The Sleeping Beauty [2011]

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

Catherine Breillat's "The Sleeping Beauty" is absolutely incredible.  I can't complain that I don't see much mention of her here since it's also up to me to bring up discussion about her and I routinely just skim Idle Chatter and lurk Now Showing and Real-Life Soundtracks.  Regardless, this movie was absolutely sumptuous.



Truth be told, I flat-out adore Catherine Breillat's films.  That which I've seen, not to mention every time I see a new one (as per the instance of today), and even rewatches of favorites, her body of work never fails to leave me in a state of awe.  With an incredibly precise technical team on each picture, a keen eye for surreal moments that galvanize reality within the story and the uncanny ability to deconstruct narrative structure as well as seamlessly rework fables, The Sleeping Beauty was one of the movies I have been looking forward to for a while.  Tree of Life is the other I'm truly looking forward to, not to sound like a snob.  A lot of movies I find I can take or leave and don't bother with many.  Maybe working at a theater makes me tired of just seeing movies for the sake of seeing them.  But I still watch a lot at home, so I imagine it's because I don't want to go to work when I'm off the clock unless it's at a theater I don't work at, which are mostly mainstream movies that have to be REALLY good to make me want to pay to see them, and then these arthouse gems that are insipid to some of the people that gather to see them, and to the rest, they walk out inspired and reminded why they put themselves through such bizarre distractions.  Because sometimes the film can really make things click, a film so flawlessly and originally executed, it isn't one you are hung up on in terms of technical comparisons, you are excited by the bold originality and authorship. 

And hell, I know the drill.  I open myself up to "Catherine Breillat is just like [other director] and is clearly ripping off [older director]" by saying she has carved an deeply original vein in cinema history.  I implore everyone catch this if they can.  At first, I was dumbstruck by the ending, but not disappointed.  As it sank in, a wonderful slow burn, the imagery really has been with me for a while.

Also, if you saw it and didn't like it or just plain don't like Catherine Breillat, I must know why.

[Pubrick]

i didn't get any information about the film from your post.. just a lot of meta talk about the post itself and a bit about your job.. can you at least offer a bit of a plot introduction and where it may fit within the scope of breillat's other perversions?

i would agree if you told me you admired Romance and Fat Girl but Anatomy of Hell is one of the boringest dumps i've ever had the displeasure of smelling. i have noticed she toned down her smut recently cos she made that costume drama but i didn't see it.. is this something like that or a children's film... what??

please resist devolving into "i'm replying to you right now. sometimes i do reply and sometimes i don't. today i am replying.. here.. in this thread.." a trailer is also helpful.

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

Well, I haven't been able to locate a trailer for this as of yet.   Most sites that review the movie offer an interview with Breillat in lieu of the trailer, which is why I only put up the still from the movie.  I also resisted from going too in depth about it because earlier that night that I posted what I did, friends had told me I had somehow spoiled the movie.  I don't feel I really gave away the big picture but mostly discussed the themes present in it, but if they are right, then I'll provide a synopsis that would otherwise entice you into seeing the movie without delving too deeply:

In Catherine Breillat's "The Sleeping Beauty" her retelling of the classic tale has a twist that doesn't focus on the prince's journey to go wake her up with a kiss, but instead the narrative follows the princess' dream until she is woken up.  In her dreams, she encounters several bizarre characters such as a hideous, oafish gatekeeper, a seductive, lesbian gypsy, among others.  It's incredibly imaginative as well as it is deeply profound by the end which I dare not spoil.

Also, by that costume drama, I imagine you're alluding to The Last Mistress, and if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend that one, too.  I can see why people don't engage in Anatomy of Hell, though I really did, but it's one of her more crass films.  The Sleeping Beauty is a bit of a children's tale, but with more adult themes running through it as to more represent the tale in its original form.  Pitched to kids, but replete with all the things that made old fairy tales so disturbing and interesting: all the sex,  magic, murder and betrayal.

Anyway, I didn't mean for my intro post to devolve into some weird rant, but the rant came to mind and since many directors are discussed at great length elsewhere, I figured it could just go here anyway.  Therefore I wouldn't have to post this, wait till people responded, and then posted the rant about Breillat.