The new Angelique to me is a sign of everything that's wrong with the French TV of last 20 or maybe even 30 years. French art-house cinema is still pretty strong, and they often produce quite good commercial movies too , but TV is a different story. French TV used to produce some nice, immensely watchable (if not particularly profound) literary adaptations that used to be very popular with viewers far beyond France, especially in many eastern European countries and former USSR. What we get now is absolutely unwatchable, inconsistent, and pretentious. There are good exceptions like Engrenages or Les Revenants, but these are more like French takes on popular US TV models. When it comes to material based on the history of France, the French TV is churning up things like faux-arty but completely incomprehensible new version of Accursed Kings after Maurice Druon, atrociously amateurish new version of La Dame de Monsoreau after Dumas and this dud - Angelique, Marquise of Boredom.
The original film series is often criticized for the turning the source material into some Alexandre Dumas- Lite period adventure pieces, but that is exactly why I loved them. In all honesty, the source books are not masterpieces. I have read almost all of them and I believe that at best they are just a cape and sward adventures in lush period settings told from a woman's perspective (kind of precursor of The Outlander), at worse (and every subsequent book is getting worse and worse) they are just your average romance novels that are supposed to have Fabio on the cover (ok, maybe slightly better researched and written than your average romance novel, but you know still a type of book where the titular lady hero spends pages objectifying various sexy studs, still holding a candle for a love of her life and simultaneously getting in touch with her inner goddess...).
The original film adaptations (5 films) were made by Bernard Borderie who few years before that made perhaps the most satisfying (yet still imperfect) adaptation of The Three Musketeers. He treated Angelique in the same way, making it a rollercoaster of fast paced adventures of the beautiful heroine with swordfights, poisonings, exotic locales, and a little bit of sexual titillation. The quality of films varied - I consider 1st and 3rd films excellent, 2nd and 5th are OK and 4th is even worse (though its worst part - a hilarious "torture by cats" scene comes directly from the source material). Now, there are certain dedicated fans of the books that consider that these films don't do justice to the source material but sorry, in my opinion they mostly improve upon the books (and in my opinion there are very few films out that improve upon the books). I wonder what these critics think of this new take that manages to make the France of Louis XIV look as a completely unattractive and unpleasant place, has the ladies and gentlemen behave like street thugs, and turn the titular character into some kind of swashbuckling tomboy.
I did not like anything about this series from casting to costume design. The old film had a gorgeous leading actress - Michelle Mercier, whose popularity for a while even rivaled that of Brigitte Bardot. Nora Arnezeder seems to be a beautiful and talented young lady - and maybe with a right material and presentation she can become a prominent star - but the way she is directed, dressed, even lit in this series make her look completely plain and forgettable. As to the gentleman around her? In addition to charismatic Rober Hossein as Joffrey, almost every suitor of Angelique was drop dead gorgeous: Gulianno Gemma, Sammi Frey, Jean-Louis Trintignant, and many more. Here they all look drab and boring.
However, the worst offender is the director - the directing is simply inept, from time to time even amateurish. And am not speaking about artistic choices, I am speaking about simple things like setting up a scene, transitions between pivotal events, built up of tension or rather lack of thereof. I read some reviews praising the costumes and sets, come on, you can't be serious?!
Reviews
8 Reviews
The ABC Murders
(2018)
Unpleasant, Agenda-driven and Anachronistic
5 January 2019
Sarah Phelps is a genius. In her previous Christie adaptations she opened up my eyes on gender problems in Britain. And now she has revitalized an outdated book by certain Christie by using its mundane and predictable story to reveal xenophobia of the British people, apparently a national trait that I, as a foreigner and a frequent visitor to UK, was hitherto unaware of. Every random character in this TV film, whether a landlady or a train conductor, not to mention vicious children and policemen are looking for every opportunity to humiliate and insult Hercule Poirot for no reason other than his ridiculous accent. I have no doubt that children of these vicious people are the ones who prevent poor immigrants from crossing the English Channel these days.... I could never imagine that in 21st century BBC would make films of such subtlety and insight into social problems... reminds me of the Soviet Cinema of 1930s and no, I do not mean Eisenstein. There too, the filmmakers were required to expose the important topics under the guise of comedies or crime movies and a lighthearted comedy would turn into lecture about the evil bourgeoisie mistreating the working class or sabotaging the big bright egalitarian future.
