Marie Antoinette DVD Review

"Marie Antoinette" reviews

DVD

Marie Antoinette

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2007-02-23 16:01:23

Provider

MRIB

DVD Review

Sofia Coppola is clearly not one to be pigeonholed. The director followed the tragic story of The Virgin Suicides with the palpable loneliness of two Americans in Japan with the acclaimed Lost In Translation.

Now she tackles the historic figure who famously said of the impoverished French people "Let them eat cake." But Marie Antoinette was also a private woman who was forced into marriage by her brutish mother and who would lose a new-born baby just as her kingdom came crashing to the floor.

The film begins as Marie Antoinette (Kirsten Dunst) is being married off to Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman), who will take over from his grandfather, King Louis XV (Rip Torn), when he passes on. Prior to the latter's death, Coppola depicts Marie Antoinette as a kind of precursor to Paris Hilton, what with the pouting, the pet pooch and seemingly endless wardrobe. It's only in the film's last quarter that Coppola delves deeper into MA's psyche, when the poverty-stricken French people force her and Louis out of their palace, obliging Marie to look at herself anew.

Historical accuracy was clearly not the objective here but, utlising a great soundtrack, Coppola has managed to create another enticing, atmospheric film with plenty of colour.

Copyright © MRIB 2007.