Its Love Im After

Posted In: I Am Love

Sam Sobrowski says...

I'd never even heard of this one until it came out on DVD-R courtesy the Warner Archives. I gave it a try and I was delighted. I've seen every pair of the three main stars here together in different films before (Bette Davis, Leslie Howard, Olivia De Haviland), but never all three at the same time. The pairings I am speaking of were all in serious films, and it is great to see these three try out their comic chops and try them out together. Leslie Howard and Bette Davis hardly ever got a chance at this type of role, and Olivia De Haviland did so on several occasions, but so few people remember those performances.



The film concerns a pair of Shakespearean actors. Basil Underwood (Leslie Howard) and Joyce Arden (Bette Davis). They are involved on and offstage, and are constantly fighting and making up. One night Marcia West (Olivia De Haviland) sees a performance of Romeo and Juliet and falls instantly in love with Basil, she even goes backstage and tells him so. This has Marcia's boyfriend in a panic and he asks Basil to come to the West estate and behave so badly as to end Marcia's feelings for him. Basil, just recently making a resolution to not be so selfish, decides to do this as a good deed. However, Joyce follows Basil to the estate, and Marcia does not react as planned to Basil's actions. For that matter, Basil doesn't act as Basil planned. Also a delight is Eric Blore as Basil's valet. He steals every scene.



The audio and video were very good on this one. I didn't see any of the skips or freezing that DVD-R's are notorious for having, but then it could just be that I had a good copy. Highly recommended.

Posted on November 21, 2011

Julieann Friedrichsen says...

The first time I put on my newly arrived DVD, I was a bit exhausted and perhaps had one too many Martinis.When it was over I stumbled into bed.A few nites later I watched again, and it wasn't until then that I realized I had nodded off more than I realized during the first viewing.What a nice surprise!It was like watching a 5 star movie I hadn't seen before!Yes, indeed, I it enjoyed so much the second time around, not so tired, and relatively alert.I know it isn't perfect, but to take me into the theatre on the premier of Le Sacre alone was worth the price of "admission".Even that wasn't perfect but I was in my glory.After 50 years of loving Stravinsky and a Johnny-come-lately to fashion via Project Rumway, this movie was so entertaining for me.I hope you find it that way too.

Posted on November 22, 2011

Keila Kriener says...

COCO CHANEL & IGOR STRAVINSKY is a sumptuously beautiful film to watch - all artsy art nouveau decor, almost devoid of conversation, with captiating portrayals of two of the 20th century's most creative talents - Coco and Igor - played with distant but memorable acting by Anna Mouglalis and Mads Mikkelsen.And there is enough of the core star (Stravinsky's 'Le sacre du printemps') of the 'biography' to make it musically stable.But the problem with this otherwise tasty peak into the lives of Coco and Igor is the lack of accuracy of fact.Perhaps that is what writers Chris Greenhalgh, Carlo De Boutiny, writer/director Jan Kounen had in mind: drop a few elements of fact, mix those with a huge dollop of imaginationand create a moment of lust and frustration that usually accompanies the public and private lives of stars. Perhaps in their eyes, fiction is stranger than fact.



What we do know is that prior to the May 29, 1913, at the Th

Posted on November 23, 2011

Thad Jeannotte says...

Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel, the French fashion designer who was a pioneer of fashion during the 20th Century and the founder of one of the world's most noticeable brands....Chanel.



Igor Stravinsky, the Russian composer, pianist and conductor who is known as being one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th Century.



What do these two have in common aside being influential and important to their respective careers and industry?The two also were romantically linked together, albeit having an affair with each other.



And thus, the affair is documented in the biopic "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky", a film written and based on the novel "Coco & Igor" by Chris Greenhalgh and directed by Jan Kounen ("Renegade", "Doberman", "Darshan: The Embrace") and will be released on Blu-ray courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.



