Take 4: Spectrum
In honor of Bastille Day last month (July 14), below is a review of the French Trois Couleurs trilogy. Well…to be honest…I watched these films and wrote up this review sometime in mid-June, and am finally getting around to sending it out now. But…it would definitely have been appropriate for the French holiday. Oh…plus one more film to round out the quartet. Thanks to Matt for recommending the trilogy.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Blue (1993)
The Basics: The first installment in the Three Colors trilogy, this French drama stars Juliette Binoche, plays with subtitles, and is unrated…but I’d guess it would get a PG-13 rated if it was released in theaters in the U.S. (maybe even a PG). Not much in the way of violence, language, sexuality, etc.
What’s Going On?: Julie, her husband (a famous composer) and her young daughter are in a terrible car accident, leaving Julie a childless widow. Never fully confronting her grief, Julie resigns herself to disconnecting from the world around her, living in solitude and anonymity in busy downtown Paris. This turns out to be more difficult than she first imagines, as life continues on around her, drawing her into the lives of those she encounters. Will she be able to cope with her loss, or will she completely detach from society and vanish in a spiral of despair?
Top IMDB Plot Keywords: Polish; Part of Trilogy; Color in Title; Death of Daughter; Death of Husband
Random Trivia: The trilogy explores the meaning behind the three colors of the French flag…liberty, equality, and fraternity. In Blue, writer/director Krzysztof Kieslowski interprets “liberty” as “being free from anything and everything, having no ties and no commitments to anyone.”
And I Quote: Julie: “Now I have only one thing left to do: nothing. I don't want any belongings, any memories. No friends, no love. Those are all traps.”
Curt’s Take – Not a Priority (w/Caveat): First off, this isn’t an extremely exciting film. It’s a pretty basic drama, and not much of an emotional rollercoaster. The artistic use of color, though, was extremely interesting. The color blue, for example, is used quite frequently…often to depict moments of isolation. Shots will be set up so that blue, white and red appear concurrently or one after another. So, for this movie on its own, I’d give this a rating of Not a Priority, but in actuality, you should likely watch it. Why? Read on.
----------------------------------------------------------------
White (1994)
The Basics: The second installment in the Three Colors trilogy, starring Zbigniew Zamachowki (seriously) and Julie Delpy is a comedy/drama. Again, this has subtitles, but this time because it’s in both Polish and French. Again, thinking this would get a PG-13.
What’s Going On?: Karol Karol, a Polish hairdresser and immigrant to France, isn’t sure how to handle the fact that his new bride, Dominque, wants a divorce…just because he’s having trouble performing in bed. He ends up traveling back to Warsaw, re-establishing himself in his profession…and through uncharacteristic risk and guile, ends up advancing pretty rapidly up the socioeconomic ladder. But through all this, he can’t help but think about Dominque...
Top IMDB Plot Keywords: Cuckold; Thieves; Sex Scene; Telephone Call; Part of Trilogy
Random Trivia: Although almost every shot in the film contains at least one white object, the color itself doesn’t hold symbolic significance, as the colors blue and red do in the other movies of the trilogy. Indeed, here, white is more used to represent an absence of color.
And I Quote: Karol Karol [pointing a gun at a man who wants help committing suicide]: “That was a blank. The next one's real. Are you sure?”
Curt’s Take – Worth Considering: I really enjoyed this one…especially compared to Blue. You almost immediately feel sympathy for Karol, the main character, and want nothing more for him than for him to succeed. The tone is also completely different than in Blue…ironically, White is sort of a dark comedy. And this is where the “equality” sort of comes into play: Karol Karol hasn’t exactly been treated fairly since he left Poland for France…and what better way to gain equality than through revenge?
----------------------------------------------------------------
Red (1994)
The Basics: The final installment of the Three Colors trilogy, a drama starring Irene Jacob and Jean-Louis Trintignant, with subtitles. Would peg this as a PG-13 film, as well.
What’s Going On?: Valentine, a young commercial model living in France, accidentally hits a dog with her car. She tracks down the owner, and finds him to be 1) a recluse, 2) a retired judge, and 3) listening in on the phone conversations of his neighbors through sophisticated surveillance equipment. At first she is disgusted with his actions, but then slowly comes to learn more about the man behind the façade, and they grow to become good friends (“fraternity”).
