I've made a new enemy.

[montagnarde1793]

It's funny how that can happen when you haven't even spoken to a person.

But in 2nd period Film Lit, when everyone shared their favorite movies, some guy who had gone to Switzerland over the summer--and whose name I have conveniently blocked out--said that Marie-Antoinette was his favorite film. 

So, opinions: is he willfully counterrevolutionary or does he just have bad taste?

...Or both. *shudders*

In other first day of school news, I didn't get Creative Writing, hence why I'm stuck in Film Lit in the first place, but my other classes shouldn't be too terrible. (I hope!)

...On a completely unrelated note, I'm going to see Massenet's Manon next month, and am quite happy about that.....And I got a new series on the Revolution--conveniently called La Révolution--by Robert Margerit. Reports on the accuracy and general goodness will be forthcoming. As will much art, as soon as I can hook up my scanner.

I promise it won't be as long until my next post as it was between this one and the last...I was just having internet issues before.

Comments

[daughtermestizo.livejournal.com]

Are you sure he meant that "Marie-Antoinette"?

D-M

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I wish I could say he didn't, but somebody asked him if it was out yet and he said, "not here, but it is in Switzerland."

*shudders*

[josiana.livejournal.com]

...Well, there goes my remaining hope for humanity.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I'm sadly going to have to agree with you. And here I thought this movie wouldn't appeal to anyone over the age of twelve. *sighs*

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Er, maybe he likes it for the gratuitous nudity?

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Perhaps, but then there's the question of the barbie-pink frills.

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Crack?

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Must be. Only royalist as opposed to Revolutionary;)

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Which would explain the pinkness...>.>

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

*shudders* Indeed. Nobody could choose to slather everyone and everything in a movie with that color without being on something.

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's symbolic?

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Symbolic of the crackedness of the filmmakers' minds?

[josiana.livejournal.com]

...Yes. >.>

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Some people should be disallowed from making movies.

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Probably. Though, it does seem a bit mean. Still, they should just give up any pretense that this movie is about the actual Marie Antoinette.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

The only problem then though is, what is it about?

[josiana.livejournal.com]

...Crack. ^_^

...Or alternatively, Sofia Coppola's desire to cover people in garish pink clothing.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

...Which clearly stems from crack.

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Yes. :D

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

So we're back where we started.

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Yes, we are. Er, unless you wanted a serious answer.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I don't think there can be a serious answer that doesn't make me want to poke out my own eyes.

[josiana.livejournal.com]

I'll avoid one, then.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Well, figuratively, of course. Knowledge, even knowledge I won't like, is still power, so if you have a serious answer I'd like (well, not like, but you know what I mean) to hear it anyway, if that makes any sense.

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Er, well, personally I think she has a hopelessly over-romanticized perspective of Marie-Antoinette
(or possibly or royalty in general) and isn't particularly interested in portraying her life realistically,
and would rather concentrate on the OMG!shiny bits. Especially after reading this:
"I didn't want to show the evasion, the arrest, the guillotine, I didn't want to reconstitute the whole story,
that wasn't the goal of the film. I wanted to concentrate myself on the personal evolution of the character,
up until the point where I could show how she eventually ends up accepting her ineluctable death, way before being
confronted to it. I didn't picture myself shooting in a jail either, and even less so reconstituting it.
And above all, I didn't want to show a decapitated head on the ground in a mix of mud and blood."

...Er, yeah. That kind of speaks for itself. The last sentence, particularly. Perhaps she could've been phrased better,
but the way it's phrased just seems rather like she didn't want the fairy tale atmosphere to be ruined by icky things.

Either that, or she hopes that it will connect with the American teenagers by using contemporary music, shiny crap, and
portraying the characters as being just like them.

But, anyway, that's just my perception, and it could be completely wrong, and it could actually turn out to be a decent movie.
...I doubt it, though.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

No, I think you've hit the nail on the head there. Somebody needs to tell her that ignoring things won't make them go away. Not only that, but the only thing Marie-Antoinette ever did that was of any historical significance was keep up a treasonous correspondance with her brother the emperor of Austria; I don't really see how her life before the Revolution could make any sort of decent story, especially since Sofia Coppola is apparently not focusing on politics. So then she's focusing on what exactly, I have to wonder. Pink frilly things? Cakes? Shoes? It doesn't exactly sound like a good formula even historical accuracy issues aside.