Earlier this year, we had the chance to see another Coco Chanel biopic "Coco avant Chanel" from Sony Pictures Classics starring Audrey Tautou as Gabrielle, in her earlier years as she and her sister tried to survive from poverty by taking whicheverjob they can and we saw how Gabrielle became a fashion designer and found love in Arthur "Boy" Capel, a man that she had loved but a love that would end in tragedy and would streamline Chanel's focus into her fashion line and make her one of the most powerful women in France.



"Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" establishes the timeline of when Coco Chanel first met the composer Igor Stravinsky and how the two became close.





VIDEO:



"Coco Chanel& Igor Stravinsky" is presented in 1080p High Definition (2:35:1 aspect ratio). The film looks absolutely magnificent.Cinematographer David Ungaro did a fantastic job with the camera work in capturing the lifestyle and decor of Coco Chanel's home (indoors and outdoors) and store.



The shots of "The Rite of Spring" was well-choreographed and featured remarkably well on film.Also, the clothing of Coco Chanel and the overall lighting that accentuates the shadows on both Coco and Igor's body, there was a lot of creativity and planning in getting these shots and it shows.



Skin tones are natural, there is a fine layer of grain and blacks are nice and deep.Picture quality for "Coco Chanel& Igor Stravinsky" is awesome.



AUDIO & SUBTITLES:



"Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" is presented in French 5.1 DTS-HD MA.Audio is crisp and clear.Dialogue is clear, to the touch of the piano keys, the music, the horse galloping and even the love making scenes, these come through crystal clear through the front channels and surround channels.



The scene that will catch people's attention is the first 20-minutes of the film when we watch the riot at "The Rite of Spring".Not only is the music wonderful but you get a good amount of crowd ambiance as well.



Subtitles are presented in English, French and English SDH.



SPECIAL FEATURES:



"Chanel Coco & Igor Stravinsky" comes with the following special features (in standard definition, French stereo and with English subtitles):



* The Making of Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky - (20:20) Presented in standard definition.We get to see how the talent were behind-the-scenes.The thoughts that went behind the certain scenes and talents talking about their experience and more.

* Theatrical Trailer - (2:02) The original theatrical trailer for "Coco Chanel& Igor Stravinsky" presented in HD.



JUDGMENT CALL:



"Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" is an interesting and visually appealing film.It's a film where dialogue is not so much the importance, but how two powerful individuals, with a similar, cold style are able to find an attraction to each other.But at the same time, how both are amoral as they do what they feel is right, even if it make people who are dear to them, suffer.



And this is where I have a difficult time with the film and trying to find out what is fact and what is fiction.Did these two really care for each other?Was it a one-sided love?I've read about Stravinsky's relationship with his wife, about him being a philanderer and how he found love with Vera de Bosset.But there is not many details on his relationship with Coco Chanel, mainly that the two had a sexual affair when he (along with his family) were living with Coco Chanel.



It is well-documented that Coco Chanel was an independent woman, we know that she was a different person after the death of her beloved "Boy", but I often wonder if "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" paints Coco as this desirable woman that men just want, but she is not the type to give back emotionally.In some ways, she is portrayed as a cold-hearted vamp that can care less of what she is doing.She is completely amoral of her sexual liasons and affairs, even during a scene when confronted by the wife of Stravinsky.But was Coco Chanel, this bad?Was she this cold?Did both of these individuals really care for each other up to their elder years?



These thoughts ran through my head as my experience watching "Coco avant chanel" (Coco Before Chanel) was much more positive as we see Coco in various emotions but in this film, Coco had an air about her that was very cold and times, uncaring.She did what she wants, she said what she wants and I suppose the death of Arthur "Boy" Capel changed her forever.



But despite of Coco's demeanor in the film, whether is accurate or not, I will say that "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" was entertaining.The first 20-minutes is dedicated to "The Rite of Spring" and I believe this may be the first film that tried to recreate the famous classical riot on film.It was an exciting musical piece and very enjoyable to watch and something you just will not find in American cinema (as the first 15 minutes, many filmmakers try to establish the story), for this film, the actual story starts after those 30-minutes or more later when Stravinsky and his family move to Coco's home.



