Persepolis
by Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Catherine Deneuve, Chiara Mastroianni, Danielle Darrieux, Gena Rowlands, Simon AbkarianDirector: Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
Brand: SONY PICTURES HOME ENT
Writer: Marjane Satrapi
Writer: Vincent Paronnaud
Producer: Kathleen Kennedy
Producer: Marc Jousset
Producer: Marc-Antoine Robert
Producer: Tara Grace
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: French (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Black & White, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 96 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-06-24
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures
Movie Reviews of Persepolis
Movie Review: An amazing story told in an incredible way
Summary: 5 Stars
What a fascinating and tragic life Marjane Satrapi has lived. Aesthetically, the film follows the style of her graphic novels (which I haven't read), simple and bold. But the way that it communicates the complexities of emotion, character, and history is truly superb and anything but simple.
Satrapi and Parronaud achieve a feat of subtlety in their ability to portray Marjene's youthfulness without watering down the narrative. The viewer can understand the limited perspective of the main character, while following the developments in Iran that the film tries to explore.
The stunning Marjane Satrapi.
Something in the film's tone is refreshingly unapologetic-Satrapi pulls no punches when introducing us to the people that have passed through her life in Iran and Europe. She describes her friends in Austria, for example, as having perfected "forced nihilism," an obvious term of derision that I found hilarious. The heroes in her young life were communists, but they were her loved ones and composed the largest bloc of opposition to both the Shah and the Ayatollah.
The tone of the film could have easily veered toward whiny or preachy because of its subject matter, but never does. Instead, the viewer inevitably compares the struggles of their own life to the incredible hardships Satrapi has suffered. The result may be uncomfortable, but to some like myself, ultimately inspiring; it adds to our appreciation of art that is truly expressive and the tormented souls behind it that we are privileged to encounter every so often. Persepolis serves to remind us that those who create beauty in this world are often the most haunted among us.
Summary of Persepolis
Persepolis is the poignant story of a young girl coming-of-age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It is through the eyes of precocious and outspoken nine-year-old Marjane that we see a people's hopes dashed as fundamentalists take power - forcing the veil on women and imprisoning thousands. Clever and fearless, she outsmarts the "social guardians" and discovers punk, ABBA and Iron Maiden. Yet when her uncle is senselessly executed and as bombs fall around Tehran in the Iran/Iraq war the daily fear that permeates life in Iran is palpable. As she gets older, Marjane's boldness causes her parents to worry over her continued safety. And so, at age fourteen, they make the difficult decision to send her to school in Austria. Vulnerable and alone in a strange land, she endures the typical ordeals of a teenager. In addition, Marjane has to combat being equated with the religious fundamentalism and extremism she fled her country to escape. Over time, she gains acceptance, and even experiences love, but after high school she finds herself alone and horribly homesick. Though it means putting on the veil and living in a tyrannical society, Marjane decides to return to Iran to be close to her family. After a difficult period of adjustment, she enters art school and marries, all the while continuing to speak out against the hypocrisy she witnesses. At age 24, she realizes that while she is deeply Iranian, she cannot live in Iran. She then makes the heartbreaking decision to leave her homeland for France, optimistic about her future, shaped indelibly by her past.A fascinating and wholly unexpected take on Iran's Islamic revolution beginning in the 1970s, Persepolis is an enthralling, animated feature about a spirited young woman who spends her life trying to deal with the consequences of her nation's history. Based on an autobiographical comic book by Marjane Satrapi, the story concerns Marji (voiced as a teenager and woman by Chiara Mastroianni), whose natural fire and precociousness are slowly dampened by the rise of religious extremists. Marji grieves over the imprisonment and execution of a beloved uncle, then begrudgingly adapts to ever-tightening rules about dress, social mores, education for women, and expectations about marriage and divorce. Along the way, her grandmother (Danielle Darrieux) and mother (Catherine Deneuve) help keep Marji grounded during her rebellious teens and encourage her to find life beyond Iran's borders, a decision that proves both a blessing and curse. An unique window onto a crucial chapter of 20th century history, Persepolis is graphically engaging with its black-and-white, bold lines and feeling of repressed energy, fit to burst. The emotional content is so strong that after awhile, one almost forgets the film is a cartoon. Satrapi co-wrote the screenplay and co-directed the film along with animator Vincent Paronnaud. --Tom Keogh
Stills from Persepolis (click for larger image)
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