Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36427 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-03-07
• Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
• Formats: Colour, Content/Copy-Protected CD, Dolby, DVD-Video, Original recording remastered, Restored, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: French
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 200 minutes

Customer Reviews

Ravishing music, beautiful cinematography but lacking emotional heart
This is undoubtedly a beautiful film, with every shot as ravishing as a Renaissance painting, and the music too is heart-breaking, but at the centre is an emotional emptiness that is profoundly disappointing...

Gerard Depardieu is the ageing Marin Marais at the court of Versailles and he narrates the story of his relationship with the composer and musician St Columbe who refuses to come to court. As a boy Marais is involved with the St Columbe family, father, and two daughters, one of whom has his baby.

The problem with the film is that the relationships lack any chemistry and the narrative voice which tells the story replaces a true dramatisation of emotions: this is a story which is overwhelmingly 'told' rather than 'shown'.

That said, the music is ravishing and speaks far more than the dialogue (and the unspeakability of some things is certainly a motif here). So overall I enjoyed this film, loved the music (and would certainly buy the soundtrack) but wouldn't watch it again.

Unequalled Music
A wonderful film, beautiful to look at and very moving. But above all remarkable for the music, arguably the finest collection of performances of classical music in any film. Jordi Savall is unequalled in this repertoire (baroque viol), and his interpretations of music that is in any case profoundly spiritual create an atmosphere of intense dignity and richness. If you think cinema is a serious art form on a par with music and theatre you won't be disappointed.

Ger a copy!
This is an absolutely brilliant, sensitive film about the serenity and richness of music as juxtaposed against the tragedy and suffering of human life. It's haunting and evocative, and I can't understand why it's not under wider release. If you can get a copy, by all means do so!