And this is where the film becomes visually driven.The placement of the characters, the lighting that accentuates the bodies of Coco and Igor and you can tell that the film really focused on camera placement and showcasing the affection both Coco and Igor had for each other. Meanwhile, each time the film switched over to Katerina, we are greeted with a sickly woman who knows her husband has been with another woman. The cinematography was fantastic but the storyline was average.One should know who Chanel and Stravinksy were before watching this film, one should read up on these individuals.Otherwise the film makes you think that these two people, who may be successful in their own respective fields, both are flawed, amoral, self-indulgent individuals.



I am not sure if the film is cinema hyperbole but I have a hard time believing how this sexual affair ended in the war of words between both Chanel and Stravinsky.And for me, after watching "Coco avant Chanel", I had a hard time believing that "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" is more pleading a case of verisimilitude.



So, there are things about the film that I did enjoy.David Ungaro's artistic cinematography, the remaking of "The Rite of Spring" and the events that took place on that day in 1913, I felt the set design and costume design were wonderful and I also felt that Anna Mouglalis, Mads Mikkelsen and Yelena Morozova have done a wonderful job but the overall plot seems a bit trite.Also, it's important to note that after the credits are over, there is another scene in the film that should not be missed but perhaps their should have been some mention in the film to those not familiar with Coco Chanel of how much "Boy" meant to her and why she would never ever have any major connection (let alone be married) to another man in the same manner.It would of helped with the overall storyline and helped people understand that final scene at the end of the credits.



As for the Blu-ray release, picture and audio quality are very good, the special features are a little lacking in this Blu-ray release but you do get the 20+ minute making-of featurette.



Overall, "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" is a visually appealing film but whether or not this biopic is indeed factual, I don't know.While some parts of the film are beautiful and entertaining, I felt the film lacked any major stage of fulfillment.It just kept going and going until its done.The film is not great but nor is it bad, for the most part, its an average film at best.

Posted on November 24, 2011

Alfonso Titzer says...

I happened to turn the tv on one day and this movie came on. As I am a huge Bette Davis fanatic, I started watching this movie I had never even heard of before. I laughed so hard throughout the entire movie! I cannot believe this has not gotten more publicity than it has. I waited a long time for it to come out on DVD. When it finally came out, I immediately bought it. I would recommend it to everyone who loves old movies and wants an entertaining one to boot. Great, great movie!!!!!

Posted on November 24, 2011

Verdie Pulaski says...

I feel this was a glorified love story that made a mother and her children suffer because of it.It did want me to seek out the truth and find out the actual occurances, The dresses, housing etc were very interesting,

Posted on November 27, 2011

Susy Boudin says...

I watched this movie twice at a large theater with an excellent sound system. I enjoyed the first half hour, which presents a reasonably accurate recreation of the premiere of Stravinsky's ballet THE RITE OF SPRING. Everything seemed accurate, and even the actor who played the conductor Pierre Monteux looked as he might have.After this exciting, even raucous, beginning, however, this movie settled down to a much quieter level which it stayed on for the rest of the picture.

If you're interested in either THE RITE or in Stravinsky, this movie is of limited attraction. If you're interested in Coco Chanel, I'm not sure you'll be fully satisfied, either. The cover of this DVD pictures her as the dominant side of this affair (we don't even see Igor's face here), but the movie is evenly balanced between both, perhaps even giving us more of Stravinsky than Coco. Even though the cinematography, design, writing, acting, and directing is rather stylish, I felt something was missing. That element is passion. This is a curiously chilly biography of what is supposed to be a mad fling.Coco is presented as an ice queen, even though she's a generous patroness of the arts, bankrolling the revival of THE RITE with new choreography by Massine in 1920. Her love sessions with the great composer were done with the same detachment as one might watch an iceberg break off of Antarctica. The old ladies in my audience behaved as if these scenes were part of a documentary about penguins.

