother were sipping jasmine tea was delightful and endearing. There are so many things about that movie that makes me watch it again and again. I will definitely own this movie one day. Why I haven't bought it yet, is beyond me..lol.

"oooooh....someone needs a RAID enema to kill that bug up their ass!"

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'.....if there's any film which didn't even need to focus on history and just be a visual thing of beauty, this was it.'



What a wonderful way of putting it!!

I think personally that there must be a severe lack of LOVE and BEAUTY in the lives of those people who fail to be captivated by 'Marie Antoinette', to such a degree that they are unable to recognise either, when they see them on the screen.





http://www.wix.com/butterflyinabottle/bernadettebutterfly

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[deleted]

This movie was anything but a masterpiece. It was more like The Food Network meets
Project Runway. Seriously...I watched it not for who was in it but for the history aspects of the movie to which was none. I thought the directing of this movie was atrocious. Then after sitting through this movie I stayed with it to see the end and again was so disappointed. they didnt even go to the end of her life in this movie. The fashion show was over. 40,000,000 was estimated of how much it cost to make this movie. Can you imagine all the hungry kids that could have been fed instead of the spending on all the costumes for this waste....oh wow kind of sounds like how the people felt back then for the royals waste while there were starving children.

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[deleted]

Spot on, Merrygold! I couldn't agree with you more completely - 'specially the comment about Tom Cruise.

Some movies are released; others sneak out.

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You just don't know anything about the artistic process. This was not meant to be a documentary. If you are after rigorous historical information, go and watch one. Even so, history is an interpretation of facts. You don't read a book or watch a movie to seek historical accuracy. An artist focuses on some aspect he or she finds compelling. And so did SC. They went to end of her life. The scene in wich we can see MA's devastated bed chamber tell us more about her tragic end than a shot of her on the gallows. But of course you could'nt understand this. You are so shallow that you need someone to throw things at your face in order to understand. I'm being harsh on you but I can't help being so when I see ignorant people tear down beautiful work of art. And the moralistic remarque!! Making movies does feed people, you know. Besides, stopping artist from doing their thing will definitely not keep poor people from starving. I'm being simplistic, but apparently this is the only way to deal with you. And that is final: people who judge art on a moral basis, don't understand what the word art mean. Ciao

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[deleted]

Very perceptive! I agree with you. It is a brilliant character study in my opinion. Very misunderstood by people who blatantly judge it for not being a traditional period piece; which it had no intention of being! I would not change a thing about this film. Gorgeous, upbeat, eclectic, quietly sad, subtly funny and completely easy for people of the "modern" world to relate to. Would not change a thing! A proud owner of this great work :)

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how passionate everybody is, and I guess that's the sign of a powerful work of art. I loathed this movie when I first saw it, but I bought it on DVD as I wanted to see it again, and slowly I began to love it: its subtlety, colour, beauty, idiosyncratic casting choices, costumes (of course) and macarons. I don't think Kirsten is a good actress, I think she is a great actress, and she definitely makes this movie. It was a brave film to make, and worth it!

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[deleted]

I completely agree.

At first I was put off by the mix of accents in the film. But after a few watches (and also watching Coppola's other films) I realised that the film deals with Universal human emotions: Loneliness being the most prominent and that extends beyond accent or language barriers.

Also I feel that a lot of her films DO represent normal teenage/young adult female life. Being at University and living with 22 people last year I realised this more than ever. Yes you are surrounded by loads of people but you also experience a specific kind of quiet loneliness too. I feel like MA captured this perfectly. Like life MA has moments of craziness and joy (the party for example set over a loud soundtrack of New Order) and then also most of your time you are alone, and doing nothing. Starring into space. Dreaming. The extended silent scenes (or over a mellow non-distracting soundtrack) with long takes represent this so well. Just like in Lost in Translation the extended shots of Scarlett Johanson staring out of a window at the cityscape below or wandering aimlessly over streets. Copolla is great at representing real life.

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In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated films ever made. Watching it is like a breath of fresh air and everything about it is perfect.

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Complete, solid mass of dumbed-down crap.


















Scostatevi profani! Melpomene son io...


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Yes, it is very underrated, by many people.

But some people think it will become a cult classic one day.

It's one of those movies which is ahead of it's time.




http://www.wix.com/butterflyinabottle/bernadettebutterfly

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I agree! (Great first post, btw). I have owned and enjoyed the DVD for a few yrs. now and just got the EXCELLENT soundtrack yesterday! Happy. It is a great accompaniment to my writing....or just for great 80's listening.

The cool thing is that this film combines my favorite pop music (80's) with one of my favorite costume periods (late 17th C.). I once got to experience a "Marie Antoinette" party: dressed as Mozart's Queen of the Night (from "The Magic Flute" and dancing to New Order, Bow Wow, B-52's, etc....what a great night!

Sadly I passed out before sunrise...but it was late autumn, so that's my excuse.


Nothing is what it seems. Everything is a test. Rule #1: Don't...get...caught.

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