London trips sitrep and I LOVE FRENCH CINEMA (especially Gerard Depardieu)!

[alexandral]

London: My first trip on Tuesday to the Russian embassy in London to pick up my daughter's passport was a success!!!!! My daughter has two passports now!! (I wish I had too :D) But unfortunately there was a huge problem with the train line that day and it took me 6 hours instead of 2 to get to London and 4.5 hours to get back.. When I arrived to Lodon at 11.10 (Russian embassy closes at 12.00) I took a taxi and told the taxi driver to drive really really fast to Russian embassy! I wonder what he thought! Then I "stormed" into the Russian embassy half an hour before it's closing time. :D I still feel the effect of the long tedious journey – I am feeling rather very tired.

Wednesday's Toad User Group was very useful and informative and the trains run better too! But I am still tired after Tuesday and feeling that I am lagging behind. And grumpy. Why one always feels grumpy when tired????????????

But there is something I MUST tell you about, even if it has to be very short: Vidocq:. I love love love French cinema and I love Gerard Depardieu. There isn't many actors for whom I have had (and I am still having) a huge admiration for so many years as for Depardieu. I may be watched his first film when I was 10 or twelve, I don't remember. I remember the film, though, hilarious French comedy "Unfortunates". I apologise very much, but "Unfortunates" is a translation from it's title in Russian because I could not find English version. If anyone knows the title in English – please let me know!! In short – anything with Depardieu is good for me!

And still, Vidocq was a surprise. It starts as a costume crime story about the adventures of the famous French crook-turned-detective Eugène François Vidocq, but in a fantasy way. Vidocq in the film is set on finding and capturing of the legendary murdurer Alchemist. I must say, I love costume crime stories but Vidocq still was very very good!

The film combines a very interesting visual solution and an interesting take on the search for eternal youth. Vidocq was made on digital film. Everything in it looks like a painting which makes an interesting reference to the "The Picture of Dorian Gray" or like a theatrical decorations that makes you think of "Les Miserables". The colours are bright and somehow unusual, especially stong green colours of clothing and shadows. There are some very frightening and dark scenes, some strange and interstingly odd characters and there are some brilliant special effects. And the ending was awesome !!!!!

Comments

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

I'd really like to see that. I've had a 'thing' about the real Vidocq and his various fictional incarnations for decades.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I admit with shame that I had not known who Vidocq was until I watched the film. But whatever little I have read about him in Wiki is very fascinating. And he was an inspiration for the main character in "Les Miserables" Interestingly, Vidocq has a definite "Les Miserables" feel and Depardieu plays both Vidocq and Jean Valjean!..

[ginger001]

I've seen Vidocq and I absolutely adore Gerard D. there but I was a bit disappointed by the movie. I really liked the looks, the atmosphere and the characters, I really did, but I was somehow disappointed with how they resolved things at the end. I don't remember the details now, but I remember thinking 'what a pity that they...'

but it was a brilliant film, I really enjoyed it. There are great French movies out there. A pity they are hard to find in dvd over here (and in France they don't usually have subtitles *pouts*)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

but it was a brilliant film, I really enjoyed it. There are great French movies out there. A pity they are hard to find in dvd over here (and in France they don't usually have subtitles *pouts*)

Oh, I was thinking you have many French films in Spain! But it looks like situation is similar to UK. But in Russia we have many films from France, Italy and other European countries. In fact, my copy of Vidocq was the one with Russian dub. But I downloaded Italian copy with English subtitles and if you would like I can send it to you!

[endlessdeep.livejournal.com]

You are so right. The coloring in those screencaps is fantastic.

I love Gerard Depardieu as well! The first movie I ever saw with him in it was a film my Mother dragged me to see with her. It was all in sub-titles, but by the time I left the theatre I was so glad I went and in love. This was in the early 1980's and the film was The Return of Martin Guerre. Wonderful film, if you haven't seen it I recomment it, with a young Gerard. :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen "The Return of Martin Guerre" ** writes it quickly down **. I'll try to find it! Looks very good!

