Taylor Swift has royal ties in her blood. The singer-songwriter will love this revelation. New ancestry roots have been revealed. Keep on reading to learn more.
Taylor Swift – Related To Emily Dickinson
Taylor Swift penned a poem for the release of her album, Reputation. She released her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, on Friday, April 19.
The 31-track project has already broken new records since its release. It sold over 2 million albums. In a timely fashion, it was reported that Swift is related to American poet Emily Dickinson.
Per a report via Today, the genealogy company Ancestry learned that Swift and Dickinson are sixth cousins, three times removed. That doesn’t mean much. However, they do have blood ties.
“Swift and Dickinson both descend from a 17th-century English immigrant…” Ancestry shared in a statement. “Taylor Swift’s ancestors remained in Connecticut for six generations until her part of the family eventually settled in northwestern Pennsylvania,...
Taylor Swift – Related To Emily Dickinson
Taylor Swift penned a poem for the release of her album, Reputation. She released her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, on Friday, April 19.
The 31-track project has already broken new records since its release. It sold over 2 million albums. In a timely fashion, it was reported that Swift is related to American poet Emily Dickinson.
Per a report via Today, the genealogy company Ancestry learned that Swift and Dickinson are sixth cousins, three times removed. That doesn’t mean much. However, they do have blood ties.
“Swift and Dickinson both descend from a 17th-century English immigrant…” Ancestry shared in a statement. “Taylor Swift’s ancestors remained in Connecticut for six generations until her part of the family eventually settled in northwestern Pennsylvania,...
- 5/6/2024
- by Chanel D. Adams
- Celebrating The Soaps
Adapting a widely popular classic like The Three Musketeers in cinema is never an easy thing. With as many as seven film adaptations of Alexander Dumas’ iconic novel before, director Martin Bourboulon had to do something extraordinary to make the latest two-part French adaptation work. And to think he has actually achieved that! Of course, we haven’t seen the second half of the epic saga yet, but if we go by the glorious first part, titled The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan, it can fairly be said that Bourboulon’s adaptation is not only on the right track; it might just end up being the greatest. In this article, we’re going to shed some light on the cliffhanger ending of The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan. But a quick summary of the events before does seem like a necessity.
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens In The Film?
I think the best thing about...
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens In The Film?
I think the best thing about...
- 4/17/2024
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
Johnny Depp is back on the big screen with “Jeanne du Barry.”
Helmed by co-writer/director/producer/star Maïwenn, the 18th-century-set drama follows the ill-fated romance between King Louis Xv (Depp) and Jeanne Vaubernier (Maïwenn), a working-class woman determined to climb the social ladder. Jeanne’s lover, the Comte du Barry (Melvil Poupaud), presents her to King Louis Xv (Depp) through the influential Duke of Richelieu (Pierre Richard). The meeting turns into an affair, and Jeanne becomes the King’s last official mistress. Scandal erupts as no one at Court will accept a girl from the streets into their rarified world.
Benjamin Lavernhe and Pascal Greggory also star, with Pauline Pollmann portraying Marie-Antoinette in the feature that opened the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
“Jeanne du Barry” was also written by Teddy Lussi-Modeste and Nicolas Livecchi. The film is produced by Pascal Caucheteux and Grégoire Sorlat.
The feature was acquired by Vertical...
Helmed by co-writer/director/producer/star Maïwenn, the 18th-century-set drama follows the ill-fated romance between King Louis Xv (Depp) and Jeanne Vaubernier (Maïwenn), a working-class woman determined to climb the social ladder. Jeanne’s lover, the Comte du Barry (Melvil Poupaud), presents her to King Louis Xv (Depp) through the influential Duke of Richelieu (Pierre Richard). The meeting turns into an affair, and Jeanne becomes the King’s last official mistress. Scandal erupts as no one at Court will accept a girl from the streets into their rarified world.
Benjamin Lavernhe and Pascal Greggory also star, with Pauline Pollmann portraying Marie-Antoinette in the feature that opened the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
“Jeanne du Barry” was also written by Teddy Lussi-Modeste and Nicolas Livecchi. The film is produced by Pascal Caucheteux and Grégoire Sorlat.
The feature was acquired by Vertical...
- 4/2/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Iceland’s Stockfish Film Festival has announced a new prize, the Eva Maria Daniels Award for Vital Filmmaking, which honors the legacy of the Icelandic filmmaker who died last year. With the support of Daniels’ partner Moritz Diller and son Henry, the festival will honor one standout producer or director in the shorts categories will receive the inaugural award commemorating her achievements and continued contributions to Iceland’s next wave of filmmakers. The prize includes a $1.5 million Icelandic krona award.
Daniels’ credits include “Reality” and “Joe Bell.” The 10th edition of the festival runs April 4-14.
“Eva’s approach to producing was to listen and support undeniable talent,” said her producing partner, Riva Marker, who will oversee the prize committee. “We will never know all the beautiful stories she would bring to audiences, but we’re honored to create an inaugural award endowed to storytellers that we believe Eva would have championed.
Daniels’ credits include “Reality” and “Joe Bell.” The 10th edition of the festival runs April 4-14.
“Eva’s approach to producing was to listen and support undeniable talent,” said her producing partner, Riva Marker, who will oversee the prize committee. “We will never know all the beautiful stories she would bring to audiences, but we’re honored to create an inaugural award endowed to storytellers that we believe Eva would have championed.
- 3/7/2024
- by Jaden Thompson, Caroline Brew and Diego Ramos Bechara
- Variety Film + TV
Johnny Depp is addressing the ongoing controversy surrounding his latest film “Jeanne du Barry.”
Oscar nominee Depp shared during the film’s Cannes press conference on Wednesday that he does not “feel boycotted” personally by Hollywood anymore — even despite protests around his latest film in Cannes.
“Did I feel a boycott by Hollywood? Well, you’d have to not have a pulse to feel at that point, ‘None of this is happening, it’s just a weird joke or I have been asleep for 35 years,'” Depp said during the Cannes press conference. “Of course, when you’re asked to resign from a film you’re doing, because of something that is merely a bunch of kind of vowels and consonants floating in the air, you feel a boycott.”
