Review Wanted: Quills
03-27-01, 05:41 PM
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This film seems to be very interesting, and I think I am ordering it today. But first let me hear what you think of it. Thanks.
03-27-01, 05:51 PM
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im also interested since its philip kaufman, even though he did at one point degenerate into MICHAEL CRICHTON'S RISING SUN. in any case, figured it might be interesting but never wanted to shell out good money to see it in the theatre
please post if you've seen
please post if you've seen
03-27-01, 06:03 PM
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Very good film, although surprisingly grim (not risquee) for a Hollywood production. In my Top Ten of 2000. The cast does an excellent job, especially Joaquin Phoenix and Geoffrey Rush.
The film also send a very powerful and relevant message about artistic freedom and whether a society has the right to curb a man's free speech, regardless of whether his words are considered moral or immoral.
The film also send a very powerful and relevant message about artistic freedom and whether a society has the right to curb a man's free speech, regardless of whether his words are considered moral or immoral.
03-27-01, 11:12 PM
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A very riveting, intense film - although it's a bit over the top sometimes it's definitely not your average run of the mill Hollywood film, nor a porcelain period piece a la Merchant and Ivory. Recommended to the adventurous...
03-28-01, 12:58 AM
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...here's a - sort of - review of the first 42 minutes of the movie:
http://www.capalert.com/capreports/quills.htm
...viewer beware!...
. . .
. . .
03-28-01, 07:00 AM
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Well, I would say it was a good movie, definitely better than most of the other crap Hollywood tries to feed us these days, but I thought it was not over-the-top enough. I mean come on, this is SUPPOSED to be a movie about the Marquis De Sade. I don't think it was that at all. It was more a fable about free-speech than anything else. The Marquis was just a character in this fable. If one wants to consider it a movie about the Marquis, this is the most candy-coated version you could probably tell and still safely manage to offend just a few people. I mean De Sade was one of the sickest, most twisted psychos to ever grace the planet (and still managed to spawn an entire subculture devoted to his ideas, even if that subculture is a very very VERY watered down philosophy of what De Sade was REALLY about). I did thouroughly enjoy the acting. Rush and Winslet were great, and I ejoyed a lot of the Marquis' one-liners. I am going to hold off on this one and see if it comes to Columbia House. I'll probably get it from there if it does.
03-28-01, 10:20 AM
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Originally posted by garmonbozia
Well, I would say it was a good movie, definitely better than most of the other crap Hollywood tries to feed us these days, but I thought it was not over-the-top enough. I mean come on, this is SUPPOSED to be a movie about the Marquis De Sade. I don't think it was that at all. It was more a fable about free-speech than anything else. The Marquis was just a character in this fable. If one wants to consider it a movie about the Marquis, this is the most candy-coated version you could probably tell and still safely manage to offend just a few people. I mean De Sade was one of the sickest, most twisted psychos to ever grace the planet (and still managed to spawn an entire subculture devoted to his ideas, even if that subculture is a very very VERY watered down philosophy of what De Sade was REALLY about).
Well, I would say it was a good movie, definitely better than most of the other crap Hollywood tries to feed us these days, but I thought it was not over-the-top enough. I mean come on, this is SUPPOSED to be a movie about the Marquis De Sade. I don't think it was that at all. It was more a fable about free-speech than anything else. The Marquis was just a character in this fable. If one wants to consider it a movie about the Marquis, this is the most candy-coated version you could probably tell and still safely manage to offend just a few people. I mean De Sade was one of the sickest, most twisted psychos to ever grace the planet (and still managed to spawn an entire subculture devoted to his ideas, even if that subculture is a very very VERY watered down philosophy of what De Sade was REALLY about).
03-29-01, 05:35 PM
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Originally posted by garmonbozia
I am going to hold off on this one and see if it comes to Columbia House. I'll probably get it from there if it does.
I am going to hold off on this one and see if it comes to Columbia House. I'll probably get it from there if it does.
03-31-01, 01:07 PM
#9
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While Quills may be watered down DeSade, it's still more than the average moviegoer sees.
It has necrophilia, masturbation, bondage, dildos, murder, fires, water torture, rape (underage rape! underage marital rape!), blasphemy, branding, and pornographic books.
There are also philosophical discussions of the place of an artist in society, the power of books, and whether a person should try to better humanity or only satisfy his own desires at the expense of humanity.
I saw the movie twice on dates. The first woman thought the sex was too watered down. The second thought the philosophy was too watered down. I think they were both right. It's an attempt to make a serious movie about two serious subjects, and make the movie accessible to the general public. It's hard to make a movie about sadomasochism without it becoming porn. But it's HARD to make a movie about philosophy.
Beautifully filmed, well acted, well scored, great set-pieces. I loved the opening scene, the "telephone line" writing scene, the moment when Michael Caine makes his first honest smile (as opposed to his false social smiles). I even loved Caine's giant black carriage galloping across the countryside.
But I like my serious movies to have substance (just my preference), and this one doesn't have enough that I want to buy it. YMMV.
It has necrophilia, masturbation, bondage, dildos, murder, fires, water torture, rape (underage rape! underage marital rape!), blasphemy, branding, and pornographic books.
There are also philosophical discussions of the place of an artist in society, the power of books, and whether a person should try to better humanity or only satisfy his own desires at the expense of humanity.
I saw the movie twice on dates. The first woman thought the sex was too watered down. The second thought the philosophy was too watered down. I think they were both right. It's an attempt to make a serious movie about two serious subjects, and make the movie accessible to the general public. It's hard to make a movie about sadomasochism without it becoming porn. But it's HARD to make a movie about philosophy.
Beautifully filmed, well acted, well scored, great set-pieces. I loved the opening scene, the "telephone line" writing scene, the moment when Michael Caine makes his first honest smile (as opposed to his false social smiles). I even loved Caine's giant black carriage galloping across the countryside.
But I like my serious movies to have substance (just my preference), and this one doesn't have enough that I want to buy it. YMMV.
03-31-01, 04:01 PM
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Thanks guys. This is very appreciated. I read the online book last night at work, and there was a lot of yucky stuff that I did not care to learn or hear about. However, I am really looking forward to get this DVD and watch it. 
04-02-01, 08:21 AM
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I couldn't agree with you more. In fact, it was that very problem that made me dislike the film. As others have said, the acting is good, but the fact that the Marquis is taken from the most depraved lunatic ever to walk the earth (he'd make the killer from Se7en look like an amateur) and made into some champion of free speech is absurd. Even if De Sade DIDN'T write the books he did, he would still be locked up for a host of other crimes. I've spoken about this before, and I've said that if you want a taste of De Sade, go see 120 Days of Sodom. While De Sade is not in that film, it's based on his book and espouses his philosophy far better than Quills. If you just want some light entertainment with good acting, yeah, see Quills. [/B]
Dan