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

I'm right there with you in loving French cinema. Often the films, like Vidocq, have this special, visual look that really sets them apart.
In thet vein I very much liked Vidocq - and it was good to see Gerard Depardieu in a proper role. When he stars in American films he always seems to end up playing the buffoon or the token crazy French guy. That's sad, because I think its as a dramatic actor he really stands out.

I also really like Guillaume Canet - though Vidocq is perhaps not his best film. have you seen Jeux d'enfants/Love me if you dare?

As for Vidocq itself - I loved how the film looked, and I loved parts of the plot- but something about the ending just bugged me. Liked the twist though.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I'm right there with you in loving French cinema. Often the films, like Vidocq, have this special, visual look that really sets them apart.

Definitely! I laso find that the concept of French cinema is quite unique in story building and development. They often make "quiet" films about human relationships. I really like that. It is difficult to explain how French cinema differs from Hollywood but it all can be shown on example of "Nikita" and "Point of no return" .

When he stars in American films he always seems to end up playing the buffoon or the token crazy French guy

Have you seen Green card (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099699/)? But my forever favourite film with Depardieu is Jean de Florette (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091288/), such an excellent film!

I also really like Guillaume Canet - though Vidocq is perhaps not his best film. have you seen Jeux d'enfants/Love me if you dare?

Oh, yes!! i have seen "Love me if you dare" and I absolutely loved it! I thought that I have seen this guy somewhere.

As for Vidocq itself - I loved how the film looked, and I loved parts of the plot- but something about the ending just bugged me. Liked the twist though.

I liked the ending very very much. I didn't guess who Alchemist was and I liked the last scene of the battle. What did worry you?

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

I love both Green card and Jean de Florette - also I'm seconding an above comment about seeing "Martin Guerre".

What did worry you?

partially I had guessed the twist with the alchemist, but also I felt the ending was rushed. The rest of the film takes it time and is good at establishing scenes and such. But in the end scenes this all seems to get put a little in the background to allow for a fast action sequence. Not saying I hated it - but it I guess I liked the rest of the film so much I was expecting something else.

[trailer-spot.livejournal.com]

Even though I don't remember the details, I remember seeing Vidocq a couple of years ago on TV. I knew next to nothing about the movie when I watched it, so I had no expectations and I was very pleasantly surprised.
As you mentioned, I also thought that the special effects were, relative to what the movie probably did cost, outstanding. And I don't know if you looked up the director, Pitof. After I saw this movie he was the main reason why I had hopes that Catwoman would be an at least visually (besides Halle Berry ;) ) interesting movie. Well, we all know by now that those hopes sadly were very wrong. :D
Pitof was also involved in the visual effects of the earlier movies (The City of Lost Children and Delicatessen) from Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Both highly recommended in the unlikely case if you haven't already seen them.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you for the info! I didn't know it was a film of the same director as "Delicatessen" (isn't it a gem??) but I noticed similarities. When watching "Vidocq" I was thinking that you could have liked this movie, remembering your liking for good-looking films! I haven't seen "The City of Lost Children" but I am going to ASAP!

On my "Alchemist" wave I also watched "Prestige" which unexpectedly I loved to bits.

[trailer-spot.livejournal.com]

Just to avoid confusion, Pitof was just involved in the visual effects of the other two movies. He was NOT the director. :)

On general I did like The Prestige, but I also had a few problems (http://trailer-spot.livejournal.com/128557.html).

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I must say, I didn't guess the trick in the case of Angier which I should have had because there were strong clues with the hats and cats multiplying previously! I thought that he murdered a duplicate. I guessed with Boden quite late in the film but I must say I thought all the way throughout the film that he used a double. There is just no normal mechanic way to do what he did!!!

I liked the way the film started as a story about magic as mechanics (Oh poor dead birds!!!!!!!!!) and crossed into science fiction but I can see how this cross-genre can be a problem for you!

[winterspel.livejournal.com]

These screencaps are gorgeous, alexandral! And HURRAY for your daughter's passport! :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am so glad you like them! Even though as we discussed before I don't like remmending things I think that "Vidocq" is something you could enjoy!