MovieChat Forums > Labyrinth (2014) Discussion > I really enjoyed this miniseries

I really enjoyed this miniseries

posted 10 years ago by privatepracticedoc
4 replies | jump to latest

I just watched Labyrinth today. I special ordered it from a seller in Germany through Amazon. The book, has always been one of my favorites and I have read it several times along with its sister books, Citadel and Seplecure, also written by Ms. Mossee.

I will admit, the story is an intellectual one. While there is some action, war and massacre, and some limited sex; it is primary a work of historical fiction told through the eyes of two women who live 800 years apart. I think I enjoyed the film more because after reading the book for the first time, I did lots of research on The Cathars, the Inquisition the killed them off, Carcassone and Baron Tranquevelle. This part of the story is real. The history of the Cathars and the genocide in Langodoc is very real. My only regret in that the film could not tell more about them.

Alice, Alais, Sange, Audric Bayard, and other main characters are fictional. They serve the story. Yes the books are a McGuffin and they also serve the story.

This miniseries is not for everyone. It is not an American film. It is not made for American audiences. It is more cerebral than most American films. It has not been released in Region 1 format. I bought it in Region 2 and can watch it on my computer.

Someone said that the ending was the same in the film is the same as in the book. It is not. The ending in the book is essentially the same. The book ending is more elaborate and there is a grail ceremony. I will not spoil it for those who have not seen the film or read the book. I will just say it may have been too expensive for the production company to film.

If you enjoy historical fiction, time leaps, and long 1000+ pages historical fiction books, and good acting you will enjoy this film. You just have to do some work to get it. I thought it was worth it. You have to decide that for yourself.

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Ignorance is the enemy of civilization

[–] sun_scryer 10 years ago

Then perhaps you can answer this:

If the point of being a Cathar is seeking reincarnation,
and the Grail (three books) hold the secret to staving off reincarnation,
then Catharism is the exact opposite of the Grail,
why not destroy the secret instead of holding onto it?

[–] junenj 10 years ago

If the point of being a Cathar is seeking reincarnation

Well, according to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharism

... reincarnation was NOT a good thing, from the Cathar perspective.

Apparently, they believed that "the good God was the God of the New Testament and the creator of the spiritual realm, as opposed to the bad God, whom many Cathars identified as Satan, creator of the physical world of the Old Testament. All visible matter, including the human body, was created by Satan; it was therefore tainted with sin" and "human spirits were the genderless spirits of Angels trapped within the physical creation of Satan, cursed to be reincarnated until the Cathar faithful achieved salvation through a ritual called the Consolamentum."

"The Cathars taught that to regain angelic status, one had to renounce the material self completely.
Until one was prepared to do so, he/she would be stuck in a cycle of reincarnation, condemned
to live on the corrupt Earth".

Honestly, from what I've read, Catharism was just as loony - and creepy, and judgmental - as most
of the other 'religions' around at the time.

But the point being that, for the Cathars, reincarnation was NOT something they sought, but rather
something that they ultimately strove to end, so that they could return to being their angelic selves.

[–] sun_scryer 10 years ago

Thank you for answering so deeply, JuneNJ.

[–] junenj 10 years ago

You're welcome.