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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Jean Cocteau's 1929 novel "les Enfants Terribles" is something something once read never forgotten. This film from 1949 with a screenplay by Cocteau who closely oversaw every aspect of the production brings the book to life Cocteau also narrates the voice over.
Siblings Elisabeth (Nicole Stephane) and Paul (Edouard Demithe) have a quasi incestuous relationship sleeping in the same bedroom, the aggressive Elisabeth constantly arguing with her brother, and sharing obsessive behaviour collecting useless "treasures" and sharing secrets.
They are later joined in this cluttered hothouse existence by Gerard (Jaques Bernard) and Agathe (Renee Cosima).
Cocteau draws us in to an unnatural but possible world of perverted adolescence, illuminated by the magic of his writing.
Highly recommended.
Siblings Elisabeth (Nicole Stephane) and Paul (Edouard Demithe) have a quasi incestuous relationship sleeping in the same bedroom, the aggressive Elisabeth constantly arguing with her brother, and sharing obsessive behaviour collecting useless "treasures" and sharing secrets.
They are later joined in this cluttered hothouse existence by Gerard (Jaques Bernard) and Agathe (Renee Cosima).
Cocteau draws us in to an unnatural but possible world of perverted adolescence, illuminated by the magic of his writing.
Highly recommended.
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Much as I admire the BFI's attempts to bring us unusual and overlooked films, this one is a real dud.
The protagonists come across as childish and spoilt adults (because they are adults), not as childlike adolescents and so I quickly lost interest in their tirades. The staging and acting is very theatrical and the budget must either have been minuscule, or the cast and crew spent the money on wine, and who could blame them. I certainly felt like hitting the bottle after seeing this.
I have never seen 'Belle Et La Bête' which is supposed to be Cocteau's masterpiece and was looking forward to it. Now, I'm not so sure.
This 1949 film is in black and white; the print quality is adequate; the sound quality is reasonably good and, for what it's worth, the DVD is well subtitled.
The protagonists come across as childish and spoilt adults (because they are adults), not as childlike adolescents and so I quickly lost interest in their tirades. The staging and acting is very theatrical and the budget must either have been minuscule, or the cast and crew spent the money on wine, and who could blame them. I certainly felt like hitting the bottle after seeing this.
I have never seen 'Belle Et La Bête' which is supposed to be Cocteau's masterpiece and was looking forward to it. Now, I'm not so sure.
This 1949 film is in black and white; the print quality is adequate; the sound quality is reasonably good and, for what it's worth, the DVD is well subtitled.
5 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is a film I wish Jean-Pierre Melville never made. It's so removed from his milieu that I can't help being reminded of Alfred Hitchcock's involvement with the romantic comedy, MR AND MRS SMITH. It seems, however, that Melville wanted to do it so he has only himself to blame.
Here we are treated to a couple of overbearing teenagers orphaned early in the story -- apparently without emotional effect. Their story in the first part of the film is mostly confined to their shared bedroom in which torment each other at the top of their lungs. Some people are fascinated by this psychopathology, but it was pure hell for me.
Nicole Stéphane as the sister has been revered for her performance -- yet I found it constantly over-the-top. I tolerated the performance of the actor playing the brother, Edouard Dermithe, better -- while he was roundly jeered by the critics. Because I don't speak French, I am reacting to only part of his performance.
An hour into the movie, and 46 minutes before the end, the film finally opens up and shows some momentum. That's about the time the American appears. He sings a pleasant ballad with a pleasant-enuf voice. Then the film begins to descend again, but it ends before it sinks to previous depths.
Jean Cocteau's source novel is considered a classic. Many people rank this film as a classic. That may be all you need to know about it.
If, like me, you want to see everything Melville did, than you have already decided to see this film. Just be aware that it is nothing like Melville's others ... I'm happy to say.
Here we are treated to a couple of overbearing teenagers orphaned early in the story -- apparently without emotional effect. Their story in the first part of the film is mostly confined to their shared bedroom in which torment each other at the top of their lungs. Some people are fascinated by this psychopathology, but it was pure hell for me.
Nicole Stéphane as the sister has been revered for her performance -- yet I found it constantly over-the-top. I tolerated the performance of the actor playing the brother, Edouard Dermithe, better -- while he was roundly jeered by the critics. Because I don't speak French, I am reacting to only part of his performance.
An hour into the movie, and 46 minutes before the end, the film finally opens up and shows some momentum. That's about the time the American appears. He sings a pleasant ballad with a pleasant-enuf voice. Then the film begins to descend again, but it ends before it sinks to previous depths.
Jean Cocteau's source novel is considered a classic. Many people rank this film as a classic. That may be all you need to know about it.
If, like me, you want to see everything Melville did, than you have already decided to see this film. Just be aware that it is nothing like Melville's others ... I'm happy to say.
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