Top IMDB Plot Keywords: Color in Title; Trilogy; Part of Trilogy; Geneva, Switzerland
Random Trivia: This was the final movie for filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski. After completion, he stated that he felt there was nothing left for him to say.
And I Quote: Valentine: “I feel something important is happening around me. And it scares me.”
Curt’s Take – Must See: For something that is pretty much a straight-up drama with a romantic bent, I was surprised how much I fell in love with this film. The use of the color red throughout the movie is both eye-catching and breathtaking, while the story of a simple, good-hearted woman ends up evolving into something much, much more. The story grows slowly, capturing you, and by the time it reaches the end, you’re just sitting there in rapt attention. But now the tough part…this IS a trilogy and you do get the most out of this by seeing all three films. So, my advice: sit through Blue…to enjoy White…and ultimately really, really get sucked into Red.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Colors (1988)
The Basics: A crime drama starring Sean Penn and Robert Duvall, as well as Maria Conchita Alonso, Don Cheadle and Damon Wayans; While the rating isn’t listed online, this has to be Rated R – we’re talking nudity, language, violence, drug use…the works.
What’s Going On?: A newcomer to the LAPD, Danny McGavin, gets partnered up with long-time veteran, Bob Hodges. Their job? To patrol the mean streets of Los Angeles and put an end to the gang warfare between the Bloods (wearing red) and the Crips (wearing blue). No easy task.
Top IMDB Plot Keywords: Buddy Cop; Rap Music; Graffiti; Cop; Female Nudity
Random Trivia: Perhaps not that surprisingly, Sean Penn was arrested and spent close to a month in jail after hitting an extra on the set of this film who was taking snapshots of Penn without his permission.
And I Quote: Dr. Feelgood: “Hey man, these handcuffs are too tight.” Danny McGavin: “Well they ain't built for comfort, pal.”
Curt’s Take – Worth Considering: I wasn’t expecting too much from this one…the dated rap music during the opening credits was especially hard to take seriously. It proved, however, to be a decent “buddy film,” not unlike the Lethal Weapon series (although less funny). In addition, for it being early in his career, Sean Penn does a pretty good job in this role. It paints a pretty grim picture of the fight against street violence in Los Angeles, but the fact that at different points you start feeling pangs of sympathy for different gang factions…well, it’s something worth checking out.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Blue (1993)
The Basics: The first installment in the Three Colors trilogy, this French drama stars Juliette Binoche, plays with subtitles, and is unrated…but I’d guess it would get a PG-13 rated if it was released in theaters in the U.S. (maybe even a PG). Not much in the way of violence, language, sexuality, etc.
What’s Going On?: Julie, her husband (a famous composer) and her young daughter are in a terrible car accident, leaving Julie a childless widow. Never fully confronting her grief, Julie resigns herself to disconnecting from the world around her, living in solitude and anonymity in busy downtown Paris. This turns out to be more difficult than she first imagines, as life continues on around her, drawing her into the lives of those she encounters. Will she be able to cope with her loss, or will she completely detach from society and vanish in a spiral of despair?
Top IMDB Plot Keywords: Polish; Part of Trilogy; Color in Title; Death of Daughter; Death of Husband
Random Trivia: The trilogy explores the meaning behind the three colors of the French flag…liberty, equality, and fraternity. In Blue, writer/director Krzysztof Kieslowski interprets “liberty” as “being free from anything and everything, having no ties and no commitments to anyone.”
And I Quote: Julie: “Now I have only one thing left to do: nothing. I don't want any belongings, any memories. No friends, no love. Those are all traps.”Curt’s Take – Not a Priority (w/Caveat): First off, this isn’t an extremely exciting film. It’s a pretty basic drama, and not much of an emotional rollercoaster. The artistic use of color, though, was extremely interesting. The color blue, for example, is used quite frequently…often to depict moments of isolation. Shots will be set up so that blue, white and red appear concurrently or one after another. So, for this movie on its own, I’d give this a rating of Not a Priority, but in actuality, you should likely watch it. Why? Read on.
----------------------------------------------------------------
White (1994)
The Basics: The second installment in the Three Colors trilogy, starring Zbigniew Zamachowki (seriously) and Julie Delpy is a comedy/drama. Again, this has subtitles, but this time because it’s in both Polish and French. Again, thinking this would get a PG-13.
