La Belle Noiseuse
|
Our Price: $59.92 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $55.00 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of La Belle Noiseuse
Movie Review: Artists and Models
Summary: 5 Stars
After living with this film for 15 years, it seems to me that the best description of its theme comes in the words of the character Liz (Jane Birkin), who in context is speaking of the work of her husband, the painter Frenhofer. According to her, it concerns something "shameful--it's not the body that is shameful, not the nudity, but something else . . ."
That "something else" is a violation, existentially speaking, of the enigma of the painter's model. Such a violation cannot be seen without the mediation of art. In a cinematic context, it is the risk the direction takes whenever it approaches its subject frontally, and we can see Rivette's tendency to retreat to wide shots, to place events off-screen, or to circle behind his players. Is this a critique of Bresson, who insisted on calling his players "models" rather than "actors?" (It is impossible not to recall the storied psychological scars Bresson's methods allegedly left on his players. ) It is clearly not that simple, for there are close-ups in NOISEUSE that seem to be as cruel to the actors as Frenhofer is to his model.
This goes beyond Bresson in other ways: Rivette, always the reader, has patched together a thumping good story from literary sources ranging from Poe to Balzac to James, and in the process has created a true mystery thriller. That the mystery hinges on four-minute shots of a hand scratching out a drawing makes it no less thrilling. It tumbles forward toward a profoundly ironic ending worthy of the best James novels.
The initial critical take on this film was that it was the most thorough document of the artistic process ever committed to film. Well, yes and no. It seems to be about the artistic process of a painter, but I think there may be a playful game of "bait-and-switch" afoot. Watch Béart. Watch, especially, Piccoli, who is a veritable encyclopedia of the actor's art, as mesmerizing in his scudding, absent-minded movements as he is in his sudden precision, always surprising. Rivette's devotion to actors is clear in all his films: think of his sets, so resembling stages with their creaky boards, a sound "effect" in Rivette that more often than not takes the place of score.
It may be that the artist of canvas, plaster, stone, or screen may reveal something secret, even shameful, in his models. It may even be that the unscrupulous artist is a thief of the soul. But Rivette, for one, shows in LA BELLE NOISEUSE that he has given these things some serious thought. And he is always generous to his actors. The result is that the trust between artist and model demonstrated in this film amounts to a strong rebuke to the idea that film cannot show thought. It can; it comes at a price, but in the hands of a master it can be as great a gift to the players as it is to the audience.
Movie Review: "Rivette? Who is Jacques Rivette?" He's a great filmmaker, that's who...
Summary: 5 Stars
The French New Wave is justifiably famous in cinema circles, schools, etc.. It is still talked about today. When they mention the filmmakers that came from that school of filmmaking, they mention Jean-Luc Godard, Eric Rohmer, and Francois Truffault. Rarely, if ever, do they mention Jacques Rivette. When a friend of mine asked me my favorite French directors, I said Robert Bresson, Jean-Luc Godard, and Jacques Rivette. My friend said "Rivette?" Jacques Rivette's films stand out from any other French filmmaker of his time. The other French New Wave filmmakers were prolific, whereas Rivette would make a film every few years. Rivette's films are generally very long (the most extreme example being the film Out 1, which runs 12 1/2 hours, his other films run on average 3-4 hours), and concern themselves with the artistic process. This is a 4 hour film (slightly longer than most Rivette films, but not the longest), but it unfolds magisterially and beautifully. I saw it in a theater (with an intermission), and I was entralled. It is one of Rivette's best films, and one that really shows the agony of artistic creation. Creating art is a long and arduous process. Kubrick compared his art, filmmaking, to trying to write War and Peace in a bumpy car ride, but when you've finished, it's an amazing feeling. Its pacing is very slow and leisurely, but there isn't anything wrong with that. I didn't feel bored, and I didn't feel that the film needed to be cut. It's perfect the way it is. The title is translated "a pretty nuisance", for those who are curious. This film really captures that. On a completely unrelated sidenote, I remember seeing this film with 2 couples in front of me. The women liked it, but the men were bored out of their minds. One kept shifting his head back and forth throughout the whole thing. The men were probably just hoping to get laid afterwards, so that's why they went to see it. You should really only see this film if you're a committed art cinema person. Luckily, I am. This is one of Rivette's best films, and he's a filmmaker that deserves to be better known.Movie Review: Wow, long long long
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a very long film. I saw the DVD version, purchased new from Amazon, which probably was a transfer. The quality is not bad - better than a VHS tape but not equivalent to the newest DVD's. This film uses very slow pacing - I liked it a lot although it's certainly not something for the MTV generation where everything has to be done at warp speed. The camera dwells on the painting process brush stroke by brush stroke interspersed by the beautiful body of Emmanuelle Béart. The French countryside scenery, the old house of the artist and the studio are examples of beautiful photography. You have lots of time during this film to admire the old painted woodwork of the doors and mouldings - the spaciousness of the house reminds me of Rodin's old house now the Musee Rodin. The primary colors used on the interior doors and trim remind me a lot of Monets house at Giverny. This is an artists house. I loved this film for the atmosphere and the character development. I'm not sure if all films should be done this way, but the snails pace works well here. It allows you to soak up the atmosphere - after 4 hours it was over and believe it or not I was still looking for more. A film definitely not for everybody but I'm glad it was created. Watch this when you have lots of time and are not in any particular hurry to "move onto the next thing". Open a bottle of wine, find a friend to enjoy this with and luxuriate in the slow slow slow pace.Movie Review: Watching Paint Dry
Summary: 5 Stars
Can watching paint dry be riveting, interesting, and compelling? Can looking at a beautiful woman who is naked for almost three of four hours long movie be not erotic? Is it possible to watch the movie where an Artist creates sketch after sketch of his model in preparation for a painting and many scenes run in real time and not become bored but instead be totally absorbed by the painter on the screen and how he was progressing with his work? Jacques Rivette's "Le Belle Noiseuse" is certainly not for every taste but I found it immensely rewarding. It is one of very few films where creative process with all its tension, uncertainty, selfishness and self-centering of an artist who once he began working is nearly oblivious not only to his model's discomfort but to the feelings of the ones close to him have been shown on the screen with such truthful passion, technical excellence, and tremendous acting. Michel Piccoli as an aging painter Edouard Frenhofer, once famous and productive, Jane Birkin (Liz)- his much younger wife and a former favorite model, and Emmanuelle Béart as Marianne, the young, bright, and intensely intelligent woman whose presence awakened Frenhofer from semi-lethargy and made him want to paint again were unforgettable.
The film also explores a vital for any artist subject - what is more important, the process of creating a work of art or the result?
Movie Review: Award Winning Film! A Good Story! Lots of Female Nudity!
Summary: 5 Stars
Read the other reviews! I have only seen the VHS version. Quite long, but a very nice story! Emmanuelle Beart is the best reason to watch this movie! She is gorgeous and naked through most of the film! An old man who is a renound artist who has not painted for 10 years, because he has "lost vision" is inspired by a new model ( Emmanuelle Beart ) to try again to paint his "masterpiece", an idea he was working on many years ago!
He puts Emmanuelle through Hell, modelling for him. Many times he is tempted to give up! He finally paints the perfect: "La Belle Noiseuse"! It is both BEAUTIFUL and EVIL! ( You never see the damn painting!!! Ha ha! ) It casts a bad light on the model! There is an underlying story within this story. What does the artist do with his masterpiece? Will people think the artist is a failure? Does he show his painting to the world? One of the very very best French Films I have ever seen!!! I thought at the end that the film deserved to win an award and it did!!! It WON a TOP French film award!!! An excellent movie!!!