Of Terrible Or Not So Terrible Cinematographical Representations of Robespierre and the CSP...

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

To follow victoriavandal's post on Terror! Robespierre and the French Revolution!: listened the audio and got the name of the actor playing Robespierre: Stephen Hogan.

After a little googling, I think I found photos...!

May I be the first to say that they didn't put a lot of budget on his wig.


Aw, Committee of Public Safety... I won't say anything. Like, how my only way to identify Couthon is that: he must the one in the wheelchair. Well, that sums up the usual "attribute" and "characteristic" given to Couthon. Now, where is Saint-Just...! Oh, the mysteries...!


I don't know why, but he kinda makes me think of Dennis DeYoung... -_-;

Comments

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCQrnSQ4rTo "Because of the massive fee paid to Simon Schama, we can only afford to use three props for this programme"!!!

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

The wigs in HBO's series 'John Adams' were fantastic - couldn't they have hired one of them?

I think that'll be Saint-Just, second from the left.

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

Their fee may have been to high as well...?

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

This spoof is amazing!!~~~

[neuropathology.livejournal.com]

That made me laugh so hard that I almost, ALMOST, peed a little bit.

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

I love this clip. XD

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Brilliant. And so very true.

[jonahmama.livejournal.com]

OMG - that's f***ing awesome!

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

The physical resemblance is hardly what I'd call striking. And Couthon looks about sixty! I have a feeling Saint-Just is probably the one in the blue coat next to Couthon and behind Robespierre, though I sincerely hope not, as it seems he and La Revellière-Lépeaux have acquired the same hairdresser. >.>

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

Hm, they must have thought - he's in a wheelchair, so he must be old! Well, at least the Robespierre actor's about the right age (in the 1930's Scarlet Pimpernel, he's geriatric!).

[(Anonymous)]

Though one thing I must admit: Robespierre looks very MASCULINE in this one (in spite of the piece of sheep-skin on his head - I won't call it a wig)

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

That does seem to be the norm; I've rarely seen Robespierrre portrayed as being the right age; if he's not 75, he's at least 45 instead of 35. I think Couthon may get off rather better here than he does in, say, Gance's Napoléon--at least here he doesn't have the appearance of being completely off his rocker. Which is not to say that I don't object to their making him old (and apparently fat too, which is a worse sin these days, it seems)...

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

But - but...! The randomly inserted pet rabbit! How can you not miss the rabbit? D:

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

True, that portrayal did have its good points. XD

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

Usual. I believe it would be him as well. >_>;; Fast! To another hairdresser!~

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

*sighs* I suppose it would have been too difficult to actually consult one of his portraits?

[(Anonymous)]

Poor Couthon, he's so badly treated in the cinema (and so forgotten by today's robespierristes :-). From every single portrait of him, as well as from the testimonies it is clear that he was quite handsome, gentle-looking man in his late thirties. Moreover, it is generally known that in personal contact he was kind and had a sense of ironic humor. Oh, how naïve I was believing that historical evidence may convince even medieval-minded filmmakers for whom disabled=ugly=bitter=bad person. OK, he is responsible for the Prairial Law, but for that he could obviously be criticized in another, more rational way than through being depicted as rude (Wajda's Danton), ugly, old (almost everywhere), insignificant (RF and even the admired La Terreur et La Vertu).

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

One of these days I'm going to write Couthon a decent biography. One that's actually readable. I don't know how much it will help his portrayal in movies, but one never knows...

[neuropathology.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't know...It has the same floppy and damp-chic asthetic, but the bangs lack that extra special silliness that screams "MAMA'S KITCHEN SCISSORS."

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Hm, they look awfully similar to me. Maybe Saint-Just just got the hairdresser on a good day.

[neuropathology.livejournal.com]

...MAMA'S KITCHEN SCISSORS!

[missweirdness.livejournal.com]

I think i found St. Just xD But i'm hoping i'm right.I'm hoping he's the one with the long hair?

The only response i can give to that photo is ................
....

........
........

