My friend Eleanor, over at Thatchwick, recently posted a review on
the film Blue, 1994. Being a huge fan of Juliette Binoche, I
immediately added it to my Netflix queue. I certainly wasn't
disappointed in this powerful, sensual, quiet and intelligent film. It
is the first in a trilogy of films created by Krzysztof Kieslowski and
his writing partner Krzysztof Piesiewicz for France's bicentennial,
yet stands very well on it's own merits. The titles and the themes
of the films come from the three colors of the French flag
representing liberty, equality, and fraternity. Blue examines
liberation through the eyes of a woman (Binoche) who loses her
famous composer husband and young daughter in an auto accident.
Overcome with mystery and tragedy, she struggles to come to
terms with the secrets of her dead husband's career and life.
Kieslowski masterfully weaves the haunting musical score with a
subdued color pallet of blues. I think this just might be Binoche's
best performance ever, in this story of loss, forgiveness and
liberation.
This trilogy is a favourite of a good friend of mine. She always encourages me to see it, and ... I never have!! I shall go now and add it to my netflix queue!!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to see you have a cold! At least it's a snowy night, so sleep, sleep,sleep is in order for you!!! Feel better!!
Hi Willow,
ReplyDeleteThis movie is very beautiful, "feutré, intense, éloquent"...
Thanks,
Miren
I saw the trilogy as it came out in the theatres over a three year period. Blue is my favorite one, the music stays with you and the images are painful and sublime at the same time. This movie has very little dialogue as I recall, or maybe it's the music being a character all of its own that permeates throughout the movie and overshadows evrything else. A masterpiece, indeed.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to look for this movie the next time I go downtown. Thanks, Willow, for introducing this.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourites - glad you enjoyed it Willow. Maybe watch the other two in the trilogy to help you forget your cold. xv
ReplyDeleteYou always have the best movie suggestions. Have a great day, Willow.
ReplyDeleteThe video iis great, but the image "Blue" is delightful. So simple yet intriguing!
ReplyDeleteHello Willow,
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling a little (or a lot) better today. You are right, the music is beautiful.
Beautiful atmospheric music!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. Willow, for changing the 'embedding' of the films - I can now click on them and watch! Bliss!
Hope you are feeling better - keep warm and cosy.
You know that's the trilogy that I have always meant to see and yet never have? They screened the films in Havana and I never managed to see them. Most people claim that that's Binoche at her finest ('The English Patient' is another one). Many thanks for the clip and the post.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
Looks so luscious and the sound, exquisite.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me of the Trio.
ReplyDeleteBinoche is always great. She was the life of "The English Patient", and last week I saw her in an astonishing movie, French, 2005 "Cache". Suspense, amazing.
Juliette Binoche is a favorite. Sounds like a must see film.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the film originally, I found it completely boring, but the clip you posted has me re-interested in it.
ReplyDeleteI'm putting it on the netflix queue immediately. Thank you!
Three colours trilogy is a fantastic series of films. We have it here and I'm never sure which of the three is my favourite - it changes all the time.
ReplyDeleteI'm also a big fan, she's fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI've seen them all. White being the least favorite, Blue the most. In fact i think i owned it before the purge (my purge of so many of my "things"). Darn because now I'd like to see it again.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen parts of it and have been meaning to add it to my Netflix queue as well...My MIL loves this.
ReplyDeleteI need to watch Chocolat again, too. I love that film.
Wow! Can't wait to see this one!
ReplyDeleteI've not seen these three films...something I shall have to rectify immediately, I see! The music is sublime. I have a small raw spot in my heart that was so touched by loss-of-a-child pain in the clip you posted. Visually lovely. Thank you for sharing it, Willow. Be well!
ReplyDeleteI love Binoche's films too. Sorry about the cold - hot toddies are the thing - squal quantities of whisky, lemon juice and hot water, sweetened with sugar or honey (even if you don't like the taste of whisky it is still good for you.)
ReplyDeleteI am sure Husband has seen this but if not I will suggest it to him, unlike me, he loves foreign films
ReplyDeleteHi Willow
ReplyDeleteStrangely,I've never seen that movie but I will catch up.
Wanted to thank you for stopping by on my blog and tell you that your blog is one of the greatest(you know it already);)
My daughter...who spent a year in France...has been trying to get me to watch these three movies...they have always been on my TBW list but now I will have to move them up...lovely trailer and I want one of those blue crystal mobiles!...
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful reminder of a great movie....I've seen two, I think I missed Red. I remember driving an hour to get to the theatre that was showing this one. It brings up memories of my own life and losses...so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOh, I've seen that trilogy--they are excellent films. And so many good movies out right now--we just went to The Reader and The Wrestler--both excellent! So many good movies, so little time...they release all the good ones just before Oscar time! We'll just have to catch some on Netflix! Have a great weekend, Willow!
ReplyDeleteBlue is what I have left to see. Thank you for the reminder. As usual I can come here for inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI remember this movie mostly for all of the scenes in the swimming pool. The blue of the water, of course; and the ideas of cleansing and rebirth. It added to the contemplative, bruised feeling of the film -- which is consistent in both the images and Binoche's beautiful performance.
ReplyDeleteSo far i've only seen Blue and loved it - a classic for me! Am looking forward to the others! Lovely to find people who also love this film
ReplyDeletei love the images that come to mind when i read "weaves the haunting musical score with a
ReplyDeletesubdued color pallet of blues". it must add such a nice ethereal feel to the film!
The part where she is reading the musical notes and then they stop and only the lines are left made me think of a heart monitor that suddenly flat lines. There is a life and then there isn't. Very moving imagery.
ReplyDeleteI like the score too. I'll have to see this one.
I remember seeing that movie back in high school, with a gal who was going to become my best friend.
ReplyDeleteLoved the music, and Binoche is always divine.
One of my favourite movies.
ReplyDeleteAnd - the OST from "Trois couleurs: Bleu" (Trzy kolory-
niebieski) by Zbigniew
Preisner is a "part of the cast".
It's a Polish/French movie
(cop.wth UK&CH).
Krzysztof Kieślowski was one
of the best directors, called-
"master of the silence".
Sławomir Idziak - cinematographer-
author of the magic shots in blue ;).
All of them - Kieślowski, Preisner,
Idziak and Piesiewicz are Oscar
nominees, but it's not the most impotrant. They were -simply
one of the best movie team
in history of Polish cinema.
Try to look for "La Double Vie de
Veronique" (Podwójne życie Weroniki). It's a very similar
movie- colour, silence, music,
kind of acting...
Keep warm! ;)
Feel better! ;)
Hi Willow,
ReplyDeleteI like this movie too, but I prefer Binoche in Carax's "Les amants du pont neuf" (I don't know the english title). She plays a homeless painter who becomes blind... Sounds really awful but it's great !
Marie, I am adding it to my Netflix queue right now! Thanks for the suggestion! :)
ReplyDeleteMariusz, I've got the Veronique film added to my Netflix, too! Thank you. Can't wait to see it!
ReplyDeletei want to see this. sounds very engaging.
ReplyDeletei am loving your new banner !!
ReplyDelete