I just saw the movie tonight, I rented it, and now I’ve just got to make a thread about it. Defintely “frightfully romantic.” I figure this is my first Cafe Society thread so it might as well be about something good. Spoilers probably to follow.
Strangest thing I’ve seen, in at least awhile. But really beautiful, in a disturbing way. And so intense, you really get into the whole thing. It’s one of those movies where even though you may know how it ends, the final scene is still so jarring. That last line where there’s the captions talking about what happens to them at the end is creepy, where it says one of the conditions of release was that the girls were never to see each other again. It just felt so eerie, the way it ended like that.
I also loved how it went from a “normal,” innocent type relationship to a more sinister one. Like when you see them first at school, and then more and more alone. The fantasy/imagination scenes interwoven were done quite well too.
Was it just me, or did anyone else see someone standing in Pauline’s closet (as in a goof), when she and John/Nicholas are in bed for the first time? I’m pretty sure that I did.
One thing I found particularly compelling about this movie ( which I enjoyed quite a bit ), was how the characters gradually shifted roles. I forget the names of the characters ( I last saw the movie when it first hit the video shelves ), but the blond started out as the prettier, outspoken, dominant half of the pair. By mid-way thrugh the film they’d become “co-dominant” friends. But as the film wore on, especially after the blond’s illness and convalescense, it is the dark-haired girl who takes the lead role, while the blond becomes much more submissive and pliant. All without destroying the friendship ( though it does become increasingly co-dependant ). It still fascinates me, thinking back on it. Truly a couple of wonderful performances. And, IMHO, probably Kate Winslet’s best role to date ( I haven’t been crazy about most f her other projects ).
I was impressed Kate Winslet. As a debut role, I think she did very well.
I love two scenes in particular - one where the two girls are on a bench and Pauline shows off her scar.
The other is where they’re running through the woods and taking off their clothes while singing along to Mario Lanza. It captures the euphoria of their love very well.
The movie didn’t disturb me as much as when I found out that it was based in part on the life of writer Anne Perry.
I really enjoyed this film, probably because I was such a fan of the director’s earlier work. “Dead Alive” was the first film of his I saw: Quite possibly the funniest (and bloodiest) zombie movie ever, very much in line with the “Evil Dead” films. I went back and saw an earlier film of his, “Meet the Feebles”, a satire of the Muppets, where every single charecter is involved in some seriously messed up stuff: one has AIDS, one is shooting low budget porno, etc. Totally twisted.
Then I saw this film of his. Really quite impressed me, given his background. Peter Jackson, I just learned, is directing the Lord of the Rings movie that is coming out: should be interesting to see what he adds to the film.
Yeah I also noticed how they switched roles. I’d assumed before I saw the whole thing that Juliet might be more into the murder, since it really wasn’t her own mother, but in that scene where they’re putting the brick in the stocking, Juliet is nervously rationalizing the death. I agree, the very last scene is so scary, especially when you compare it with that first part. And it just seemed so sad, especially since their friendship seemed so innocent, and also so beautiful, in the beginning. Like with the Fourth World and all.
I really hated Juliet’s parents. Her mother wasn’t always so bad, but them just taking off for England when she had tuberculosis. And separating them. I mean, the girls shouldn’t have done what they did, but the parents weren’t as sympathetic as they could have been, IMHO.
Does anyone know what happened to Pauline afterwards? I know about Juliet becoming the writer Anne Perry, but not about Pauline.
“Meet the Feebles” sounds uber disturbing. Knowing me, I’d have horrible episodes every time I saw a vague reference to the muppets, after seeing it. <Shudder>
It was directed by Peter Jackson, who directed all three upcoming Lord of the Rings movies. I recommend people who are wondering what those movies will be like to see this(and Frightners, which he sorta directed. Zemekis co-directed but was un-credited for that one).
Yeah, they mentioned Pauline being a riding teacher on that site. It said she was somewhat callous towards putting down ponies…sometimes doing the job herself. Kind of creepy.
Are you sure? I read an interview once where Zemeckis said he left PJ to his own devices, just as Spielberg did to Zemeckis when he first started making bigger movies (e.g. BTTF).
I figure this is my first Cafe Society thread so it might as well be about something good. Spoilers probably to follow.