Depp has previously been outspoken about being a victim of cancel culture surrounding the abuse allegations from ex-wife Amber Heard; Depp...
Oscar nominee Depp shared during the film’s Cannes press conference on Wednesday that he does not “feel boycotted” personally by Hollywood anymore — even despite protests around his latest film in Cannes.
“Did I feel a boycott by Hollywood? Well, you’d have to not have a pulse to feel at that point, ‘None of this is happening, it’s just a weird joke or I have been asleep for 35 years,'” Depp said during the Cannes press conference. “Of course, when you’re asked to resign from a film you’re doing, because of something that is merely a bunch of kind of vowels and consonants floating in the air, you feel a boycott.”
Depp has previously been outspoken about being a victim of cancel culture surrounding the abuse allegations from ex-wife Amber Heard; Depp...
- 5/17/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
A humbled and defensive Johnny Depp spoke up at the Cannes press conference Wednesday for the fest’s opening-night film Jeanne du Barry. Not only was he moved by the standing ovation in the Grand Theatre Lumière, but he also referred to the wake of the Amber Heard trial headlines (without pointing to it), exclaiming, “In regards to me and my life, the majority of what you’ve read is fantastically horrifically written fiction.”
Asked by Deadline whether he still felt boycotted by Hollywood, feelings he expressed back in an August 2021 Sunday Times interview, the three-time Oscar nominee answered, “Did I feel a boycott by Hollywood? Well, you’d have to not have a pulse to feel at that point, ‘None of this is happening, it’s just a weird joke or I have been asleep for 35 years.’ Of course, when you’re asked to resign from a film you’re doing,...
Asked by Deadline whether he still felt boycotted by Hollywood, feelings he expressed back in an August 2021 Sunday Times interview, the three-time Oscar nominee answered, “Did I feel a boycott by Hollywood? Well, you’d have to not have a pulse to feel at that point, ‘None of this is happening, it’s just a weird joke or I have been asleep for 35 years.’ Of course, when you’re asked to resign from a film you’re doing,...
- 5/17/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Johnny Depp’s comeback movie Jeanne Du Barry is to open the Cannes Film Festival.
Directed by Maïwenn, who also stars, the film’s world premiere will take place on Tuesday, May 16 and the film will be released in cinemas the same day in France, the festival said Wednesday.
Maïwenn herself plays the eponymous main character alongside Depp, Benjamin Lavernhe, Melvil Poupaud, Pierre Richard, Pascal Greggory and India Hair. The film will recount the life, rise and fall of French King Louis Xv‘s court favorite, Jeanne Vaubernier.
The French-language film’s official synopsis describes Vaubernier as “a young working-class woman hungry for culture and pleasure, who uses her intelligence and allure to climb the rungs of the social ladder one by one. She becomes the favourite of King Louis Xv who, unaware of her status as courtesan, regains through her his appetite for life. They fall madly in love.
Directed by Maïwenn, who also stars, the film’s world premiere will take place on Tuesday, May 16 and the film will be released in cinemas the same day in France, the festival said Wednesday.
Maïwenn herself plays the eponymous main character alongside Depp, Benjamin Lavernhe, Melvil Poupaud, Pierre Richard, Pascal Greggory and India Hair. The film will recount the life, rise and fall of French King Louis Xv‘s court favorite, Jeanne Vaubernier.
The French-language film’s official synopsis describes Vaubernier as “a young working-class woman hungry for culture and pleasure, who uses her intelligence and allure to climb the rungs of the social ladder one by one. She becomes the favourite of King Louis Xv who, unaware of her status as courtesan, regains through her his appetite for life. They fall madly in love.
- 4/5/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Mel Brooks was born in 1926, prior to the advent of talkies and television. He grew up worshiping the vaudevillian likes of Groucho Marx, Al Jolson, and George Jessel. Given the anarchic, anything-for-a-laugh quality of his best movies, you'd think Brooks' allegiances would be tightly aligned with Groucho. But while he's on the record with his affection for the Marx Brothers' work, he was especially enamored of Eddie Cantor.
For most people in this day and age, Cantor is a name more than a personality. The worst that can be said about him is that he was a song-and-dance man who, like Jolson, mimicked African-American entertainers in blackface to bolster his appeal. But Cantor was a born, trailblazing Jewish entertainer, and his comedic rambunctiousness kicked down the door for people like Brooks, who lacked the patience to craft a meticulously structured screwball masterpiece like Ernst Lubitsch's "Trouble in Paradise" or...
For most people in this day and age, Cantor is a name more than a personality. The worst that can be said about him is that he was a song-and-dance man who, like Jolson, mimicked African-American entertainers in blackface to bolster his appeal. But Cantor was a born, trailblazing Jewish entertainer, and his comedic rambunctiousness kicked down the door for people like Brooks, who lacked the patience to craft a meticulously structured screwball masterpiece like Ernst Lubitsch's "Trouble in Paradise" or...
- 1/19/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Antonio Cipriano, Zuri Reed, Lisette Olivera, and Jake Austin Walker in ‘National Treasure: Edge of History’ episode 3 (Disney/Brian Roedel)
Disney+’s National Treasure: Edge of History episode two ended with a very shocked and confused Jess (Lisette Olivera) learning her mother was the author of an unpublished academic paper that provided Liam’s (Jake Austin Walker) dad with information on rare artifacts. Episode three opens with Jess confirming she now believes her mom knew about the treasure.
Jess, Tasha (Zuri Reed), and the gang’s newest member, Liam, show up at Ethan’s place to use Oren’s (Antonio Cipriano) old camcorder. They watch a tape and Jess acts as interpreter, explaining her mom is delivering a lecture about women fleeing as war broke out. They brought with them sacred objects so their history would be preserved.
One brave woman, Malinche, risked her life to save the treasure from the Conquistadors.
Disney+’s National Treasure: Edge of History episode two ended with a very shocked and confused Jess (Lisette Olivera) learning her mother was the author of an unpublished academic paper that provided Liam’s (Jake Austin Walker) dad with information on rare artifacts. Episode three opens with Jess confirming she now believes her mom knew about the treasure.
