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Tag Archives: Dangerous Liaisons

Happy Birthday Michelle Pfeiffer

29 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by vinnieh in Birthdays and Tributes

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Batman Returns, Birthday, Catwoman, Dangerous Liaisons, Happy Birthday, Michelle Pfeiffer, Scarface, The Age of Innocence, The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Witches of Eastwick, What Lies Beneath

Today marks the 55th birthday of Michelle Pfeiffer, one of my favourite actresses. Over the years, she has been a beautiful and versatile presence on movie screens. She can be funny, touching, slinky and poignant. Her filmography is a cavalcade of varied roles that show the many facets of her ability and constantly surprise us with her range. Her many roles are too many to name, but I have chosen some to specially mention as a tribute to this wonderful woman and her career. Here they are:

Elvira Scarface

 

 

 

As the dejected and cocaine-addicted wife of a drugs baron in Scarface.

the witches of eastwick

 

 

 

As Suki, one of the three loved-starved Witches of Eastwick.

Michelle Pfeiffer Dangerous Liaisons

 

 

As the virtuous and naive victim in a game of lust and deceit in the period romance Dangerous Liaisons.She received an Oscar nomination for her work in this film.

Catwoman Michelle Pfeiffer

 

 

Iconic as the slinky and dangerous Catwoman in Batman Returns. There have been many incarnations of this character, but in my eyes Pfeiffer is the ultimate Catwoman.

michelle Pfeiffer Fabulous Baker Boys

 

 

Sizzling across the screen as a seductive lounge singer who comes between two musical brothers in The Fabulous Baker Boys. A second Oscar nomination came her way for her work in this comedy.

Michelle Pfeiffer The age of innocence

 

 

 

As the ostracized countess who falls for her cousin’s husband in The Age of Innocence.

What Lies Beneath

 

 

 

As a woman who comes to believe her house is haunted in the horror film What Lies Beneath.

There are many more roles I could list but I would need a lot of pages. So whatever your opinion, please give it. What is your favourite performance by Pfeiffer? What in your eyes makes her a great actress? Hope you enjoy the post.

Best last shots of a movie Part 1

24 Sunday Jun 2012

Posted by vinnieh in Movie opinions and thoughts

≈ 26 Comments

Tags

Best, Cate Blanchett, Dangerous Liaisons, Danvers, Elizabeth, Glenn Close, Hitchcock, Joan Fontaine, Last Shots, Laurence Olivier, Rebecca, Shekhar Kapur

In my opinion, the last shot of a movie has to be memorable and stick in the mind. I have accumulated a list of my personal favourite shots before the credits begin to roll. This is part 1 of a number of posts I will write.

Be warned they may contain spoilers!!!!

Here they are:

Elizabeth- In Shekhar Kapur’s biopic of the rise of the Virgin Queen , Elizabeth( Cate Blanchett in a career making role) walks into court in the Virgin Queen persona, married to her country having sacrificed personal happiness for the people. This final scene occurs after surviving opposition and assassination attempts to her asceneding to the throne  throughout the film.Her intense and regal gaze as she walks towards the camera and takes a seat upon her throne signifies the metamorphosis from skittish girl to powerful queen, now fully aware of the duties that lie ahead of her.

Rebecca- In Hitchcock’s first venture into American movies, the last shot is both sly and ambiguous. Throughout the film, Joan Fontaine’s character has been tormented by the menacing Mrs Danvers who was obsessed with the first wife, the eponymous Rebecca and tried to drive the new wife away from her marriage to Laurence Olivier’s rich widower. The last shot happens after Danvers in a psychotic state burns down the country house and perishes in the process. The last shot is of Rebecca’s bed engulfed in flames. But the sly gesture is that the pillow features the initial R,  hinting at the lingering and remaining presence of her even though Danvers is gone.

Dangerous Liaisons- I know that I’ve already wrote a review on this, but I didn’t want to write about the last scene because i didn’t want to spoil the movie. Anyway, The last shot of the period drama occurs after the vicious Marquise(Glenn Close at her most bitchy) is ousted by society after her treacherous and sordid personal life is revealed in detail. Because she is so good at hiding her inner viciousness, the last scene is very significant. In it she slowly removes her make-up from her face, an obvious reference to the mask of deceit she has worn so well. Glenn Close makes the scene memorable with her subtle nuances of her character, the one tear that falls and the bitter resentment, sadness and anger that is revealed on her face as she realises she is no longer in control and the one pulling the strings. A geniunely chilling end to the film.