One other point I'd like to mention is that the final scenes in the film seem to suggest that Stravinsky ended his life as a lonely old man living in an apartment in some American city, apparently pining for Coco, which is nonsense. His first wife, Catherine Nossenko, lived until 1939, almost twenty years after the Coco episode, and Stravinsky remarried in 1940 to Vera de Bosset, whom he had met in 1921, when they were both married. In addition, Stravinsky's busy life was filled with friends and colleagues such as George Balanchine and Robert Craft. The implication that Coco was a major influence on Igor is probably not true. I doubt he gave her much thought after 1921 or so. He was just too busy.

Posted on November 27, 2011

Randal Hornberger says...

i bought the movie "coco & igor" along with "coco before chanel" as the reviews were quite good.but....this has to be one of the

worst movies i have ever seen!i did enjoy 'coco before chanel'

and audrey tautou did a wonderful job as coco chanel.however,

"coco & igor" was not even close....the casting of coco chanel

was way off.the actress anna mouglais, that played coco, was

just too tall for the part and did not at all come across as

coco chanel.the editing of the movie was horrible as well.

if i could i would return it for a refund.....there was absolutely

no flow to the story and if one did not know any history of

coco chanel or igor stravinksy, it would have been impossible to follow. there was no need for all the nudity or sex either. that

certainly did not represent chanel at all! i think if she were

alive she would be appalled at this vulgar display.other

than seeing the chanel fashions and her glorious house, it was

a complete waste of time.

Posted on November 28, 2011

Raylene Camenisch says...

My boyfriendand I watched this film together a couple nights ago.He has the American Pie humor, whereas mine is more sophisticatd... yet we were both cracking up.What makes the film funny is that the sex addict is a dorky-looking guy who seems pretty incapable of harm, and the creative way to EXPRESS, with editing, facial expressions, random statements, and they're all geniune from the director/addict (same guy).Highly recommend it.

Posted on November 29, 2011

Sharonda Norkin says...

I saw this film six times.I obviously loved it not because it was some sort of "biopic," which it was not, but because it was a film using known people in a made up situation that created a powerful story about art, craft, passion and creativity.From what I could find out, almost nothing in the film except the names of the characters had anything to do with fact.



I thought the best way to understand the film and the problematic ending was to see it as a study of two different types of creative artists each using the other's passion to discover something about his/her own work.In the meantime the contrast between the old style of life (Katia) and the new style (Coco) effectively showed the necessity of generosity as the basis for the modern.The film seemed to me to be a feminist statement of the influence of women on a fairly stodgy male whose creativity was dependent first on his wife and then on the passion he felt with Coco.It was the women, both of them, who made him the voice of the modern at the end of the film, but it was Coco's sacrifice of her passion (although Igor made it easy by calling her a "shopkeeper")that allowed him to triumph in the second performance of the "Rite" nine years later.Her appearing in the costume she had designed for the sacrificial victim signaled her sacrifice to art.



I particularly liked the sly way the actress who played Katia showed her superiority to Igor.She nods slightly to her son who then checkmates Igor at chess.She is very aware of her place in his creativity and success.Yet, she represents Old Russia whose voice in exile can no longer be heard.



It is true that the real Igor gave the real Coco the icon seen in the film.She did keep it on her mantle, and it is true that he and his family stayed at Coco's manor for two years, but he worked on Pulchinella, a neo-classic work, not a revision of the "Rite."It is not clear what happened between them. At the time Coco was involved with another Russian emigre.



So, by looking at the film as a powerful statement of artistic process and creativity, of passion and feminine superiority, of the conflict between the old and the new, and the necessity of generosity as the glue that makes the future possible, the film becomes a stunning work of art in itself.

Posted on November 29, 2011