Jess, Tasha (Zuri Reed), and the gang’s newest member, Liam, show up at Ethan’s place to use Oren’s (Antonio Cipriano) old camcorder. They watch a tape and Jess acts as interpreter, explaining her mom is delivering a lecture about women fleeing as war broke out. They brought with them sacred objects so their history would be preserved.
One brave woman, Malinche, risked her life to save the treasure from the Conquistadors.
- 12/22/2022
- by Alison Helms
- Showbiz Junkies
Chevalier is a biopic about violin virtuoso Joseph Bolonge Chevalier de Saint George directed by Stephen Williams and written by Stefani Robinson.
“Play violin concerto #5!” Joseph Bologne (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) shouts as he steps on stage, confident in his abilities, ready to compete against the revered Mozart. Bologne shreds that violin to a standing ovation from the French elite. His origin begins when he is bought from the French colony of Guadeloupe and dumped at a high-class boarding school for boys by his White, slave-owning father. The school is supposed to nurture his talent as a violinist and sword fighter. He’s treated like crap during his time at the school but given a chance to prove himself in front of King Louis and Marie Antionette (Lucy Boynton), who bestows him the title of Chevalier de Saint George, which thrust him to the height of high society.
Bologne’s music...
“Play violin concerto #5!” Joseph Bologne (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) shouts as he steps on stage, confident in his abilities, ready to compete against the revered Mozart. Bologne shreds that violin to a standing ovation from the French elite. His origin begins when he is bought from the French colony of Guadeloupe and dumped at a high-class boarding school for boys by his White, slave-owning father. The school is supposed to nurture his talent as a violinist and sword fighter. He’s treated like crap during his time at the school but given a chance to prove himself in front of King Louis and Marie Antionette (Lucy Boynton), who bestows him the title of Chevalier de Saint George, which thrust him to the height of high society.
Bologne’s music...
- 9/11/2022
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Newlyweds Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth have stepped out in style for Vanity Fair’s Oscar Party on Sunday night.
For the outing, Cyrus, 26, looked radiant in a black sequin gown with a plunging neckline. She accessorized her look with diamonds, including rings by Loree Rodkin and bracelets by Sydney Evan and styled her hair in a wet look.
Meanwhile, Hemsworth, 29, looked dapper in a traditional black tux and black dress shoes. The actor’s appearance comes after Cyrus attended the 2019 Grammy Awards on Feb. 10 alone.
Instead of attending music’s biggest night, Hemsworth was apparently in the hospital. “[Liam] was in hospital overnight,...
For the outing, Cyrus, 26, looked radiant in a black sequin gown with a plunging neckline. She accessorized her look with diamonds, including rings by Loree Rodkin and bracelets by Sydney Evan and styled her hair in a wet look.
Meanwhile, Hemsworth, 29, looked dapper in a traditional black tux and black dress shoes. The actor’s appearance comes after Cyrus attended the 2019 Grammy Awards on Feb. 10 alone.
Instead of attending music’s biggest night, Hemsworth was apparently in the hospital. “[Liam] was in hospital overnight,...
- 2/25/2019
- by Robyn Merrett
- PEOPLE.com
PARIS -- French actor Jean-Pierre Cassel died Thursday in Paris after a long illness. He was 74.
"I honor the memory of a man who, with a subtle and ironic sophistication, left a unique imprint on the history of cinema, theater and television," Veronique Cayla, head of French national film body the CNC, said in a statement Friday.
Cassel got his break when he was discovered by Gene Kelly, who cast him in The Happy Road in 1957, and subsequently rose to fame starring in film comedies in the 1960s.
He went on to work with such major directors as Robert Altman, Luis Bunuel, Jean Renoir, Sidney Lumet, Claude Chabrol and Richard Attenborough.
The actor starred in more than 110 movies during his career and earned the onscreen affections of Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, Stephane Audran and Marie Dubois among others. Cassel, who once cited Fred Astaire as a source of inspiration, was famous for his role as the ungainly King Louis XIII in Richard Lester's pair of early 1970s films The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers.
His latest roles include Julian Schnabel's "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," In Competition at May's Festival de Cannes, in addition to the soon-to-be-released animated movie Asterix at the Olympic Games.
Cassel is survived by his three children, including son Vincent, who also has made a big name for himself stateside with roles in the recent Ocean's Twelve and Derailed.
Father and son were set to star in Jean-Francois Richet's two-film project about infamous gangster Jacques Mesrine -- Death Instinct and Public Enemy No. 1...
"I honor the memory of a man who, with a subtle and ironic sophistication, left a unique imprint on the history of cinema, theater and television," Veronique Cayla, head of French national film body the CNC, said in a statement Friday.
Cassel got his break when he was discovered by Gene Kelly, who cast him in The Happy Road in 1957, and subsequently rose to fame starring in film comedies in the 1960s.
He went on to work with such major directors as Robert Altman, Luis Bunuel, Jean Renoir, Sidney Lumet, Claude Chabrol and Richard Attenborough.
The actor starred in more than 110 movies during his career and earned the onscreen affections of Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, Stephane Audran and Marie Dubois among others. Cassel, who once cited Fred Astaire as a source of inspiration, was famous for his role as the ungainly King Louis XIII in Richard Lester's pair of early 1970s films The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers.
His latest roles include Julian Schnabel's "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," In Competition at May's Festival de Cannes, in addition to the soon-to-be-released animated movie Asterix at the Olympic Games.
Cassel is survived by his three children, including son Vincent, who also has made a big name for himself stateside with roles in the recent Ocean's Twelve and Derailed.
Father and son were set to star in Jean-Francois Richet's two-film project about infamous gangster Jacques Mesrine -- Death Instinct and Public Enemy No. 1...
- 4/21/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In the revisionist Marie Antoinette, writer-director Sofia Coppola and actress Kirsten Dunst take a remote and no doubt misunderstood historical figure, the controversial and often despised Queen of France at the time of the French Revolution, and brings her into sharp focus as a living, breathing human being with flaws, foibles, passions, intelligence and warm affections. The movie slices through the cobwebs of history to seek the heart of the young Austrian princess whom 18th century political diplomacy thrust into a maelstrom of court intrigue and poisoned personal relationships without even asking if she minded.
