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Catherine Deneuve Collection - Screen Icons


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About time...
Review date: 2007-04-01 Rating: 10 out of 10

It is about time that they offered a box set of Catherine Deneuve films. Deneuve has been overlooked outside of France for far too long, and this box set has been the 1st time that some of the films have been available on region 2 DVD, and on DVD at all.
There are 5 films included: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Belle de Jour, Donkey Skin, Ma Saison Préférée, Manon 70.

The Umbrellas of Cherboug: This film is an absoloutle classic. It has the single greatest musical score I have ever heard. Michel Legrand is a genius. Every single word is sung, from talking about oil and car mechanics, to the one true love. This film makes the most mundane lyrics seem magical. The film sees a young couple: Geneveive and Guy, who are in love get seperated as he has to go off to fight in the war. Before he leaves they sleep together and she gets pregnant. She must descide to wait for him or marry someone else. This film is in a word; beautiful. Demy was a legend; he managed to get a brilliant performance out of very young Deneuve (only 19 at the time) and she is amazing in it. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg disc has a introduction by Geoff Andrew on it - a good introducion as well.

Belle de Jour: This release coincides with the 40th anniversary DVD of Belle de Jour that Optimum have also released. Belle de Jour is, in my opinion, the single greatest film of all time. Bunuel was also the greatest director ever to have lived. This film is typical Bunuel - themes of anti-clericism, anti-bourgeois values, the dream state etc.
The film sees Deneuve, who plays the character Severine, a bored bourgeois housewife who begins to work as a prostitute in a brothel. Her husband is unaware of it. The film moves seemlessly from the dream state to 'reality' and there is some debate as to which is which, reality or dream. This film will keep you engrossed from the beginning with the famous opening, to the ending which will require that you rewatch the whole film. This is the film that got Deneuve known by wider art house audiences, so it is only fitting it be included in her box set. This is perhaps also the performance that deifines her career, and she is sublime in it. The extras include: a 30 min documentary on the 'History of Film' and an exclusive commentry by Professor Peter W.Evans, as well as the original theatrical release trailer.

Donkey Skin: This is the 2nd Demy film to be included in the Deneuve box set, the other was Umbrellas. Donkey Skin is a fairy tale musical that sees a princess, Deneuve, trying to hide from her father the King, who wishes to marry her, so her fairy God-mother, tells her to hide beneath a donkey skin. The film has wonderful songs, and lovely bright colours that are typical of Demy. The music is again my Michel Legrand. The film is deffinatly a brilliant one that more people should watch. No extras though on the disc.

Ma Saison Préférée: This is the 1st time this has been available on region 2 DVD, so for this reason alone the box set is worth getting. It is a very mature film by André Téchiné who Deneuve works well with. Deneuve has always carried with her the title as the 'cool blonde' as is ofted described as 'cold'. Her collaborations with André Téchiné work well to go against this view of her. It is one of her best performances, and into her 50s when she made it. It tells of a woman, Deneuve, whose mother is ill and comes to live with her, the mother is unhappy and would prefer to live with her son, played brilliantly by Daniel Auteuil (another who Deneuve works wonderfully with on more than one ocassion). The brother and sister put the mother in a home. Deneuve splits from her husband and family and goes to live with her brother. There is a borderline incestious relationship between them, more so on the brothers side. Relationships are the focus of the film, and it is a wonderfully mature drama, and the acting shines throughout. Deneuve's own daughter with Marcello Mastrioanni (Chiara Mastioanni) actually plays Deneuve's daughter in this film. No extras on this DVD.

Manon 70: This seems to be the first time that this film has ever been on DVD. And was the main reason I bought this box set as I already owned copies of the other films. This is a film about a woman who has to chose between the man she loves, or money. Manon, Deneuve, works with her brother, Brialy, to 'trap' wealthy businessmen into falling in love with her, as a result she can get money out of them, as neither her brother or Manon wish to work for a living. Manon falls in love with Sami Frey's character, though he is poor. Manon then has to make some choices. This film is funny, moving, dark at times, brilliantly directed, great music by Serge Gainsbourg. Deneuve shines and is perfectly cast as Manon. No extras on this disc.

The general presentation of the box set is good, it is a card board fold out in design, indivisual cased would have been preferrable, but just to have some of these films available is brilliant. Overall magnificent set of films. It is a shame that they only included one of her slightly more 'recent' films Ma Saison Préférée, but even this was made in 1993. But overall recommended to anyone, and particularly to fans of Deneuve.
10/10


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Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Laszlo Szabo
Michel Piccoli
Catherine Deneuve
Jacques Perrin
Jean Marais

Creators:
Catherine Deneuve (Primary Contributor)
Laszlo Szabo (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Optimum Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Optimum Home Entertainment
EAN: 5060034578901
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 5
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2007-03-12
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 493 minutes
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Original Language)

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