Frantz
(2016/Music Box DVD)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: A Film: A-
In
small German town after WWI, Anna (Paula Beer) grieves for the lost
of her fiance Frantz (Anton von Lucke) who died on the frontlines
...until one day she meets a mysterious Frenchman putting flowers on
Frantz's grave, Adrien (Pierre Niney). Through their connection
through Frantz both Anna and Frantz begin to move on with their lives
to live again and move past their sorrows of the war and find love
again. But Adrien has a secret, a secret that could destroy the
happiness they found and everything they built in Francois Ozon's
Frantz (2016).
Anna
is young German girl who's heart was broken when her fiance died in
WWI, living with her in-laws the Hoffmeisters until Adrien came into
their lives. Adrien filled the void that Frantz left behind, Anna
and the Hoffmeisters believing Adrien was Frantz's friend and a
kindred spirit. But as much Adrien brought back life and happiness
to Anna and the Hoffmeisters, he was there for another reason ...to
beg forgiveness. Forgiveness ...for (SPOILERS!!!) that he was the
one who shot and killed Frantz in the war. Shocked by that truth,
Anna forces Adrien leave for being the one responsible for their loss
and sadness, BUT she still kept truth from in-laws to protect
their happiness. It is only until she journeys to France to find
Adrien does she see the French's own loses from the war weren't so
different from themselves. And only then she begin to understand and
is able to forgive Adrien.
This
was an eye opening film about love, forgiveness and romance. If
soldiers were to ask forgiveness for the lives they took during war,
I suspect humans would have less war, but it does raise a question,
if truth can only bring sadness and a lie can bring happiness, is it
better to have the lie than the truth? It is about understanding, it
is about before we are a nation of people we are first and foremost
all human and we ALL experience love, loss, and life an no different
than one another.
The
anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image and lossy Dolby Digital 5.1
sound are as good as they can be in the format, so you can go for
this or the Blu-ray editions hitting various markets. Extras include
Q&A with the director, scenes from the Venice premiere, deleted
scenes, costume and light test, poster gallery and a collector's
booklet.
-
Ricky Chiang