This is not a portrait, even though it is based on Antonia Fraser's biography Marie Antoinette: The Journey, that will play well in France. Here she is a favorite villainess. Nor will the film be an easy sell in other territories, where Coppola's contemporary sensibilities and dialogue may feel anachronistic. The film certainly is far afield from her popular Lost in Translation even though both films concern characters that suffer anxiety and ennui from cultural dislocation.
The film opens here this week, where it can expect mixed to hostile reactions from critics, but may possibly intrigue moviegoers keen to see a different version of well-known events. When it opens domestically Oct. 13, Sony will have to shrewdly market the film to pull in a young crowd for whom Marie Antoinette is a figure in a wax museum.
One more comparison to Lost in Translation: Marie Antoinette's protracted arrival in her new home in France and especially the Palace of Versailles indelibly expresses the young woman's discomfort and loss of bearings just as Bill Murray's arrival in Tokyo. Each is a stranger in a strange land of unfamiliar and even upsetting customs.
The problem Coppola confronts is that Marie Antoinette is a protagonist to whom things happen. She has little if any control over her destiny other than to indulge, famously, in a decadent lifestyle and cavort with her ladies in waiting in Le Petit Trianon. News, tragic or otherwise, arrives by messenger, and those around her are either wily or unwise.
Coppola's solution to this dramatic handicap is to conspire with her star to achieve an empathetic portrait of a life spent in a gilded, vast prison. Most of the movie is shot in and around Versailles. Sometimes scenes occur on the very spot of the actual events. It's hard to imagine this picture even happening without the cooperation of the French government; mere sets were never going to get the job done.
What the history books tell us about Marie Antoinette's lavish lifestyle, with her rising each morning to a retinue of women who dress her, the movie correctly sees as an indignity: Who wants to get dressed in front of virtual strangers?
The marriage at 14 to her husband, Louis (Jason Schwartzman), the Dauphin and heir to the throne, creates the central relationship of the movie. The young man's unwillingness or inability to consummate the marriage for an astonishing and awkward seven years inspired gossip and derision, mostly directed at the undeserving Dauphine. An undercurrent of malicious chitchat becomes a kind of white noise in many palace scenes.
Dunst radiates innocence even as she is losing that innocence. She transfers her love to pets and, when children finally do arrive, to the babies. She refuses to relinquish her willfulness or determination even though these traits do not stand her in good stead at Versailles.
Schwartzman gives a wry and funny performance as a man even more ill suited to his historical role than his wife. The movie never gets to the bottom of his difficulties and indifference, wisely resisting the temptation to impose a modern interpretation on this relationship. Instead, Coppola hews to her heroine's point of view. In the final reel, the couple does achieve a maturity, only to be cut short by angry mobs and revolution.
Terrific performances litter the film: Rip Torn's Louis XV, a shrewd man with hearty appetites of flesh and stomach; Asia Argento as his sultry and crude mistress, Madame Du Barry, despised by all but her lover; Steve Coogan as the courtly Austrian ambassador, who tries to steer Marie Antoinette through the tricky shoals of court politics; Danny Huston as her favorite older brother, the only male with whom she has any real rapport; and Marianne Faithful as her politically astute mother, Maria Teresa. Unfortunately, the movie never quite does justice to a Swedish count, played wanly by James Dornan, whom the Queen takes as a lover.
The costumes, dazzling shoes and jewels are pure pleasure to behold, and Lance Acord's cinematography keeps things simple no matter how lavish the settings. The bursts of rock music on the soundtrack often takes you out of the picture, but this is an indulgence one easily grants to Coppola, who otherwise achieves a harmonious blend of history and contemporary perceptions.
MARIE ANTOINETTE
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures presents in association with Pricel and Tohokushinsha an American Zoetrope production
Credits: Writer-director: Sofia Coppola; Based on the book Marie Antoinette: The Journey by: Antonia Fraser; Producers: Ross Katz, Sofia Coppola; Executive producers: Fred Roos, Francis Ford Coppola; Director of photography: Lance Acord; Production designer: KK Barrett; Music producer: Brian Reitzell; Costumes: Milena Canonero; Editor: Sarah Flack. Cast: Marie Antoinette: Kirsten Dunst; King Louis XVI: Jason Schwartzman; King Louis XV: Rip Torn; Comtessse de Noailles: Judy Davis; Madame Du Barry: Asia Argento; Empress Maria Teresa: Marianne Faithful; Joseph: Danny Huston; Aunt Victoire: Molly Shannon.
No MPAA rating, running time 123 minutes.
This is not a portrait, even though it is based on Antonia Fraser's biography Marie Antoinette: The Journey, that will play well in France. Here she is a favorite villainess. Nor will the film be an easy sell in other territories, where Coppola's contemporary sensibilities and dialogue may feel anachronistic. The film certainly is far afield from her popular Lost in Translation even though both films concern characters that suffer anxiety and ennui from cultural dislocation.
The film opens here this week, where it can expect mixed to hostile reactions from critics, but may possibly intrigue moviegoers keen to see a different version of well-known events. When it opens domestically Oct. 13, Sony will have to shrewdly market the film to pull in a young crowd for whom Marie Antoinette is a figure in a wax museum.
One more comparison to Lost in Translation: Marie Antoinette's protracted arrival in her new home in France and especially the Palace of Versailles indelibly expresses the young woman's discomfort and loss of bearings just as Bill Murray's arrival in Tokyo. Each is a stranger in a strange land of unfamiliar and even upsetting customs.
The problem Coppola confronts is that Marie Antoinette is a protagonist to whom things happen. She has little if any control over her destiny other than to indulge, famously, in a decadent lifestyle and cavort with her ladies in waiting in Le Petit Trianon. News, tragic or otherwise, arrives by messenger, and those around her are either wily or unwise.