OMSB xD

i'm at a loss for words here..O.o

[josiana.livejournal.com]

Did they even try? O__o;;;;;;

[missweirdness.livejournal.com]

doesn't seem like it..>.> and i swear there were more members on the committee...hmmmm

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

I am literally making the "D:" face right now. In real life. I am so revolted that my mouth is literally in the shape of a sideways D. That looks nothing like, well, ANY of them. Robespierre kind of resembles a generic action hero in the first one, strangely enough. Especially since, as has been noted, he's often portrayed as old and effeminate (which is almost preferable to this!). But I guess they foisted the oldness on Couthon...! Quite a variation from this (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Couthon1.gif)! And I'm pretty sure Saint-Just is the horrid-looking man to the right of Robespierre who needs a new haircut and a personal dress consultant ASAP.

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

I used a lot of exclamation marks here, which I just noticed.

Hm. Strange.

Anyway. Very Important Comment over.

[missweirdness.livejournal.com]

I'm laughing so i won't cry xD That's horrible >.< robespierre looks too manly for me. Is that even possible? At least he looks younger....and not like a old man. Yeah i think we all found him. Poor Couthon. *sob* and everyone else on the committee looks like frumpy and wet?! what..haha. I'm done with this..this is nightmares..*runs away*

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

I agree. D: And Robespierre would never have posed that way like on the second photo, all "relax" and "cool" and spread against a chair -- wtf!!! That's so anti-Robespierreish!

.......Is it my imagination or that horrid Saint-Just has a RING? And it looks RUBY. OMG, BUT HE DIDN'T WEAR RUBY RINGS, FUCKTARDS, HE WORE HOOP EARRINGS. WHAT IS IT THEY CAN'T GET RIGHT ABOUT HIM??? WHAT IS IT??? IS IT SO DAMN COMPLICATED??? /panics. Also, no actor who portrayed him ever got his hair right. IT'S CURLS, DAMNIT, IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED. HE DOESN'T NEED A FUCKIN' PERM; JUST A GOOD HAIRSTYLIST AND A GOOD WIG.

[missweirdness.livejournal.com]

you're right! HE DOES! OH MY SUPREME BEING! I think we should go curl his hair to fix it. xD That's an ugly ring too. ewwwwwwwwwww I don't remember him ever wearing rings..just earrings! So much hate..;_; and yeah robespierre doesn't do that either..he is too..like..stiff to be like "yeah i'm so cool.".

I wanna kill those people now

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

No he wasn't wearing rings. Especially not ruby rings. >__> Unless that's his SECRET FIANCING RING, that Robespierre proposed him in the show and that they're thus subtly giving British support to Prop 8. But I digress.

SAINT-JUST = NOT LIPSTICK, NOT MASCARA, NOT RUBIES: EARRINGS. >___>!!

[missweirdness.livejournal.com]

xD Finally! Robespierre proposed to him! I was waiting for this! jk. But seriously...he won't do good with the rings. I like St Just's hoop earrings better =)

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

OMFSB WAIT, ROBESPIERRE HAS A RING TOO?????????????????????????? *DIES*

[missweirdness.livejournal.com]

now why didn't I SEE THAT?! OH YEAH! I WAS DYING! x_X it's so horrible. that picture just can take off your head when you see it..who needs a guillotine anymore?

that picture will do.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

And Robespierre would never have posed that way like on the second photo
OMSB, so true.

[lucieandco.livejournal.com]

What is that? My high school history course improvised better costumes. R.'s wig looks like the scalp of a prize poodle. And the cast's so wrong/random it's ... random/wrong. Can we distinguish which colour Robespierre's eyes are? (... well, that's important, yes.) And Saint-Just, it's as if they're trying to show us that he was The Pretty One but they couldn't find anyone who actually was pretty, so they just gave this guy long hair and a pre-teen fringe and some bling.

Music from "Terror!"

[(Anonymous)]

I was very struck by some of the music that played during the programme. It came in periodically...it was very slow and serene....and very beautiful: can anyone tell me what it was ?. Reply to ljs420@aol.com if you could
Many thanks