[josiana.livejournal.com]

It's a movie all about Kirsten Dunst licking pastries and trying to look seductive. Really.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Again, does that sound like a winning formula to you?

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Butbutbuuut....;____; It's new and innovative because it has bad pop music instead of a plot and good writing. How could it fail? ;^;

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

OMSB! You're right! There's no way that could possibly amount to a bad movie. What was I thinking?

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Clearly, you were fooled by..er...the evil conspiracy of something or other.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

*coughcoughcoughcough*

[josiana.livejournal.com]

OMG! THE ROYALISTS HAVE GIVEN YOU CONSUMPTION, HAVEN'T THEY?!11 *panics and flails and runs in circles hysterically*

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Calm, remain calm. The royalists have not given me consumption. If they had they would pay. No, I'm merely making use of artful coughing to make a point.

...;)

[josiana.livejournal.com]

...Oh. That's not as dramatic. .___.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

True, but then again there are few things I would like less to die of than consumption.

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Well, it would be awkward and painful. And somewhat pointless.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Precisely my point.

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

Oh, I find new enemies daily. It's in my nature, of course.

That one seems quite bad though, since he'll be in your class, after all.


P.S. Yay, art and updates! :D

P.P.S. Counterrevolutionaries usually have bad taste, non? I mean, obviously.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I'm finding it may also be in mine. *sighs* It's really most unpleasant.

Naturally. I hope I won't be forced to work with him.

The art will come soon.

I suppose they must have bad taste, necessarily, but non-counterrevolutionaries can also have bad taste.

[rainofthenight.livejournal.com]

Well, he has at least little knowledge of the subject, which could be seen as a crime on itself. :)

Btw, I added you as a friend because Maelicia has always such delightfully interesting stories to tell in which you are involved

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

It could easily be construed that way.

I'm much less interesting than she makes me out to be, I'm sure.

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

I would err on the side of bad taste and feel bad for the poor, misguided chap unless you get further input on the situation. D:

Like I said in a post a few days ago...my God, I can't wait to completely rip that movie in the paper this year.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

It probably is just a case of extreme bad taste, since the really gung-ho counterrevolutionaries hate the movie for making Antoinette look like something other than completely angelic and they are convinced that she was a good wife and mother and had no affairs, and some of them even believe she was never extravagant.

That should be entertaining...

Profiton bien de la jeunesse

[juicyjanna.livejournal.com]

My dear Cornelia, from whence does your good fortune come? He didn't find out about that opera by himself, ya know. Someone told him the divine Anna Netrebko was singing, and your attendance would be a good idea. Do let me know if you want me to fly down to LA to meet you.
As for MA, le film, you haven't even seen it yet. It might at least be diverting. The costumes, as previewed in this month's Vogue, are sumptuous, except for the non period correct but still gorgeous sheer black gown.
I hope your first week goes well. Je te manque.
Your Jehanne

Re: Profiton*S* bien de la jeunesse

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Merci, citoyenne....You should come, really.

I've read the French reviews; I trust the French reviewers way more than the American reviewers and they all hated it. I am confident from the trailors I've seen and what people who've seen it say about it that I will hate it too. The costumes are really only the tip of the iceburg on inaccuracy from what I've seen and read.

My first week goes...okay; you know, it's not the greatest thing being back in school, but it's not so bad.

Je te manque aussi.

Re: Profiton*S* bien de la jeunesse

[juicyjanna.livejournal.com]

Grand Merci for your intervention, Citizeness! I now have a ticket to Manon. I'm going to LA! Not that I don't think New York is vastly awesomer, I just really want to see you guys and hear Anna sing.

About MA, I am resolved to keep an open mind. I'm a huge Sofia fan, so I just can't accept the inevitable suckiness of a movie on one of my favorite historical subjects. I admit to a certain fascination with La Reine de la Mode, as she truly was. It's nothing political at all, just aesthetic. Politically, I am a Blanquist, a proto-Marxist, and a Camille-ist, but not neccessarily in that order. I love you, but it will break my heart if this movie sucks as badly as the French press claims.

Adieu, notre petite table.

Re: Profiton*S* bien de la jeunesse

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Ooh, awesomeness!

You do know that those views aren't really reconciled too well, right? Oh, and that Camille doesn't really have a coherent and cohesive political theory of his own, so it's rather difficult to be a Camille-ist, unless by that you mean you just happen to like the guy.

...Did you just refer to me as a small table?