Coppola's solution to this dramatic handicap is to conspire with her star to achieve an empathetic portrait of a life spent in a gilded, vast prison. Most of the movie is shot in and around Versailles. Sometimes scenes occur on the very spot of the actual events. It's hard to imagine this picture even happening without the cooperation of the French government; mere sets were never going to get the job done.
What the history books tell us about Marie Antoinette's lavish lifestyle, with her rising each morning to a retinue of women who dress her, the movie correctly sees as an indignity: Who wants to get dressed in front of virtual strangers?
The marriage at 14 to her husband, Louis (Jason Schwartzman), the Dauphin and heir to the throne, creates the central relationship of the movie. The young man's unwillingness or inability to consummate the marriage for an astonishing and awkward seven years inspired gossip and derision, mostly directed at the undeserving Dauphine. An undercurrent of malicious chitchat becomes a kind of white noise in many palace scenes.
Dunst radiates innocence even as she is losing that innocence. She transfers her love to pets and, when children finally do arrive, to the babies. She refuses to relinquish her willfulness or determination even though these traits do not stand her in good stead at Versailles.
Schwartzman gives a wry and funny performance as a man even more ill suited to his historical role than his wife. The movie never gets to the bottom of his difficulties and indifference, wisely resisting the temptation to impose a modern interpretation on this relationship. Instead, Coppola hews to her heroine's point of view. In the final reel, the couple does achieve a maturity, only to be cut short by angry mobs and revolution.
Terrific performances litter the film: Rip Torn's Louis XV, a shrewd man with hearty appetites of flesh and stomach; Asia Argento as his sultry and crude mistress, Madame Du Barry, despised by all but her lover; Steve Coogan as the courtly Austrian ambassador, who tries to steer Marie Antoinette through the tricky shoals of court politics; Danny Huston as her favorite older brother, the only male with whom she has any real rapport; and Marianne Faithful as her politically astute mother, Maria Teresa. Unfortunately, the movie never quite does justice to a Swedish count, played wanly by James Dornan, whom the Queen takes as a lover.
The costumes, dazzling shoes and jewels are pure pleasure to behold, and Lance Acord's cinematography keeps things simple no matter how lavish the settings. The bursts of rock music on the soundtrack often takes you out of the picture, but this is an indulgence one easily grants to Coppola, who otherwise achieves a harmonious blend of history and contemporary perceptions.
MARIE ANTOINETTE
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures presents in association with Pricel and Tohokushinsha an American Zoetrope production
Credits: Writer-director: Sofia Coppola; Based on the book Marie Antoinette: The Journey by: Antonia Fraser; Producers: Ross Katz, Sofia Coppola; Executive producers: Fred Roos, Francis Ford Coppola; Director of photography: Lance Acord; Production designer: KK Barrett; Music producer: Brian Reitzell; Costumes: Milena Canonero; Editor: Sarah Flack. Cast: Marie Antoinette: Kirsten Dunst; King Louis XVI: Jason Schwartzman; King Louis XV: Rip Torn; Comtessse de Noailles: Judy Davis; Madame Du Barry: Asia Argento; Empress Maria Teresa: Marianne Faithful; Joseph: Danny Huston; Aunt Victoire: Molly Shannon.
No MPAA rating, running time 123 minutes.
- 5/25/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For the first time in French cinematic history, a movie is playing here that tells the story of the French Revolution from the side of the aristocrats -- a viewpoint that has caused a stir in France, breaking something of a taboo.
Eric Rohmer's "The Lady and the Duke" is a historical epic based on the memoirs of a Scottish noblewomen, Grace Elliott (Lucy Russell), in which she writes of her friendship with an ex-lover, the Duke of Orleans (Jean-Claude Dreyfus), leader of a revolutionary faction and first cousin to King Louis XVI.
This unorthodox take on the events of the French Revolution has not deterred cinemagoers. The movie has notched up respectable admissions since its release last month.
The story line is complicated and full of intrigue, demanding a real talent for remembering the ever-increasing list of army generals and minor aristocrats whose actions hold the plot together. Lose concentration for a minute, miss a name, and a whole scene becomes incomprehensible. With so much dialogue to digest, it runs more like a play than a movie. Only Rohmer's innovative use of computer technology serves as a reminder that you are actually in a cinema.
All credit to the veteran director, who at age 81 is prepared to come to grips with the sort of technology usually put to use in such movies as "Toy Story" or "Jurassic Park". Rohmer's opening scenes show late-18th century Paris in a series of oil paintings re-created in period style. As the camera rests on the last of these paintings, it comes to life, creating a visually stunning if somewhat bizarre effect.
The technique works well enough in interior scenes in which the technology is limited to sketching the landscape as glimpsed through a window. But for exterior scenes, it creates a strange impression -- like that of a children's pop-up book where characters seem strangely detached from their background. At several points, this even gives an unintentionally comic aspect to the action.
Whatever the visual shortfalls of the computer technology, this is more than made up for by the sumptuous costumes and lavish interiors. The Lady of the title is rarely seen in anything less than full bodice, rustling silks and outrageous hats. Russell is impressive in her first major movie role.
She portrays Elliott as intelligent and courageous yet at the same time winningly naive in the face of danger. She is the archetypal aristocrat, who shows that while the peasants might be revolting outside, certain standards must always be maintained inside.
THE LADY AND THE DUKE
Compagnie Eric Rohmer and Pathe Image Production
Credits: Producer: Francoise Etchegary
Screenwriter-director: Eric Rohmer
Director of photography: Diane Barratier
Set designer: Antoine Fontaine
Editor: Mary Stephen
Costume designer: Pierre-Jean Larroque
Cast:
Grace Elliott: Lucy Russell
Le Duc d'Orleans: Jean-Claude Dreyfus
Dumouner: Francois Marthouret
Champcenetz: Leonard Cobiant
Nanon: Caroline Morin
Duc de Biron: Alain Libolt
Madame Meyler: Helena Dubiel
No MPAA rating
Color/stereo
Running time -- 125 minutes...
Eric Rohmer's "The Lady and the Duke" is a historical epic based on the memoirs of a Scottish noblewomen, Grace Elliott (Lucy Russell), in which she writes of her friendship with an ex-lover, the Duke of Orleans (Jean-Claude Dreyfus), leader of a revolutionary faction and first cousin to King Louis XVI.
