Game of Thrones and Religion

LA REINE MARGOT

Patrice Chéreau, 1994

"France is torn apart by the Wars of Religion. Catholics and Protestants have been fighting for years... To quench the hatred, Catherine sets up an alliance for peace: she marries her daughter Margot to Henri of Navarre, her Protestant cousin... Margot's wedding, a symbol of peace and reconciliation, will be used to set off the greatest massacre in the history of France."

Those are excerpts from La Reine Margot's prologue. The Catherine they're talking about is not Catherine Zeta-Jones. Not Catherine Deneuve. Not even Catherine the Great. It's Catherine de' Medici, the Adolf Hitler of 16th century. (Catherine was to Protestants as Hitler was to Jews.) Since the king in throne was reportedly a Mama's boy, Valois matriarch Catherine was practically the king and queen of France for quite a long time.

Millennials probably know Catherine from Reign, a CW series about Mary's life. The romanticized show portrays Catherine as a domineering yet sympathetic mommy with quite a good sense of humor — a glaring contradiction to the Catherine portrayed in La Reine Margot, which was marketed as Queen Margot in English-speaking countries.

My All-Time Favorite Female Performances

When I was younger, one of my wildest dreams is to become an actress. That's right. And that dream wouldn't be if there weren't no inspiration. Most of the performances that inspired me are by women; I think it's because I can connect more with women than with men. So here they are, the female performances that made me want to be on screen, inhabiting a character and reciting my lines.

Isabelle Huppert, LA PIANISTE

The Most Handsome Actresses I've Ever Seen

Just because "handsomest actresses" sounds awkward. So yeah. Here they are, the women who (in my opinion) seduced the camera with their effortless charm and beauty.

(In alphabetical order.)


Isabelle Adjani

Isabelle in The Story of Adele H.

Women in Turmoil

They say that behind every man's success is a woman. And my favorite Beatle, John Lennon, once sang: "And woman I will try to express. My inner feelings and thankfulness. For showing me the meaning of success..."

Whether she's a mother, a sister, a wife, a lover, or a friend, a woman is truly an inspiration to a man. But what will happen if a man's inspiration suddenly finds herself battling her inner demon? Will the man still love her? (Just wondering.)

There are many depictions of women in turmoil; but few I found really outstanding. Here they are:



Ingrid Thulin, Cries and Whispers

Was Zulawski possessed by Bergman?

It's quite possible that some of Ingmar Bergman's visceral yet outstanding works inspired Andrzej Zulawski's nerve-racking but impressive 1981 film, Possession. Here are my reasons why.

1. The monologue of two Annas. Zulawski's Anna talks about faith and chance, cancer, madness, and her dissolving love for her husband. Bergman's Anna discusses the man in her life, her relationship with that man, and a ghastly accident. They may not talk about the exact same thing but their monologues are somehow identical. These women invite us to look into their soul. Both also look at the camera as if they're talking to the audience.

Bergman film: The Passion of Anna (1969)

Left: Isabelle Adjani in Possession.

Right: Liv Ullmann in The Passion of Anna.

Isabelle at 18

LA GIFLE
Claude Pinoteau, 1974

Before La boum — Sophie Marceau's breakthrough film — there was La gifle. The film is a coming-of-age dramedy featuring an 18 year-old Isabelle Adjani in her first major role. It also features Nathalie Baye in a supporting role.

A Trio, Not a Quartet

QUARTET
James Ivory, 1981

Merchant Ivory's Quartet is set in 1920s Paris. The film stars Isabelle Adjani as Marya, a hapless young woman adrift with her husband, Stephan (played by Anthony Higgins). She finds herself financially dry after Stephan is sent to jail for theft. Alan Bates and Maggie Smith are H.J. and Lois Heidler, an unorthodox British couple who helps Marya by letting her live in their humble abode. Of course their help is not unconditional.

Most Beautiful Actresses of All Time... so far (2010 Revised Edition)

"There are no ugly people, only strange beauties."

- Anonymous

Beauty is omnipresent and perpetual. It is everywhere if you just open your eyes to it. Beauty is for everyone. All of us can be beautiful in our own distinctive ways. That's why I believe that there's no such thing as ugly people. What makes a person so different to label another person "ugly?"

Beauty is also present in cinema. Beauty is indeed ubiquitous. There are many beautiful film actresses out there. IMHO, here are some of the actresses whose beauty is just... captivating.

(In alphabetical order.)



1. Isabelle Adjani




Born: Isabelle Yasmine Adjani
Birthdate: June 27, 1955 in Paris, France

My Second Attempt in Analyzing POSSESSION

POSSESSION
Andrzej Zulawski, 1981

Author's note: After reading Soiled Sinema's brilliant analysis of Possession, I decided to examine review Zulawki's film for the second time. (Here's my first attempt.)

Author's note 2.0: Sorry for the strikethroughs, but my opinion towards this film changes as time goes by.

A Beautifully Sculpted Film

CAMILLE CLAUDEL
Bruno Nuytten, 1988

Camille Claudel is about the life of French sculptor Camille Claudel (Isabelle Adjani); her art, her obsessive love for fellow sculptor Auguste Rodin (Gerard Depardieu), and her tragic ending.

Starring Isabelle Adjani

Today is the 55th birthday of one of France's national treasures, Isabelle Adjani. She's the youngest Oscar® Best Actress nominee (for The Story of Adele H.), until Keisha Castle-Hughes broke that record in 2003.

It's great to see that she's making movies again after taking a long break in the mid-90s. As a birthday tribute to one of the finest actresses alive, allow me to present to you my top five performances by the Adjani.

1. Possession (1981)

Silent But Powerful

THE BRONTË SISTERS
André Téchiné, 1979

The film tells the story of the Brontë sisters and their brother Branwell (Pascal Greggory). Les sœurs Brontë may bore some audiences because it's mostly quiet, but the film's silence is its power. Although the characters rarely speak throughout the movie, when they speak, their words are heartfelt and poetic (just like the lines from the Brontë sisters' novels). The actors' facial expressions and the film's landscapes are impressive.

Guns Don't Kill People, People Kill People

Tagline: "An underground story where lives intertwine"

SUBWAY
Luc Besson, 1985

A year before he became the Highlander, Christopher Lambert starred in Luc Besson's second feature film, Subway.