Dangerous Liaisons

29 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

1980's, Dangerous Liaisons, Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Keanu Reeves, Michelle Pfeiffer, Period Drama, Romance, Stephen Frears, Uma Thurman

Film Title

Dangerous Liaisons

Director

Stephen Frears

Cast

  • Glenn Close as Marquise de Merteuil
  • John Malkovich as Vicomte de Valmont
  • Michelle Pfeiffer as Madame de Tourvel
  • Swoosie Kurtz as Madame de Volanges
  • Keanu Reeves as Le Chevalier Raphael Dancerny
  • Mildred Natwick as Madame de Rosemonde
  • Uma Thurman as Cecile de Volanges

A lavish and enthralling look at lust, betrayal and revenge, Dangerous Liaisons is brought to the screen with an acerbic wit and a dramatic power by director Stephen Frears and an outstanding screenplay by Christopher Hampton. The film succeeds in that it is splendid and breathtaking to look at, but at the same time compelling because of its decadent ,dramatic story and excellent central performances that dominate the proceedings.

The central plot revolves around Marquise de Mertueil, an aristocratic woman in 18th Century France. To the rest of society she is an intelligent and kind woman, but beneath the mask that she wears so well for the outside world is a cunning, vicious woman who delights in the suffering of others for her own personal enjoyment. Her conspirator is the seductive and cynical Viscomte de Valmont who revels in the plans she concocts up. Their latest scheme involves the ruining of an innocent and virginal young girl named Cecile who is soon to be married to one of the Marquise’s former lovers. If Valmont succeeds in this plan, the Marquise will offer him a personal reward. Valmont has other ideas as he has set himself the more difficult task of seducing the virtuous, convent-bred Madame de Tourvel. Things don’t go to plan however when Valmont unintentionally falls for the unsuspecting Madame.

Despite the film being a period piece, its classic themes of power and love still resonate in the present day. The theme of  differences between men and women in society and in general is carefully examined with an acute and critical eye. A strangely sinister tone lingers over the film as a result of the deceit and mendacity displayed on screen.The costumes and sets are second to none and create a clear and  beautiful evocation of pre-revolution France. Frears takes the audience on an enthralling trip through the various hypocrisies of the upper-class and exposing the evil and deceit beneath the facade.But above all, it is the script and acting that lingers longest in the memory after the credits have finished.

As the Marquise, Glenn Close is delightfully conniving and poisonous. Close oozes with a sinister and tart charm, allowing a sharp intellect and viciousness to be shown. It’s a plum role for an actress who never lets me down and Glenn Close is on fire with an imposing and imperious portrayal that ranks among her best. The chemistry between her and Malkovich is electrifying as well as the numerous quick-witted remarks that fly between them. Malkovich brings a slimy and reptilian quality to the suave Valmont and has one of the most sinister smiles on the screen. Yet vulnerability is there with Malkovich as he grows a spine and experiences love for perhaps the first time, leaving his previous plotting in tatters. But in my opinion, the real standout in the film is Michelle Pfeiffer as the victim in the twisted game and embodiment of grace and purity. Playing a character that could have been uninteresting, Pfeiffer turns this round to create a poignant portrayal of a virtuous and god-fearing woman who’s calm and peaceful resolve is shattered forever with the arrival of Valmont into her life. Her face is used for so many important moments in the film and in each she has an emotional intensity that grips like a powerful vice. Throughout the film each character changes somewhat, but the greatest change is Pfeiffer as Madame De Tourvel who has the biggest challenge of whether to stick to her morals or throw caution to the wind. In an early role, a young Uma Thurman portrays the virginal Cecile, another unwitting pawn in the deceitful game who is ruined by Valmont but becomes very carnal as a result of it. Keanu Reeves appears as another pawn in the deceptive game and is unfortunately not really given a lot to do it must be said .

The best scenes in the movie are the ones in which Merteuil and Valmont devise their deliciously,devious plans. The brittle and caustic dialogue seems to just come natural to each as they carefully decide what pain they will inflict on their chosen victim. The two make for a memorably villainous double act who see life as an arena in which their manipulative psychological games are the main entertainment.

A period piece with a surprisingly contemporary and sexy edge to it, Dangerous Liaisons is a splendor for the eyes in terms of visual design, but a handsomely mounted drama and love story that makes you think.

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