Part of Restoration Roundup and Music City Mondays
Sofia Coppola’s 2006 interpretation of the life of France’s legendary teenage queen screens alongside Eleanor Coppola’s newly completed (by Sofia) MAKING MARIE ANTOINETTE (Sun, Nov 29 at 2:35pm). Betrothed to King Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman), the naïve Marie Antoinette (Kirsten Dunst) at the age of 14, she is thrown into the opulent French court which is steeped in conspiracy and scandal. Alone, without guidance, and adrift in a dangerous world, the young Marie Antoinette rebels against the isolated atmosphere at Versailles and, in the process, becomes France’s most misunderstood monarch.
New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Sofia Coppola and director of photography Lance Acord
“Coppola — only on her third feature, but already known for her affinity for youth culture — would bring Marie Antionette a jouissance the history books had never afforded her…. Coppola conveys that the answers about who Marie Antoinette was have been written into history, but overlooked by the men who most often dictate it.” —Coleman Spilde, Salon “To say that this movie is historically irresponsible or politically suspect is both to state the obvious and to miss the point…. A thoroughly modern confection, blending insouciance and sophistication, heartfelt longing and self-conscious posing with the guileless self-assurance of a great pop song. What to do for pleasure? Go see this movie, for starters.” —A.O. Scott, New York Times (Oct 13, 2006) “What impressed Coppola was the fact that with the death of Louis XV (played by a randy Rip Torn), Versailles became a palace run by teenagers. ‘What struck me was how young they were,’ Coppola said. Imagine if your parents had suddenly died of smallpox while you were in high school and you could have all the keggers you wanted. That is the Coppola Versailles.” —Ann Hornaday, Washington Post (May 24, 2006) “Every criticism I have read of this film would alter its fragile magic and reduce its romantic and tragic poignancy to the level of an instructional film.” —Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times (Oct 19, 2006)
This series made possible with generous support from Mimi and Scott Manzler.
