Netflix: Valmont (1989)
Sep. 2nd, 2006 10:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
enteleinValmont
Unfortunately for this movie, Dangerous Liaisons was released a year previously, and so even though the production times would indicate that Valmont would be the first out of the gate, it wasn't to be.
So, you'll read a lot of critics decrying this as the lesser interpretation of the same source material, but I guess until I see the other one in its entirety, I'll just have to hold my judgement.
On its own, Valmont strives to be lovely and careful, which really works for the most part, as the plot can certainly be interpreted as a slow dance of manipulation and twisted-up passions. There are sections which are positively anemic, though, and I felt sort of bad for these actors who are so obviously capable of more, but seemed as though they were reigned in with satin ribbons and languid garden tea parties.
Annette Bening seemed to be having fun, and while I thought Colin Firth suffered from the anemic direction most of all, I still enjoyed watching him, and how he approaches each moment.
Unfortunately for this movie, Dangerous Liaisons was released a year previously, and so even though the production times would indicate that Valmont would be the first out of the gate, it wasn't to be.
So, you'll read a lot of critics decrying this as the lesser interpretation of the same source material, but I guess until I see the other one in its entirety, I'll just have to hold my judgement.
On its own, Valmont strives to be lovely and careful, which really works for the most part, as the plot can certainly be interpreted as a slow dance of manipulation and twisted-up passions. There are sections which are positively anemic, though, and I felt sort of bad for these actors who are so obviously capable of more, but seemed as though they were reigned in with satin ribbons and languid garden tea parties.
Annette Bening seemed to be having fun, and while I thought Colin Firth suffered from the anemic direction most of all, I still enjoyed watching him, and how he approaches each moment.
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Date: 2006-09-02 06:18 pm (UTC)I don't buy Colin Firth for a minute as Valmont; he's too stolid, not fey enough, not wicked enough--and the directing is only part of that. John Malkovich nailed that part.
Uma Thurman was enchanting as the nearly-ripe Cecile; Fairuza Balk is much too quirky and non-aristocratic-looking to fly in that part. Of course, who ever buys Keanu Reeves in a costume drama? Not me. But at least he looked handsome enough to catch the eye of a Marquise, unlike Henry Thomas who just looked youthful.
Annette Bening as the Marquise, yes, she was wicked and amoral enough for me. She gives good amoral. Glenn Close gives a more nuanced performance, though. Michelle Pfeiffer as de Tourvel, a good actress but her nose job kept jumping out at me; I never forgot she was Michelle Pfeiffer. Meg Tilly as de Tourvel, just no.