This unorthodox take on the events of the French Revolution has not deterred cinemagoers. The movie has notched up respectable admissions since its release last month.
The story line is complicated and full of intrigue, demanding a real talent for remembering the ever-increasing list of army generals and minor aristocrats whose actions hold the plot together. Lose concentration for a minute, miss a name, and a whole scene becomes incomprehensible. With so much dialogue to digest, it runs more like a play than a movie. Only Rohmer's innovative use of computer technology serves as a reminder that you are actually in a cinema.
All credit to the veteran director, who at age 81 is prepared to come to grips with the sort of technology usually put to use in such movies as "Toy Story" or "Jurassic Park". Rohmer's opening scenes show late-18th century Paris in a series of oil paintings re-created in period style. As the camera rests on the last of these paintings, it comes to life, creating a visually stunning if somewhat bizarre effect.
The technique works well enough in interior scenes in which the technology is limited to sketching the landscape as glimpsed through a window. But for exterior scenes, it creates a strange impression -- like that of a children's pop-up book where characters seem strangely detached from their background. At several points, this even gives an unintentionally comic aspect to the action.
Whatever the visual shortfalls of the computer technology, this is more than made up for by the sumptuous costumes and lavish interiors. The Lady of the title is rarely seen in anything less than full bodice, rustling silks and outrageous hats. Russell is impressive in her first major movie role.
She portrays Elliott as intelligent and courageous yet at the same time winningly naive in the face of danger. She is the archetypal aristocrat, who shows that while the peasants might be revolting outside, certain standards must always be maintained inside.
THE LADY AND THE DUKE
Compagnie Eric Rohmer and Pathe Image Production
Credits: Producer: Francoise Etchegary
Screenwriter-director: Eric Rohmer
Director of photography: Diane Barratier
Set designer: Antoine Fontaine
Editor: Mary Stephen
Costume designer: Pierre-Jean Larroque
Cast:
Grace Elliott: Lucy Russell
Le Duc d'Orleans: Jean-Claude Dreyfus
Dumouner: Francois Marthouret
Champcenetz: Leonard Cobiant
Nanon: Caroline Morin
Duc de Biron: Alain Libolt
Madame Meyler: Helena Dubiel
No MPAA rating
Color/stereo
Running time -- 125 minutes...
Director Bernie Bonvoisin is usually to be found in a more contemporary setting. "Blanche" takes us for an eclectic romp through the 17th century via Louis IX, Cardinal Mazarin and the three musketeers. But, despite its stellar cast, this movie makes for dull viewing.
The main story line is simple enough: At the age of 14, Blanche (Lou Doillon) witnesses the brutal murder of her parents by Captain KKK (Antoine de Caunes), who heads up Cardinal Mazarin's (Jean Rochefort) private militia. Eleven years later, she gathers together a bunch of miscreants to help wreak her revenge.
Borrowing from a range of cultural and political references, Bonvoisin mixes the spaghetti Western with Colombian drug cartels, the Ku Klux Klan with the court of Louis IX. The effect is an incoherent, violent scramble. The fight scenes are over-choreographed and the humor more than a little forced.
The actors appear to be enjoying themselves, though. Jose Garcia and Carole Bouquet camp it up royally as King Louis and Queen Anne of Austria, respectively, while Jean Rochefort's Mazarin steals the show.
The main story line is simple enough: At the age of 14, Blanche (Lou Doillon) witnesses the brutal murder of her parents by Captain KKK (Antoine de Caunes), who heads up Cardinal Mazarin's (Jean Rochefort) private militia. Eleven years later, she gathers together a bunch of miscreants to help wreak her revenge.
Borrowing from a range of cultural and political references, Bonvoisin mixes the spaghetti Western with Colombian drug cartels, the Ku Klux Klan with the court of Louis IX. The effect is an incoherent, violent scramble. The fight scenes are over-choreographed and the humor more than a little forced.
The actors appear to be enjoying themselves, though. Jose Garcia and Carole Bouquet camp it up royally as King Louis and Queen Anne of Austria, respectively, while Jean Rochefort's Mazarin steals the show.
- 10/7/2002
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For the first time in French cinematic history, a movie is playing here that tells the story of the French Revolution from the side of the aristocrats -- a viewpoint that has caused a stir in France, breaking something of a taboo.
Eric Rohmer's "The Lady and the Duke" is a historical epic based on the memoirs of a Scottish noblewomen, Grace Elliott (Lucy Russell), in which she writes of her friendship with an ex-lover, the Duke of Orleans (Jean-Claude Dreyfus), leader of a revolutionary faction and first cousin to King Louis XVI.
This unorthodox take on the events of the French Revolution has not deterred cinemagoers. The movie has notched up respectable admissions since its release last month.
The story line is complicated and full of intrigue, demanding a real talent for remembering the ever-increasing list of army generals and minor aristocrats whose actions hold the plot together. Lose concentration for a minute, miss a name, and a whole scene becomes incomprehensible. With so much dialogue to digest, it runs more like a play than a movie. Only Rohmer's innovative use of computer technology serves as a reminder that you are actually in a cinema.
All credit to the veteran director, who at age 81 is prepared to come to grips with the sort of technology usually put to use in such movies as "Toy Story" or "Jurassic Park". Rohmer's opening scenes show late-18th century Paris in a series of oil paintings re-created in period style. As the camera rests on the last of these paintings, it comes to life, creating a visually stunning if somewhat bizarre effect.
The technique works well enough in interior scenes in which the technology is limited to sketching the landscape as glimpsed through a window. But for exterior scenes, it creates a strange impression -- like that of a children's pop-up book where characters seem strangely detached from their background. At several points, this even gives an unintentionally comic aspect to the action.
Whatever the visual shortfalls of the computer technology, this is more than made up for by the sumptuous costumes and lavish interiors. The Lady of the title is rarely seen in anything less than full bodice, rustling silks and outrageous hats. Russell is impressive in her first major movie role.
