MovieChat Forums > Saint Laurent (2014) Discussion > Showed the story, didn't tell the story

Showed the story, didn't tell the story

posted 9 years ago by taylor7147
5 replies | jump to latest

The movie assumes you already know the cast of characters and their background stories including when they are off screen at times. It doesn't tell the significance of who these people were or why they had influence on YSL. It doesn't even explain the reason for his death, it just shows him laying out and assumes that you know that he has passed.

The movie seems to rely on letters YSL wrote to his lover as to learning who he was as a person. For some that may not be enough.

If you already know who these people are, you might love the movie.

Otherwise the movie itself is great to look at.

[–] fortunate1 9 years ago

I had to shop around for thread to post to, and this one -as entitled- expresses my own thoughts most exactly.

You'd be hard pressed to find another film playing today, or a biopic in any case, that is worse than this one. It's a terrible waste of time in every way: vacuous script, lazy editing, poor acting, irrelevant soundtrack. Even if 50 minutes were (logically) shaved off of its current running time, any random viewer would still be more fulfilled watching a hagiography of Kim Jong-un than this disaster.

(One commenter elsewhere on these boards wrote that if you didn't like this movie, you didn't truly appreciate French film; that delusion is -like all delusions- misleading. But if time, money and aesthetic sense are nothing to you then by all means go watch it.)

[–] eolloe 8 years ago

I don't think it was really intended to tell a story in the traditional chronological narrative form. It seemed much more impressionistic--more in the direction of a Terrence Malick Tree of Life sort of approach, using snippets of scenes from Saint Laurent's life and memories to evoke an idea of his times and his persona, rather than to tell a story of his life.

I think most people who approach this film expecting a traditional biopic story will be disappointed.

[–] Keely 8 years ago

i agree with taylor & eolloe -- I didn't know all that much about St Laurent's life but I got a lot in an impressionistic way from watching this movie. Very slow at times but overall I feel it gave an incredible sense of the times and his existence. Kind of fascinating in its own way. Certainly not the standard biopic but there is definitely something to be gained if you watch with an open mind. I respect this movie & what it was trying to do.

Also a beautiful soundtrack. And Helmut Berger - amazing.

[–] emo_ville2002 8 years ago

Unfortunately, this film was not for a viewer who knows little about YSL. If someone approached this movie from the perspective of knowing nothing or little about the man, they'd be greatly disappointed. It certainly did not paint such a great portrait of this extremely talented person.

I immediately recognized Yves close female friends, Betty C and Loulou, as I did Mr. Berge. The casual observer would have no idea who Betty and Loulou were.

The film didn't explain what inspired YSL to create his fashions, what his influences were, his relationship with his mother etc.

Many of his fans would be disappointed to see Yves depicted as drug addled sex addict, who was constantly moping around over some sleazy superficial party animal male gigolo/prostitute.

This film depicted YSL as a very talented man whose career almost took a back seat to his hedonistic lifestyle. In the end, that lifestyle destroyed his physical as well as mental health and, basically, his life.

Because of Yves talent and wealth, he was surrounded by people who coddled him, gave in to his every whim....mostly, for their own profit, to keep him working....these people would keep their jobs etc.

A lesson could be learned from this film....too much time and money on ones hands doesn't always make for a happy existence. Yves seemed miserable. Also, be careful of the types of people you surround yourself with.

Sure, Mr. Berge cared for Yves, but it was also clear he knew the enormous amount of money Yves designs could generate, it was in Berge's best interest to keep Yves functioning and producing his fashions.

[–] thepansybastard 8 years ago

If you were interested enough to see a biopic of someone, wouldn't you at least have a BIT of knowledge going into it, why else would you want to see it? I didn't have a commanding knowledge of YSL but I knew who the famous people he had in his circle.

I happened upon the movie by chance on Starz and I was immediately sucked in - it was late at night but I couldn't stop watching, I was so enthralled. Yes, at times it moves slowly but there is a reason for it, I think. I don't like heavy drug use scenes - a personal quirk in that it almost sickens me, but I didn't really get that reaction in this movie. It was a moving film that I have since watched again and picked up more things I had missed.

I didn't know he was such a tortured soul because of his genius, and because everyone who could, did, shield and indulge his whims.

Probably one of my favorite parts was the Russian collection, I think 1976, (where he wanted ALL of his sketches made) - from watching him sketching to the making of the clothes to the runway show - it was beautifully done. And all the while, he's hanging on a thread in the midst of all of that success.