Farewell My Queen (2012/Cohen Media Group Blu-ray)
Picture:
B- Sound: B Extras: C+ Film: B-
The
Costume Drama has been in a rut for a while now offering densities of costumes
and locales of the past without realistic scripts or honest approaches, so when
one comes along like Benoit Jacquot’s Farewell
My Queen (2012), it is always a welcome change and pleasant surprise. Based on Chantal Thomas’s novel, it is the
fall of Marie Antoinette (played well here by Diane Kruger) through the eyes
and experiences of her reader Agatha-Sidonie Laborde (Léa Seydoux) who has a
devotion to her that is based on false hope and not having any better
alternatives in life.
The twist
here is that the film wants to deal with, at least in passing, Antoinette’s
bi-sexuality or lesbianism. It is not
the main issue of the film nor does the film imply that Antoinette is a victim
of sexual discrimination in the mode of Edward II (especially the Derek Jarman
film) but does not make it trivial background information. Instead, the screenplay by Jacquot and Gilles
Taurand wants to give us the larger picture of seeing inside the last days of a
dynasty and what mistakes and errors lead to its downfall on a human
level. In this respect, it works very
well.
The cast
is fine all around, you constantly feel like you are part of the final days of
the events that take place and the density of the locations, sets, directing
and screenplay makes this all feel pretty authentic. This is well cast and a worthy cinematic
entry into the many examinations of Antoinette and France at the time, not all
of which work, but this one does and it is an underrated film I hope gets the
audience it deserves with this Blu-ray release.
Note that
the cover is without a Blu-ray blue case because the case is clear plastic.
The 1080p
2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image was shot on an Arri Alexa HD camera,
which has up to 2.5K definition and instead of the bright look of Sofia
Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, is
closer to the realistic look of Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon (1975) except that we get some shaky camerawork and
definition issues you would never get on a Kubrick film. With that said, this is a nicely stylized
shoot by Director of Photography Romain Winding that is consistent and looks
fine for what it is intended to be.
The DTS-HD
MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix is even better with nicely recorded
dialogue, sound effects and music (by Bruno Coulais), though it is on the quiet
side more than a few times, even ambiance sounds good and is warm. Don’t expect big explosions, but expect
consistency and you’ll get it.
Extras
include a small, illustrated booklet on the film with cast and crew
information, while the Blu-ray adds an Original Theatrical Trailer, On-Set
Interviews segment and on camera director interview averaging just over 20
minutes each.
- Nicholas Sheffo