Of course, a talented person could include such "lessons" into the story so seamlessly and elegantly that we would applaud to it, we would embrace it, we would enjoy it. But, alas, Sarah Phelps is not that person.
I must admit I did like the new version of And There Were None scripted by Phelps, but after enduring her sledgehammer and loudspeaker adaptations of The Witness for the Prosecution (though it had some moments, but mostly in acting/directing department, not the script), Ordeal by Innocence (bad in every possible way) and now this atrocity (the worst of the lot), I wish she would move on to write editorials for Guardian and leave adaptations of poor Agatha Christie to someone with more talent, subtlety and sense of humour.
Of course, a talented person could include such "lessons" into the story so seamlessly and elegantly that we would applaud to it, we would embrace it, we would enjoy it. But, alas, Sarah Phelps is not that person.
I must admit I did like the new version of And There Were None scripted by Phelps, but after enduring her sledgehammer and loudspeaker adaptations of The Witness for the Prosecution (though it had some moments, but mostly in acting/directing department, not the script), Ordeal by Innocence (bad in every possible way) and now this atrocity (the worst of the lot), I wish she would move on to write editorials for Guardian and leave adaptations of poor Agatha Christie to someone with more talent, subtlety and sense of humour.
Volcano
(1997)
I never knew watching volcano could be so boring
3 January 2019
One of the most insufferably boring and humorless disaster films ever committed to celluloid. Makes admittedly mediocre and predictable rival volcano movie - Dante's Peak- look like a masterpiece. It's not even camp or scary and almost every actor is unbearably annoying (though the teenage daughter of the main character that behaves like a 6 year old takes the cake as one of the most annoying children in the history of film). At least in the 70s they used to have funny fashions, campy dialogues and all-star casts. One drank Ava Gardner is worth more than the entire cast and crew of this film combined.
The Shadow of the Ferns
(1985)
Unseen and Underrated Masterpiece
17 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
A beautiful film, another gem from Frantisek Vlacil. Even though the entire oeuvre of this great director is somehow neglected and undervalued, his "medieval trilogy" and Adelheid at least get some attention. This is not the case with this film. Unfortunately, the Shadow of the Ferns is almost forgotten. It's a great pity as this is a marvelous, moody piece of work, and one of my personal favorites from the 80s.
Another reviewer called it a story of Hansel and Hansel. Indeed, despite the quite straightforward story, the film does have a kind of fairy tale, almost mystical, quality. At the same time, we can also see it as Clyde and Clyde - two misfits on a crime spree chased by the authorities. I think the film also shares some DNA with the Picnic at the Hanging Rock. The story actually is open to many interpretations and readings - social injustice and rebellion, fairy tale about crime and punishment, a love story of sorts...
Just like in Valley of the Bees by the same director - here too there is a quite strong homo-erotic bond between the male leads but nothing overt. The roles are distributed quite clearly between the two - one (Ruda) is aggressive and domineering, more selfish, while the other (Vaclav) is softer, kinder, more considerate and dependent, a follower. Actual crimes are committed by Ruda, Vaclav just always tags along. Ruda is also more pained, more disappointed with his miserable existence. Vaclav is capable to see and appreciate the beauty around, while Ruda, who himself is very beautiful, cannot see the value of it, or rather, he is pained to accept that there is nothing to all this beauty than a mundane existence with no prospects of change and improvement. Vaclav admires the landscapes with flowers and butterflies while Ruda can see only dirt and misery. His aggressive reactions to nature, to carefree party goers, to the couple in love all betray anger, frustration and fear .. Cinematography is superb and the way the images gradually get darker and darker along with the story is truly unforgettable.
SPOILER
Can't avoid to mention the Martyrdom pose of Ruda at the end - evoking Christ or St.Sebastian ridden with bullets instead of arrows).
Another reviewer called it a story of Hansel and Hansel. Indeed, despite the quite straightforward story, the film does have a kind of fairy tale, almost mystical, quality. At the same time, we can also see it as Clyde and Clyde - two misfits on a crime spree chased by the authorities. I think the film also shares some DNA with the Picnic at the Hanging Rock. The story actually is open to many interpretations and readings - social injustice and rebellion, fairy tale about crime and punishment, a love story of sorts...