What’s Going On?: Karol Karol, a Polish hairdresser and immigrant to France, isn’t sure how to handle the fact that his new bride, Dominque, wants a divorce…just because he’s having trouble performing in bed. He ends up traveling back to Warsaw, re-establishing himself in his profession…and through uncharacteristic risk and guile, ends up advancing pretty rapidly up the socioeconomic ladder. But through all this, he can’t help but think about Dominque...
Top IMDB Plot Keywords: Cuckold; Thieves; Sex Scene; Telephone Call; Part of Trilogy
Random Trivia: Although almost every shot in the film contains at least one white object, the color itself doesn’t hold symbolic significance, as the colors blue and red do in the other movies of the trilogy. Indeed, here, white is more used to represent an absence of color.
And I Quote: Karol Karol [pointing a gun at a man who wants help committing suicide]: “That was a blank. The next one's real. Are you sure?”Curt’s Take – Worth Considering: I really enjoyed this one…especially compared to Blue. You almost immediately feel sympathy for Karol, the main character, and want nothing more for him than for him to succeed. The tone is also completely different than in Blue…ironically, White is sort of a dark comedy. And this is where the “equality” sort of comes into play: Karol Karol hasn’t exactly been treated fairly since he left Poland for France…and what better way to gain equality than through revenge?
----------------------------------------------------------------
Red (1994)
The Basics: The final installment of the Three Colors trilogy, a drama starring Irene Jacob and Jean-Louis Trintignant, with subtitles. Would peg this as a PG-13 film, as well.
What’s Going On?: Valentine, a young commercial model living in France, accidentally hits a dog with her car. She tracks down the owner, and finds him to be 1) a recluse, 2) a retired judge, and 3) listening in on the phone conversations of his neighbors through sophisticated surveillance equipment. At first she is disgusted with his actions, but then slowly comes to learn more about the man behind the façade, and they grow to become good friends (“fraternity”).
Top IMDB Plot Keywords: Color in Title; Trilogy; Part of Trilogy; Geneva, Switzerland
Random Trivia: This was the final movie for filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski. After completion, he stated that he felt there was nothing left for him to say.
And I Quote: Valentine: “I feel something important is happening around me. And it scares me.”
Curt’s Take – Must See: For something that is pretty much a straight-up drama with a romantic bent, I was surprised how much I fell in love with this film. The use of the color red throughout the movie is both eye-catching and breathtaking, while the story of a simple, good-hearted woman ends up evolving into something much, much more. The story grows slowly, capturing you, and by the time it reaches the end, you’re just sitting there in rapt attention. But now the tough part…this IS a trilogy and you do get the most out of this by seeing all three films. So, my advice: sit through Blue…to enjoy White…and ultimately really, really get sucked into Red.----------------------------------------------------------------
Colors (1988)
The Basics: A crime drama starring Sean Penn and Robert Duvall, as well as Maria Conchita Alonso, Don Cheadle and Damon Wayans; While the rating isn’t listed online, this has to be Rated R – we’re talking nudity, language, violence, drug use…the works.
What’s Going On?: A newcomer to the LAPD, Danny McGavin, gets partnered up with long-time veteran, Bob Hodges. Their job? To patrol the mean streets of Los Angeles and put an end to the gang warfare between the Bloods (wearing red) and the Crips (wearing blue). No easy task.
Top IMDB Plot Keywords: Buddy Cop; Rap Music; Graffiti; Cop; Female Nudity
Random Trivia: Perhaps not that surprisingly, Sean Penn was arrested and spent close to a month in jail after hitting an extra on the set of this film who was taking snapshots of Penn without his permission.
And I Quote: Dr. Feelgood: “Hey man, these handcuffs are too tight.” Danny McGavin: “Well they ain't built for comfort, pal.”
Curt’s Take – Worth Considering: I wasn’t expecting too much from this one…the dated rap music during the opening credits was especially hard to take seriously. It proved, however, to be a decent “buddy film,” not unlike the Lethal Weapon series (although less funny). In addition, for it being early in his career, Sean Penn does a pretty good job in this role. It paints a pretty grim picture of the fight against street violence in Los Angeles, but the fact that at different points you start feeling pangs of sympathy for different gang factions…well, it’s something worth checking out.
posted by Curt at 7:35 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home