I went into this movie not quite knowing what to expect. While I liked Lost In Translation, I thought The Virgin Suicides was a bore. Sofia Coppola also seems to have the critics split down the middle here, leaving half of them praising the film for it's lyrical beauty and the other half screeching "off with its head". ***

The movie starts off as Antoinette(Kirsten Dunst) is summoned from Austria as a 14-year-old to be the bride of the future Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman). As she crosses the border, she is instructed to leave everything behind. Stripped of her clothes, her friends and even her beloved pug, Mops, she is whisked away to Paris where scrutiny, alienation and ridiculous amount of protocol awaits her. ***

Once in Paris, she is stuck with her mumbling and bumbling husband, who shows far more intrest in hunting and locks than he does in her, and the marriage stays unconsummated for several years. The lack of attention from her husband, as well as that of an heir, adds to the pressure of Antoinette, and to cope with the structure and boredom she begins to shop, gamble and hold lavish parties to pass her time. This is where Coppola excells for me. Marie Antoinette is shows as a teenager, one of my favorite scenes being where they sneak off to attend a masquerade-ball. Coppola has made brilliant use of contemporary music, bringing the film into the present, and making it much easier to relate. (the soundtrack is superb btw) ***

The film has been critiqued for not focusing enough on the politics of Versailles, but that was not the focus-point of this film. Antoinette is. Her world, her feelings, her loneliness. The only thing I missed, was during her pregnancies. Many things must have changed for Antoinette during that time, and I wish Coppola could have explored that some more. ***

Now, I won't forget to mention the cinematography, which I loved. Somehow, all the luxury that surrounds Antoinette in this film only makes her isolation stand out all the clearer, and being a woman, I can't help but drool over the opulent gowns that are paraded about the screen. Coppola was also allowed to film inside Versailles. Reason enough alone for many to see this film. ---

Image & Sound:

Colors are opulent and rich but the image never looks synthetic, thanks to a pleasant film-like graininess throughout, audio is clean and crisp. ---

"Cribs with Louis XVI" In keeping with the teen vibe of the film, Jason Schwartzman (aka The King) hosts Cribs With Louis XVI - taking us on a tour inside the halls of Versailles. This is history MTV style.... Très bling! ***

"The Making of Marie Antoinette" is a 26-minute making-of documentary, where we get input from Sofia Coppola, Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman, as well as the opinion of Antonia Fraser, the author of the book the movie is based on. We get to see Coppola direct a couple of scenes, and the costume/hair/make-up expert, the production designer and the cinematographer add their two cents worth. ***

"Deleted Scenes" Two short deleted scenes accompanied by text statements from Sofia Coppola.

Final Words: