MovieChat Forums > Coeurs (2006) Discussion > Just saw it - SPOILER ALERT

Just saw it - SPOILER ALERT

posted 18 years ago by neil57
18 replies | jump to latest

I just got home from the screening at the NY Film Festival. Unfortunately, Resnais was not physically strong enough to handle the stress of the trip to New York, so he was not in attendance. Mark Snow who wrote the score and the ever charming Lambert Wilson introduced the film to the audience.

I enjoyed the film very much. It was definitely not classic Resnais like "Mon Oncle d'Amerique", "Hiroshima" or "Marienbad", but it was definitely as strong as "Same Old Song" or "Not on the Lips".

It's nteresting that Laura Morente won the Best Actress prize at Venice since Sabine Azema has the more more flamboyant (and larger) part. All of the cast was great, but I particularly liked Isabelle Carre and Pierre Arditi.

My one criticism is that I never bought Isabelle Carre and Pierre Dussolier as brother and sister. With a 25 year age differnce (and Carre looks even younger than 35 in the film), they came across more like father and daughter.

SPOILER ALERT -
At first I was was taken aback by the sad tone of the ending, but it really does make sense considering the theme of the near impossibility of finding and then sustaining love.

Hopefully one of the more adventurous distributors (maybe Rialto?) takes a chance and picks up the US distribution rights.

[–] stelres 18 years ago

Thanks so much for your post re COEURS! Lucky you, to have seen it and Lambert Wilson in person! I'll definitely second the need for better distribution of foreign films in the US!

With limited French language skills I've managed to slog through numerous Zone 2 dvds sans subtitles and was wondering if, during this festival showing, COEURS was subtitled, dubbed or just shown in French?

[–] radio14 18 years ago

The film was in French with English subtitles at the NYFF.

[–] stelres 18 years ago

Thanks for the info. Hopefully once this film makes its long and winding way through festivals, theatres and eventually to a Zone 2 dvd it will still have the subtitles!

[–] neil57 18 years ago

You may already know this, but sometimes you can find French films with English subtitles on the UK websites and even the French or German releases. Of course this means you have to stumble through those langugages, but I generally find that I can make enough sense out of them even with my limited non-English language skills.

Strand Releasing picked up another French films from the festival, "Poison Friends", so let's hope that the same happens for "Couers" which will revert to the original play title, "Private Fears in Public Places" (the name it had on the print at NYFF).

[–] stelres 18 years ago

This whole distribution thing is so confounding especially when a movie like DEDALUS has no subtitles but THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED was quickly released not only with subtitles but with Zone 1 coding. (Watching DEDALUS with limited French language skills may have made it more intriguing!) JOYEUX NOEL actually made it to an art house in Texas, but LE PETIT LIEUTENANT is still Zone 2 sans subtitles. Ah, well.... I keep hoping!

[–] neil57 17 years ago

Since "Le Petit Lieutenant" did get released (at least here in NYC), I think there is a good chance that it will eventually see a Region 1 DVD release. Still no sign of "Coeurs" coming here in theaters yet, although it still has to be released in Paris first. It is supposed to be released there next week. Then maybe they will strike a deal for the US.

[–] stelres 17 years ago

Those of us in "fly-over country" keep hoping for wider distribution, but, maybe a better plan is to just save up the airfare and make reservations for NYC's Festival of French Films... isn't that in February? Too bad they don't tour film festivals like ballet companies or musicals!

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] stelres 17 years ago

I'm so proud for you, Odds, and incredibly jealous! You deserve to be Entertainment Weekly's Fan of the Week! Email them with your story...now! Maybe it will prompt them to give COEURS some coverage.

Surely there's a city in middle-America willing to host a French film festival or an International one for that matter. Some place it doesn't take a mint to fly to, that has an EcoLodge and a decent selection of cheap food. We need to start a movement! French Film for One and All!!! Or something like that...

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] stelres 17 years ago

Just noticed on Allocine that COEURS has eight nominations for the 2007 Cesar awards including best director, adaptation, music, sound, photography, costumes, decor, and editing. Hopefully, a few wins here will increase the chances of a Z1 dvd release or, at least, put subtitles on the Z2.

Still think you should have a run at the EW Fan of the Week. They need to develop a whole page on the pick of International films being released each week. Right!!!

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] shine-2 17 years ago

When it comes do dvdreleases it it is worth noticing that Resnais greatest masterpeiece Muriel will be released in the US on 13:th of March. If only his other masterpiece Providence would be released in its proper form as well. There is a spanish edition but it's dubbed.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] sr_wolfrider 17 years ago

[That's so insane that Resnais's only English-language film, is only available in Spanish-dubbed DVD!]

Ha that's hilarious. His films from the 80s onwards are truly treated with disrespect by distributors. I wish there were some kind of cohesive boxset available, I've had to search virtually everywhere to piece together his filmography.

Last film seen: Robert Bresson's Pickpocket - Brilliant!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053168/

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] sr_wolfrider 17 years ago

Indeed it's Bresson's best! I'm not surprised 30 percent of the audience walked out. It's simply too good! Preconceptions are not met and some people leave confused and angry.

Last film seen: Robert Bresson's Pickpocket - Brilliant!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053168/

[–] 17 years ago

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