Just like in Valley of the Bees by the same director - here too there is a quite strong homo-erotic bond between the male leads but nothing overt. The roles are distributed quite clearly between the two - one (Ruda) is aggressive and domineering, more selfish, while the other (Vaclav) is softer, kinder, more considerate and dependent, a follower. Actual crimes are committed by Ruda, Vaclav just always tags along. Ruda is also more pained, more disappointed with his miserable existence. Vaclav is capable to see and appreciate the beauty around, while Ruda, who himself is very beautiful, cannot see the value of it, or rather, he is pained to accept that there is nothing to all this beauty than a mundane existence with no prospects of change and improvement. Vaclav admires the landscapes with flowers and butterflies while Ruda can see only dirt and misery. His aggressive reactions to nature, to carefree party goers, to the couple in love all betray anger, frustration and fear .. Cinematography is superb and the way the images gradually get darker and darker along with the story is truly unforgettable.
SPOILER
Can't avoid to mention the Martyrdom pose of Ruda at the end - evoking Christ or St.Sebastian ridden with bullets instead of arrows).
Blanche
(1971)
A very beautiful, elegant and poetic film
17 November 2015
A very beautiful, elegant and poetic film. Far more enjoyable than I expected (I worried that I would have to sit through another Lancelot du Lac) and far better than the reputation of Mrr. Borowczyk suggests. I wish Walerian Borowczyk retired after making this one – as judging from Blanche and preceding Goto, as well as from his animations we could think of him as of great talent who did not direct enough films, but instead we have what we have - Franco-Polish equivalent of Tinto Brass. Blanche is a really nice film - following certain trends of Pasolini's Trilogy of Life and precursor of similar medieval undertakings of both Rohmer and Bresson, alas, he traded respectability for commercial success – churning art porn exercises at alarming speed. With the exception of the Story of the Sin - all of his erotic output is just cold, nighttime entertainment, Arty soft-core, or Soft-core art but incomparable to Blanche and Goto.
Podzemelye vedm
(1990)
Soviet fantasy B-movie, worth to check out at least as a curiosity
28 October 2011
I came across this film on TV accidentally and being born in USSR it brought back some sentimental memories, mostly because it is based on Kir Bulichev's story - this author used to be published in almost every soviet youth magazine - so this made me feel like 12 again Don't get me wrong - it is quite bad, it was never a hit, and it looked pretty outdated already when it came out at the end of the soviet era. At the time, not only the audience but even the directors were totally mesmerized by the B and C level American trash films - mostly because were so different from everything we saw before that. So this film is clearly an attempt to emulate those foreign films: not even the original Star Wars, Predator or Conan but their cheap imitations. In less than a year my home country quit the USRR in the midst of wars and economic collapse and relations with Russians have been getting worse ever since. So this is a fantasy film (I would not dear to call it a science fiction) from the time and the country that now only remains in the memories and fiction and may be that is why I appreciate it more than it deserves as it gives my this sad memories of the world that doesn't exist anymore.
The actors playing the main parts (except Karachentsov who seems to be out of place here) were mostly the young generation that were not yet that popular in non-Russian republics (unlike the older generation that is still loved and admired) even though Zhigunov was star of the Russian knockoff of 3 musketeers ("Gardemarini" series) and Pevtsov (the villain in this movie) went on to become the major heartthrob of Russian cinema over the next decade, none of them are appealing enough to hold the entire film, and director's decision to cast own wife as a female lead did not help - if both hero and antagonist are trying hard to be Schwarzeneggers (Pevtsov comes close - with over the top ridiculous grimaces), the leading lady is obviously really poor man's take on every single "Tanya Roberts wearing fur bikini" character from American B movies. The special effects are really lame, not even the "American B movie" lame but rather a "Godzilla wanna-be" lame. And one can feel that it was too obviously aiming at young audience - it is felt in dialogs, and in many scenes, like in a sequence that has a promise and look of a vintage German porn the female lead takes shower in the waterfall, but alas, doesn't even take of her Stone Age bikini. The film is also gives an interesting alternative of the future where the an astronauts are wearing only soviet red flag - badges - I suppose communism was meant to survive into XXX century.
The funniest part for the Russian speaker comes when the a soviet astronaut of the future and a savage princess talk with an obvious Russian yuppie accents and seem to be almost embarrassed to be doing all this adolescent ninja staff.
On a positive note however, even with all of this criticism, the film has more heart and plot than most of its foreign sources of inspiration. It is pretty interesting, and pretty fun, even though in a masterpiece theater kind of way.
