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Mata Hari's look at THE VIRGIN SUICIDES
Hey folks, one of my chief femme fatales.... Mata Hari was out cruising for that new film.... The one directed by Coppola.... Sofia Coppola. That's right folks, Sofia has directed a movie entitled THE VIRGIN SUICIDES and I have been getting quite a bit of good word on the film. Remember... Just because a lot of you have a deep searing hatred for a certain role in the culmination of a certain trilogy of films.... Doesn't mean that she isn't brilliant as a director. It's possible. And from the sound of things she definitely got the job done on this one. I'm eager to check it out... sounds promising...
Dear Harry,
MATA HARI here. Just thought you might want to know that last week I
went to a screening of Sofia Coppola's (yes Sofia) directorial debut
The Virgin Suicides at the Beverly Connection in Hollywood. Some guy
just shoved a pass in my hand and ran off to the next person without
asking me any of the usual questions. The pass said for me to call me
to call in to reserve a spot and get there at 6:45. It wasn't one of
those Movieview passes but some other company called Marketcast. My
friend had read the book and said it was pretty good and obviously the
Sofia factor peaked my interest so I called and prepared for an
excruciating evening of cinema. I'd been to those Movieview
screenings before where they ask you to get there an hour early and
this was only 45 minutes. Better, right? Wrong. My friend and I got
there right on time and of course we ended up in the back of a HUGE
line. Some girl came around and asked if we called. She checked off my
last name and gave us tickets. Then they gave us cards to fill out with
our age, ethnicity, and all those questions about if we were in the
entertainment industry, advertising, Blah, Blah, Blah, or if we knew
anyone who worked on the movie. Whatever. Of course I lied and marked
no but it wouldn't have mattered if I'd marked yes to everything
because they never checked the cards. We just dumped them into a bag.
The age for the movie was 16-49 but I saw a bunch of silver foxes
waiting in line. They didn't seem to care about the old folks and
never asked us our age. The people running the screening were all
suited up and wearing those stupid headsets like they have at Old Navy.
They had that urgent 'what we are doing is so monumentally
important' look while they were basically standing around doing
nothing. A word of advice: If you are in the business and don't want
to get caught sneaking in to one of these things have no fear,
Marketcast is here. These secret service wannabees wouldn't know
Sandra Bullock from Jim J. Bullock. I think everyone got in including
the seniors and all the second string dregs in the other line who
didn't call in.
Anyway, now on to the movie. You are not going to
believe this but I LOVED IT HARRY. This was one of the best new movies
I've seen set in the 70's. The movie stars James Woods, (in a
magnificent performance) Kathleen Turner, (surprisingly subdued) and
Kirsten Dunst in a role tailor made for her. The story revolves around
the Lisbon sisters, 5 girls living in an upscale neighborhood in
Michigan in 1975 and told in voiceover by one of the neighborhood boys
who even 25 years later cannot forget them. The film opens with the
suicide attempt of the youngest Lisbon sister, 13 year old Cecilia who
is found with her wrists slit in the bathtub. The neighbors murmur the
typical gossip and Cecelia's baffled parents (Woods and Turner) send
her to a psychiatrist (Danny Devito in a cameo) who tells the parents
that Cecilia needs to interact with boys her own age. In order to
cheer up Cecilia the Lisbons throw their first and only party during
which Cecilia flings herself out the window and dies on the fence in
the front yard. The family is numbed into a kind of stupor. When their
priest (Scott Glenn) comes to visit, Mr. Lisbon can only interact
with the game on T.V. The girls return to school acting as if nothing
has happened. The neighborhood boys obtain Cecilia's diary and try to
gain insight into the lives of the sisters. Fourteen year old Lux
(Kirsten Dunst) is doggedly pursued by the hottest guy in school (Josh
Hartnett). He convinces Mr. Lisbon to let him and three other boys to
take Lux and her sisters to the Homecoming Dance. In a well crafted
sequence that vividly recalls the anticipation and awkwardness of the
teenage years, Lux and her date are crowned Homecoming Queen and King
while here sisters try to have a good time with their dates. Lux stays
out all night, losing her virginity on the football field and in a
beautifully shot scene, wakes up alone. She takes a cab home and as a
result of her adventures, the Lisbons pull the girls out of school and
they become virtual prisoners in their own home. Getting through to the
sisters becomes a covert mission for the neighborhood boys. They call
each other and play songs back and forth to describe the way they feel.