She portrays Elliott as intelligent and courageous yet at the same time winningly naive in the face of danger. She is the archetypal aristocrat, who shows that while the peasants might be revolting outside, certain standards must always be maintained inside.
THE LADY AND THE DUKE
Compagnie Eric Rohmer and Pathe Image Production
Credits: Producer: Francoise Etchegary
Screenwriter-director: Eric Rohmer
Director of photography: Diane Barratier
Set designer: Antoine Fontaine
Editor: Mary Stephen
Costume designer: Pierre-Jean Larroque
Cast:
Grace Elliott: Lucy Russell
Le Duc d'Orleans: Jean-Claude Dreyfus
Dumouner: Francois Marthouret
Champcenetz: Leonard Cobiant
Nanon: Caroline Morin
Duc de Biron: Alain Libolt
Madame Meyler: Helena Dubiel
No MPAA rating
Color/stereo
Running time -- 125 minutes...
Eric Rohmer's "The Lady and the Duke" is a historical epic based on the memoirs of a Scottish noblewomen, Grace Elliott (Lucy Russell), in which she writes of her friendship with an ex-lover, the Duke of Orleans (Jean-Claude Dreyfus), leader of a revolutionary faction and first cousin to King Louis XVI.
This unorthodox take on the events of the French Revolution has not deterred cinemagoers. The movie has notched up respectable admissions since its release last month.
The story line is complicated and full of intrigue, demanding a real talent for remembering the ever-increasing list of army generals and minor aristocrats whose actions hold the plot together. Lose concentration for a minute, miss a name, and a whole scene becomes incomprehensible. With so much dialogue to digest, it runs more like a play than a movie. Only Rohmer's innovative use of computer technology serves as a reminder that you are actually in a cinema.
All credit to the veteran director, who at age 81 is prepared to come to grips with the sort of technology usually put to use in such movies as "Toy Story" or "Jurassic Park". Rohmer's opening scenes show late-18th century Paris in a series of oil paintings re-created in period style. As the camera rests on the last of these paintings, it comes to life, creating a visually stunning if somewhat bizarre effect.
The technique works well enough in interior scenes in which the technology is limited to sketching the landscape as glimpsed through a window. But for exterior scenes, it creates a strange impression -- like that of a children's pop-up book where characters seem strangely detached from their background. At several points, this even gives an unintentionally comic aspect to the action.
Whatever the visual shortfalls of the computer technology, this is more than made up for by the sumptuous costumes and lavish interiors. The Lady of the title is rarely seen in anything less than full bodice, rustling silks and outrageous hats. Russell is impressive in her first major movie role.
She portrays Elliott as intelligent and courageous yet at the same time winningly naive in the face of danger. She is the archetypal aristocrat, who shows that while the peasants might be revolting outside, certain standards must always be maintained inside.
THE LADY AND THE DUKE
Compagnie Eric Rohmer and Pathe Image Production
Credits: Producer: Francoise Etchegary
Screenwriter-director: Eric Rohmer
Director of photography: Diane Barratier
Set designer: Antoine Fontaine
Editor: Mary Stephen
Costume designer: Pierre-Jean Larroque
Cast:
Grace Elliott: Lucy Russell
Le Duc d'Orleans: Jean-Claude Dreyfus
Dumouner: Francois Marthouret
Champcenetz: Leonard Cobiant
Nanon: Caroline Morin
Duc de Biron: Alain Libolt
Madame Meyler: Helena Dubiel
No MPAA rating
Color/stereo
Running time -- 125 minutes...
- 10/2/2001
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The wife of Louis Prima is suing the Disney empire - in a fight over unpaid royalties for Jungle Book, The (1967). Prima, who died in 1978, was the voice and inspiration for King Louis of the Apes in the classic 1967 cartoon. But widow Gia claims the studio have denied his estate millions of dollars in unpaid royalties from video and DVD sales. Disney counter she's owed nothing - because the technologies did not exist when Louis signed his original recording contract in 1955. Gia says, "It saddens me and it's a shame they've allowed this to happen, but I have to protect Louis's memory. It feels like a betrayal, that they are fighting me on this. This would never happen if Walt Disney were alive. Mr. Disney was a wonderful man who loved Louis. When he died, the personal side of the studio died with him." Disney corporate spokeswoman Christine Castro says, "We have met all contractual obligations to Mr Prima's estate regarding royalty payments for phonograph records, CDs and the like. Mr Prima had no contractual rights to other royalties." The case will go before a U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on October 31.
- 8/7/2000
- WENN
Hot off the seemingly invincible "Titanic", Leonardo DiCaprio makes good on his reputation as history's official poster boy with "The Man in the Iron Mask", a picture whose fortunes rest entirely on his young shoulders.
Loosely based on the oft-filmed 1850 Alexandre Dumas classic (other renditions include a silent 1929 Douglas Fairbanks film, James Whale's 1939 version and a Mike Newell-directed 1977 telefilm starring Richard Chamberlain and Louis Jordan), the latest treatment marks the directorial debut of "Braveheart" scribe Randall Wallace, and the behind-the-camera inexperience shows.
While the writing is lively -- with dialogue nimbly contemporized for 20th century ears -- the direction is wildly uneven, particularly in its mishandling of crowd and action sequences.
Still, with DiCaprio aboard and doing double time in dual roles, MGM should reap handsome dividends, especially in the film's first few weeks.
This third installment of Dumas' Three Musketeers trilogy begins with the king's famed Royal Guards having been more or less put out to pasture. While d'Artagnan (Gabriel Byrne) is still in active service as captain of the Musketeers, Aramis (Jeremy Irons) has become a priest and Athos (John Malkovich) is dedicated to raising his son Raoul (Peter Sarsgaard). Even the lusty, life-loving Porthos (Gerard Depardieu) pines for the long-gone, virile days of his youth.
But there's trouble at the palace. King Louis XIII has died, succeeded by his arrogant, selfish heir (DiCaprio). With peasants threatening to revolt, Aramis comes up with a solution. Faster than you can say "separated at birth," they storm the Bastille and sneak out Prisoner 64389000, who -- behind the iron mask -- turns out to be King Louis XIV's long-hidden twin Phillippe (also DiCaprio).
