Grrrr...again!

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

Wasn't there some sort of Révolution-related anniversary this year? Can't think who it can have been...ah well, I know, let's have an exhibition on Marie-Antoinette, and a film on this little lady! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1184957/
Oh, and - "spoiler alert"? Like that "what, you mean, the Titanic sinks?" one?

Comments

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

According to our friends on royet.org (http://royet.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=218), it was (unsurprisingly), the usual trash trying to pass itself off as history. Again.

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

I suppose the one saving grace of 'The Tudors' is that it's so trashy and Dallas-like people surely can't think it's meant to be the truth...(I hope!)

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Yes, at least that doesn't try to market itself as "educational."

[hanriotfran.livejournal.com]

More and more scrap! I don't believe they're wasting so much time depicting the life of this idiotic little "Autrichienne". I think that this very year, it's Maximilien Robespierre's 250th anniverssary. So...I was waiting something important on HIM. Bofff...I think I must keep waiting-

Now, and off topic question: I'm trying to post a little article about Hanriot here, but It's absolutely impossible for me to write an entry here...PC doesn't obeys me when I want to post. However, I could post it (along with some images) in my own diary here, in Live Journal. How could I do to have it here too? Fatimah suggested me to post it here and I just can't. I'm frustrated.

HanriotFran (Vanesa)

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I've never understood the fascination with Antoinette. The only thing historically noteworthy about her is the only one that ever gets ignored: her counterrevolutionary intrigues.

When you post, there should be a menu that asks where you want to post to. As a member of this community, one of the options on that menu should be able to post to it. Good luck!

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

Yes, normally I'm pissed off by the way so many women are portrayed, Lady Macbeth style, as evil schemers but for whom everything in the garden would be rosy (eg, Anne Boleyn in the Tudors TV series) - but in Marie bloody Antoinette's case this is actually pretty TRUE and she's only ever portrayed as a dressy innocent who just wanted to party!

Regarding all the films on 18thc toffs, though, I think it boils down to the simple fact that people just like looking at frocks. "Sumptuous' and 'a visual treat' are the sort of lines that accompany films like 'The Duchess", switch off your brain and look at the pretty (low cut) dresses, or in the case of the endless Jane Austens, look at the men in breeches (and any male actor looks a hell of a lot better in 18th/early 19thc clothes!). I've got some old BBC costume (from the 1970's Elizabeth the First series) and I've now got Tudors obsessed friends wanting to borrrow them for weekends (no! They are not having sex in my clothes! Actually, they'd have a job trying with corseting like that!).

Interesting thing about 'The Duchess' - it came out with the line that this was meant to be a Princess Diana story - now the director and Keira Knightley are denying it - even though it's clear Ralph Ffffffeinnes is doing a Prince Charles impersonation in the film - I wonder if they've been leaned on by 'the Palace'?

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

*sighs* That about sums it up, doesn't it? Pretty much, they uncritically accept the official version: Anne Boleyn was a witch, if not literally than figuratively, and Antoinette was a martyr of the evil Revolutionaries.

I have no problem with pretty costumes. What I have a problem with is pretty costumes completely separated from this historical realities they go with.

They have a trailer to that effect; who do they think they're kidding?

[citoyenneclark.livejournal.com]

I heard that the Duchess of Devonshire, who the movie, the Duchess is based on, her memoirs are quite good. Its so true though, guys look so much better in 18 century clothes.

[hanriotfran.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Estelle! But I followed all the instructions and my keyboard just don't write...It must be a virus.

For Antoinette, I think that the very thing that moves people to make movies about her is her carefree personnality. For them she is the portrayal of a happy teen, and they tries to show that anyone really understood her...For me, there's no thing to understand. She had her head completely empty.

HanriotFran (Vanesa)

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Most likely similar to the one that won't let me respond to the messages I get here too.

I'm not sure I agree that Antoinette's head was entirely empty (though it's true her education was somewhat lacking). The problem was rather that it was filled with ignorant and prejudiced ideas.

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

Yes, my LJ won't let me post images at the moment - maybe I need to get a paid account..?