Responding to the rejection she feels Lux begins to have a series of
random sexual encounters with unknown boys on the roof of the house.
The neighborhood boys watch from their telescope. Events come to a head
and result in a tragic conclusion. The boys and the audience are left
to wonder why. The Virgin Suicides is a thoughtful and provocative film
that asks as many questions as it answers. Deftly written and directed
by Sofia Coppola who it seems has finally found her calling.
MATA HARI
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First off let me say to all of those out there who hate the I'm-firsters. Lighten up, sure its annoying, but remember grammar school, it was something very admirable to be first in line for lunch, or recess, or something like that. All you anti-i'm-firsters are just pissed you didn't make it. So anyway I'M proud. Now about our dear Sofia. I can't recall any other particular performance in which a single word uttered by an actor ruined a film (when she muttered oh-so-lifelessly 'Dad.' at the end of GFIII). However as the Big Guy himself said, maybe she CAN direct; I'll concede that as a POSSIBILITY. However I wouldn't bet on it, I mean how could somebody who delivers a duller performance than a wooden tobacco store injun, ever be able to pull decent performances from anyone else? If this film is any good, which sounds like a pretty good possibility, as Mata Hari SEEMS to know what's what, then I'll bet that Dear Ol Dad had more to do with it than Mary Corleone. Btw what's the deal with him? What were his last few flicks? Jack?, the Rainmaker? I miss Francis. When will he come back. What went wrong? Oh the Humanity......
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In addition to her role in "Godfather III", Miss Coppolla also directed a short film that I saw at a few festivals around town. The name of it escapes me, but it is about bitchy teenage girls at an all-girls catholic school and wasn't particularly well done or involving. This time around, however, her subject matter is quite strong - I read an earlier version of this film while it was being optioned by a different filmmaker, and I will be curious to see what she can do with it.
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i was very nervous when i first heard this film was being made because 1.Sophia(i have the worst death scene in cinema history) coppola was directing and 2.the book was good and i didn't want them to fuck it up. this review gives me hope!
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...was called "Lick the Star." I'm a little embarrassed that I remember that, but hey, short filmmaking is one of my things. I didn't think it was that bad, but I don't think it should have been a E-ticket to a feature film. If memory serves correct, she asked dear ol' daddy to option the book for her. One so-so short film, your father's option on a book you like, and poof! You're a filmmaker. Oh, the humanity. Ah, well. Maybe it'll be good.
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I hear those are nice.
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What? Josh Hartnett? Aww man, I thought this one might be good.
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Sofia Coppola has been a person that, for the past few years, has been in the media for her various attempts at finding a career. First, she was a fashion designer, she even had her own clothing line. Then she was a photographer. Then she hosted some show with Zoe Cassavetes where they went around talking to famous people. No one will forget about her stint as an actor, and now, finally an auteur in the making. Well, you know what? It makes me ill. Just because she is the daughter of you-know-who grants her recognition for whatever her career/whim of the moment just happens to be. While I sit here and bust my ass and basically the only way any one would pay any attention to me would be if I were to dance naked with my hair on fire. She tries on a new pair of shoes and it gets written up somewhere. Maybe her movie is good. But it better fucking be! Oh, if only I had a famous daddy!
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...at the Fairfax Theatre in Fairfax, California. It was very rough, but looked extremely promising.
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Your point may be valid with just about anyone BUT Sofia. MY point was that anyone who gave that kind of abysmal performance almost certainly has no place in entertainment. Granted tarantino isn't the best actor in the world, and we haven't seen Spielberg or Coppola i anything but cameos or bit parts, but they absolutely DID not ruin a would be great film either. I stand by my post. If she has directing talent, she would have realized that she was as awfull as she was, and for her father's credibility, either (A) Changed her name or (B) Sabotaged every frame of tainted film which she infected.
Bottom line. She gave such a horrifying performance, that she cannot possibly solicit one from someone else. And my money is on Francis having more than a little influence on the picture. -
I think the movie is worth watching; it's so full of subtle detail. (Plus, I love Air.) I found much of film's message in its symbolism. The significance of the "happy" color green in the pamphlets, trees, algae infestation; the connection between Lux's line, "I can't breathe in here" and the party gas masks of the rich--- just to name a few... Anyhow, I'd really be interested in what other things you guys picked up, cuz I'm sure I missed alot.
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