The big switcheroo doesn't exactly go without a hitch, but ultimately the Musketeers successfully relive past glories and all again is right in the kingdom.
DiCaprio is fine in both roles, and while his long mane may occasionally mistake him for a lost Hanson brother, his legions of fans should squeal with delight.
Wallace's portrayal of the graying Musketeers as sort of aging rock stars is particularly entertaining. As Aramis, Porthos and Athos join d'Artagnan to go all for one and one for all one last time, you can't help thinking about a bunch of guys putting the band together and hitting the road. They're The Rolling Stones of the 17th century.
Byrne and Irons (who's never looked more robust) have the swarthy gleam of derring-do down cold, while Depardieu is a comic delight as the womanizing Porthos. Less effectively cast is Malkovich, whose effete line readings render his Musketeer status somewhat unconvincing.
But it's Wallace's leaden direction that lets the picture down. The action sequences -- particularly the Musketeers' last hurrah -- cry out for the visual panache of a John Woo or even a Mel Gibson. Alas, the swash buckles under Wallace's uncertain touch. There's better choreography in those candy bar commercials.
Other technical aspects hit the bull's-eye, including Peter Suschitzky's textured camerawork and Anthony Pratt's nicely detailed production design. Nick Glennie-Smith's score, meanwhile, surges smoothly forward even when the rest of the picture fails to follow suit.
THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK
MGM
United Artists Pictures presents
a Randall Wallace film
Director-screenwriter: Randall Wallace
Producers: Randall Wallace, Russell Smith
Executive producer: Alan Ladd Jr.
Based on the novel by: Alexandre Dumas
Director of photography: Peter Suschitzky
Production designer: Anthony Pratt
Editor: William Hoy
Costume designer: James Acheson
Music: Nick Glennie-Smith
Casting: Amanda Mackey Johnson, Cathy Sandrich
Color/stereo
Cast:
King Louis XIV/Phillippe: Leonardo DiCaprio
Aramis: Jeremy Irons
Athos: John Malkovich
Porthos: Gerard Depardieu
d'Artagnan: Gabriel Byrne
Queen Anne: Anne Parillaud
Christine: Judith Godreche
Raoul: Peter Sarsgaard
Lieutenant Andre: Edward Atterton
Running time -- 132 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Loosely based on the oft-filmed 1850 Alexandre Dumas classic (other renditions include a silent 1929 Douglas Fairbanks film, James Whale's 1939 version and a Mike Newell-directed 1977 telefilm starring Richard Chamberlain and Louis Jordan), the latest treatment marks the directorial debut of "Braveheart" scribe Randall Wallace, and the behind-the-camera inexperience shows.
While the writing is lively -- with dialogue nimbly contemporized for 20th century ears -- the direction is wildly uneven, particularly in its mishandling of crowd and action sequences.
Still, with DiCaprio aboard and doing double time in dual roles, MGM should reap handsome dividends, especially in the film's first few weeks.
This third installment of Dumas' Three Musketeers trilogy begins with the king's famed Royal Guards having been more or less put out to pasture. While d'Artagnan (Gabriel Byrne) is still in active service as captain of the Musketeers, Aramis (Jeremy Irons) has become a priest and Athos (John Malkovich) is dedicated to raising his son Raoul (Peter Sarsgaard). Even the lusty, life-loving Porthos (Gerard Depardieu) pines for the long-gone, virile days of his youth.
But there's trouble at the palace. King Louis XIII has died, succeeded by his arrogant, selfish heir (DiCaprio). With peasants threatening to revolt, Aramis comes up with a solution. Faster than you can say "separated at birth," they storm the Bastille and sneak out Prisoner 64389000, who -- behind the iron mask -- turns out to be King Louis XIV's long-hidden twin Phillippe (also DiCaprio).
The big switcheroo doesn't exactly go without a hitch, but ultimately the Musketeers successfully relive past glories and all again is right in the kingdom.
DiCaprio is fine in both roles, and while his long mane may occasionally mistake him for a lost Hanson brother, his legions of fans should squeal with delight.
Wallace's portrayal of the graying Musketeers as sort of aging rock stars is particularly entertaining. As Aramis, Porthos and Athos join d'Artagnan to go all for one and one for all one last time, you can't help thinking about a bunch of guys putting the band together and hitting the road. They're The Rolling Stones of the 17th century.
Byrne and Irons (who's never looked more robust) have the swarthy gleam of derring-do down cold, while Depardieu is a comic delight as the womanizing Porthos. Less effectively cast is Malkovich, whose effete line readings render his Musketeer status somewhat unconvincing.
But it's Wallace's leaden direction that lets the picture down. The action sequences -- particularly the Musketeers' last hurrah -- cry out for the visual panache of a John Woo or even a Mel Gibson. Alas, the swash buckles under Wallace's uncertain touch. There's better choreography in those candy bar commercials.
Other technical aspects hit the bull's-eye, including Peter Suschitzky's textured camerawork and Anthony Pratt's nicely detailed production design. Nick Glennie-Smith's score, meanwhile, surges smoothly forward even when the rest of the picture fails to follow suit.
THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK
MGM
United Artists Pictures presents
a Randall Wallace film
Director-screenwriter: Randall Wallace
Producers: Randall Wallace, Russell Smith
Executive producer: Alan Ladd Jr.
Based on the novel by: Alexandre Dumas
Director of photography: Peter Suschitzky
Production designer: Anthony Pratt
Editor: William Hoy
Costume designer: James Acheson
Music: Nick Glennie-Smith
Casting: Amanda Mackey Johnson, Cathy Sandrich
Color/stereo
Cast:
King Louis XIV/Phillippe: Leonardo DiCaprio
Aramis: Jeremy Irons
Athos: John Malkovich
Porthos: Gerard Depardieu
d'Artagnan: Gabriel Byrne
Queen Anne: Anne Parillaud
Christine: Judith Godreche
Raoul: Peter Sarsgaard
Lieutenant Andre: Edward Atterton
Running time -- 132 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
- 3/11/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.