The Duellists
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Movie Reviews of The Duellists
Movie Review: RECREATES A TIME AND PLACE IN HISTORY
Summary: 5 Stars
Students of film history will want to check out this first effort by Ridley Scott (ALIEN, GLADIATOR). Mr. Scott's bent toward lush and fascinating sets is apparent early on in his directing career as THE DUELISTS is as much about the filming, costumes, props, scenery, lighting and staging as about character or plot. For students of the Napoleonic age, you need go no further than to see that world recreated for you before your eyes. Everything seems amazingly authentic from the cavalry uniforms, to the men's mustaches and girls hair-dos to horse-drawn carts and interior furnishings. The lucky viewer is immersed in a world of another time and place for two hours. Such is Scott's genius. A comparable visual feast would be THE GIRL WITH THE PEARL EARRING. But THE DUELISTS is not just a pretty picture. As with other Ridley Scott films, there is plenty of action. Harvey Keitel plays a touchy smaller man who takes offense at almost anything and demands satisfaction -- at sunrise with swords. Keith Carradine happens to trigger the enmity of the character played by Mr. Keitel and the two engage in duel after duel throughout Bonapart's reign. There may be some kind of analogy to the wider war in Europe at that time but I'll leave that to film critics to figure out. I just enjoyed a beautiful film with lots of action that recreates a time and place in history very well. Keitel and Carradine give excellent performances. Look for cameos by Edward Fox and Albert Finney. A must see.Movie Review: Barry Lyndon's worthy heir.
Summary: 5 Stars
Ridley Scott's first film is lush and wonderful. If Stanley Kubrick had not released his Barry Lyndon, this film would be the consummate representative of the era on film. Nevertheless, it is a worthy #2.
Especially surprising, but welcome, is the spare exposition. The tale unwinds almost organically. We understand fully the complex relationship of the two protagonists far more by show than telling.
Then the film "just happens" to develop its way into Russia. In the winter. During the Napoleonic campaign! And rather than bog the plot down with any political reference to the iconic age they are in, the characters carry on their strange, lifelong feud.
Harvey Keitel is intense. A mere stare from his honor-plagued face are enough to put a punch in the viewer's gut and wonder how the next phase of the conflict will play out. Keith Carradine has probably never been finer. His almost comical, tired, fated acceptance of what has become a manacle to his life is terrific. Always great to see Albert Finney and Edward Fox in supporting roles, both strong, and both so immersed in character that both could escape the notice of anyone without a program guide.
The tame--but luscious--post-lovemaking scenes between Carradine's D'Hubert and Laura (Diana Quick) are darn close to the quality of John Alcott's work on Barry Lyndon.
Movie Review: A gorgeous movie!
Summary: 5 Stars
If you haven't seen this little gem, one of Ridley Scott's first films, you are in for a treat. The movie had a narrow, art house release in the late seventies, so the odds are you haven't seen it. The movie is set in the Napoleonic wars, and the military costumes are absolutely magnificent. In a commentary with Kevin Reynolds, Scott states that the uniforms cost 19,000 pounds--that is about $30,000.00 in 1977 dollars!The story revolves around a series of duels between two French army officers, D'hubert (Carradine) and Feraud (Keitel). Feraud is the heavy of the piece, having started the duels for no reason whatsoever. But D'hubert's own warped sense of honor won't allow him to refuse the challenges.
Neither of the leads was Scott's first choice; the two actors he wanted were refused by the studio funding the project. If he wanted the money, he had to choose from a list of four actors the studio gave him. And he wanted the money. So literally every other actor in the film is better, and fits in the film better, than the two leads. Doesn't matter. This is a stunningly beautiful film. Every scene is so gorgeous it is like a painting. It is all about the scenery and the costumes. Every military history buff should own a copy of this DVD just for the costumes alone.
The DVD itself is gorgeous, with vivid colors, and it is crammed with extras including a director's commentary with Ridley Scott. Get it.
Movie Review: Point / Counterpoint
Summary: 5 Stars
The Duellists finally arrives on DVD. At long last Ridley Scott's first film is available to the public and it was well worth the wait. The skimpy $900k budget looks more like $60 million in the hands of Scott. Using only real locations and splurging on costumes, this Napoleonic epic looks as good as any other, if not better. This is an intimate story and not one of those sweeping, libertine war melodramas. The story and acting are good, but what really stands out about this picture is the jaw droping cinematography. Scott employed a special photochemical process to enhance the contrast of the film. This is most noticed in the velvety depths of the shadows, and darker tones. The end result is a film that, often, looks like a moving Rembrandt. The above average DVD transfer serves to preserve this. I may be crazy, but it seems to me that Scott may be trying to provide us with contrapuntal films to those of Kubrick. I think that, thematically and stylistically, the Duellists is simply a boiled down version of Barry Lyndon. I think that it could also be said that Alien was probably the reactionary product of 2001. Anyway, the DVD extras provide some interesting vantage into the making and history of this great film.Movie Review: Simply beautiful
Summary: 5 Stars
I have come to love this movie on a couple of levels. This is Ridley Scotts first feature film. His brilliance as a director shines thru like a super nova. This movie is visually stunning. The costumes, the settings and the way it is shot is like watching a living piece of art work. Secondly the story is just fascinating. It is basically when cut down to the core a story of obsession. The movie is about two cavalry officers who under chance circumstances end up dueling each other in fights to the death over their life time. The fact that it is done so well and the acting is so splendid just makes it compelling and you can't take your eyes off of it. The character development is fantastic. Harvey Kietel is a pure obsessed beast of a man and a true son of a bitch. Kieth Carradines character begins as just a victim of this brutish bully but ends up changing over time. The emotions that are displayed in this tapestry are mesmerizing. And for those of you who like action it is brutal, uncompromising and sometimes vicious and some what gory. But it is not overwhelming in its violence but uses its realism to show the true nature and consequences of battle physically, emotionally and mentally.
This is a GREAT movie.