I just saw this movie on cable yesterday during my traditional "its New Years day and lets watch the worst movies on HBO that you can stand" day. I am a sucker for a bad movie and this one is one of the crappiest movies I can stand -- try watching "the hazing" with Brooke Burke that is currently On Demand on Showtime, I think. I couldn't get through more than 45 minutes of that stinking pile...
Anyway, I'm a fan of the original French version of this movie and I wanted to see how crappy we Americans could remake it. It turns out we could do a pretty crappy job! For starters, the original is a much darker tale that is interesting to watch and even more interesting in its ending. Wicker park removed the elements that made the original movie work: a faked suicide, love lost NEVER rekindled, love destroyed, love broken. Do you catch it??? This was a tragedy in the Greek sense and thats why it was fantastic. It had its balls ripped off in the American version.
This movie is a distinctly French movie, too. Its creepy (in a bad way) when Josh Harnett breaks into a woman's apartment. Its creepy (in a "whats happening next way) when Vincent Cassel does it. It's out of place when Diane Kruger climbs out of her window to break up with her boyfriend into her neighbors and seems dysfunctional. I question the type of men she dates when this happens and wonder whether or not Harnett would slice her up like in "Boxing Helena" if she hadn't got away when traveling to Europe. When Monica Bellucci pulls this same move in the original, I think to myself "this girl is tough!" This movie works in France because the French, god bless them, can do these things without looking psychotic. In fact, I think some of this drama is expected in their relationships.
And I don't mean to nit pick, but there are many Air France offices in France because it's the state run airline! Those commies have to go stand in line to buy a ticket... but here in the US, who has even heard of an American Airlines office?! Let alone actually going to purchase a plane ticket at one! No one because they don't exist! And if they do, as an American you are an idiot if you stand in line at one of them. Book online at Orbitz or show up at the airport! The only way this movie could have work "as is" if it was a soft-core porn. It was low budget and had that feel to it. Plus, all the scenes would have made lots more sense if there was more skin. Watch "the First 9 1/2 Weeks" to see what I mean. I saw that many years ago and it was a nonsensical film that had the same feel to it...only in the end you saw some skin. Maybe I could have handled it if this was the case. However, if you looking for some payload like this, you will be sorely disappointed.
If, instead, you are looking for your thesis on the difference between French and American film, then this movie along with "L Appartement" is a requisite. We take real film and turn it into castrato.
Anyway, I'm a fan of the original French version of this movie and I wanted to see how crappy we Americans could remake it. It turns out we could do a pretty crappy job! For starters, the original is a much darker tale that is interesting to watch and even more interesting in its ending. Wicker park removed the elements that made the original movie work: a faked suicide, love lost NEVER rekindled, love destroyed, love broken. Do you catch it??? This was a tragedy in the Greek sense and thats why it was fantastic. It had its balls ripped off in the American version.
This movie is a distinctly French movie, too. Its creepy (in a bad way) when Josh Harnett breaks into a woman's apartment. Its creepy (in a "whats happening next way) when Vincent Cassel does it. It's out of place when Diane Kruger climbs out of her window to break up with her boyfriend into her neighbors and seems dysfunctional. I question the type of men she dates when this happens and wonder whether or not Harnett would slice her up like in "Boxing Helena" if she hadn't got away when traveling to Europe. When Monica Bellucci pulls this same move in the original, I think to myself "this girl is tough!" This movie works in France because the French, god bless them, can do these things without looking psychotic. In fact, I think some of this drama is expected in their relationships.
And I don't mean to nit pick, but there are many Air France offices in France because it's the state run airline! Those commies have to go stand in line to buy a ticket... but here in the US, who has even heard of an American Airlines office?! Let alone actually going to purchase a plane ticket at one! No one because they don't exist! And if they do, as an American you are an idiot if you stand in line at one of them. Book online at Orbitz or show up at the airport! The only way this movie could have work "as is" if it was a soft-core porn. It was low budget and had that feel to it. Plus, all the scenes would have made lots more sense if there was more skin. Watch "the First 9 1/2 Weeks" to see what I mean. I saw that many years ago and it was a nonsensical film that had the same feel to it...only in the end you saw some skin. Maybe I could have handled it if this was the case. However, if you looking for some payload like this, you will be sorely disappointed.
If, instead, you are looking for your thesis on the difference between French and American film, then this movie along with "L Appartement" is a requisite. We take real film and turn it into castrato.