The actors playing the main parts (except Karachentsov who seems to be out of place here) were mostly the young generation that were not yet that popular in non-Russian republics (unlike the older generation that is still loved and admired) even though Zhigunov was star of the Russian knockoff of 3 musketeers ("Gardemarini" series) and Pevtsov (the villain in this movie) went on to become the major heartthrob of Russian cinema over the next decade, none of them are appealing enough to hold the entire film, and director's decision to cast own wife as a female lead did not help - if both hero and antagonist are trying hard to be Schwarzeneggers (Pevtsov comes close - with over the top ridiculous grimaces), the leading lady is obviously really poor man's take on every single "Tanya Roberts wearing fur bikini" character from American B movies. The special effects are really lame, not even the "American B movie" lame but rather a "Godzilla wanna-be" lame. And one can feel that it was too obviously aiming at young audience - it is felt in dialogs, and in many scenes, like in a sequence that has a promise and look of a vintage German porn the female lead takes shower in the waterfall, but alas, doesn't even take of her Stone Age bikini. The film is also gives an interesting alternative of the future where the an astronauts are wearing only soviet red flag - badges - I suppose communism was meant to survive into XXX century.
The funniest part for the Russian speaker comes when the a soviet astronaut of the future and a savage princess talk with an obvious Russian yuppie accents and seem to be almost embarrassed to be doing all this adolescent ninja staff.
On a positive note however, even with all of this criticism, the film has more heart and plot than most of its foreign sources of inspiration. It is pretty interesting, and pretty fun, even though in a masterpiece theater kind of way.
Making of a Lady
(1968)
Sexy Costume Drama
3 October 2006
Definitely not a masterpiece, this film is a poor man's Angelique and not the best out of the vast output of Christian-Jaque. Still, it is quite enjoyable and fun to watch. Anyway, I would rate it higher than most of costume dramas of contemporary Hollywood.
Visually film is really nice to watch, story evolves in that light 60s manner, though the last , slightly "more serious" part drags a bit. Several nice actors are present, especially worth to mention Michelle Mercier and Nadjia Tiller.
I find Nadjia especially effective in this movie. She was a beautiful and talented actress and was definitely underused by the film industry. Same goes for the main star of the film - It's a pity that fame of Michelle Mercier faded so quickly.
Visually film is really nice to watch, story evolves in that light 60s manner, though the last , slightly "more serious" part drags a bit. Several nice actors are present, especially worth to mention Michelle Mercier and Nadjia Tiller.
I find Nadjia especially effective in this movie. She was a beautiful and talented actress and was definitely underused by the film industry. Same goes for the main star of the film - It's a pity that fame of Michelle Mercier faded so quickly.
Nice warm old comedy
28 February 2006
This is a very nice comedy but probably one has to be Georgian to fully understand it.
What may come as a surprise for some western viewers - is that in a soviet film of 1962 - there is virtually nothing spoken about communism and politics. Even WWII that has definite impact on the life of residents of small Georgian village goes on somewhere far away and can be felt but not seen.
Film is based on one of the most popular novels of N. Dumbadze - writer whose humoristic, touching, very insightful and at the same time easy to read novels and short stories made him incredibly popular among Georgians. Of course, fans of the book find the film inferior to the novel, but still quite nice. The only real complain that was ever made about it - that the male lead seems to be more of a well-brought middle-class city boy, than a smart, sly, provincial, but still adorable character of the book.
As I mentioned the film is a comedy but contains one rather sad episode where S. Takaishvili provides really stellar performance.
The director - T. Abuladze later made Tree of Wishes and Repentance that are among the greatest films ever made in Georgia.
What may come as a surprise for some western viewers - is that in a soviet film of 1962 - there is virtually nothing spoken about communism and politics. Even WWII that has definite impact on the life of residents of small Georgian village goes on somewhere far away and can be felt but not seen.
Film is based on one of the most popular novels of N. Dumbadze - writer whose humoristic, touching, very insightful and at the same time easy to read novels and short stories made him incredibly popular among Georgians. Of course, fans of the book find the film inferior to the novel, but still quite nice. The only real complain that was ever made about it - that the male lead seems to be more of a well-brought middle-class city boy, than a smart, sly, provincial, but still adorable character of the book.
As I mentioned the film is a comedy but contains one rather sad episode where S. Takaishvili provides really stellar performance.
The director - T. Abuladze later made Tree of Wishes and Repentance that are among the greatest films ever made in Georgia.
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