Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Blue is the Warmest Color (La vie d'Adèle) (2013)

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Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 11-30-2013, 11:52 AM:

CINEMA: Regal Village Square, Las Vegas, NV
AUDITORIUM: 6
PRESENTATION: Sony Digital 4K (2K source, probably)
PRESENTATION PROBLEMS: Occasional (maybe 3 or 4 times) clicking/popping in the surrounds
RATING: Two and one half stars (out of four)

THE PLOT: Girl meets girl. Wackiness ensues.

This is the movie everybody's abuzz about for its extended graphic sex scene. A scene I didn't find very sexy. It's not really passionate so much as like watching two girls devour each other while playing a really complicated game of Twister. Same holds true for the later sex scenes, which are far more brief.

The sex almost isn't even needed in the movie. The real reason to see this is the scenes leading up to it. High school student Adele is on a journey of sexual discovery and the movie takes its time exploring this and the development of her relationship with blue-haired Emma. Great dialogue, great cinematography. And I wouldn't mind a soundtrack release with the music used.

After the big sex scene, the movie sort of turns into a highlight reel covering bits and pieces of the relationship through its lifespan of around eight-to-ten years, I'm guessing. They don't show dates, they just imply where we're at through the dialogue. Adele seemingly goes from high school student to fully accredited teacher overnight, for example. The state of Adele and Emma's relationship is equally implied through the dialogue. They show enough that you know how and why everything went the way it did, but you kind of wish they showed you more. Which is a pretty impressive feat for a three-hour movie. I could see the eventual Criterion special edition having a really long director's cut.

(Criterion is releasing a barebones theatrical version initially, and has said a special edition with features is coming later.)

Anyway, I really loved the beginning, wouldn't even put the big sex scene in my top ten great sex scenes, and question whether the remainder of the movie does the beginning justice.

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 12-08-2013, 09:55 AM:

apparently the news / intent is that the director want's to reinstate some 40 minutes of footage for the Criterion special edition later in 2014.

as to the movie, I thought the cinematography was outstanding and fascinating - the ultra up close compositioning gave it an even more intimate feel and style.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 12-08-2013, 01:50 PM:

Criterion is not. releasing BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR later in 2014 . It is actually being released in two months in a combo Blu Ray/DVD edition on February 11th in it's original theatrical running time of three hours and seven minutes . Criterion has indicated that they will be releasing a special edition of the film with a much longer running time later.

I have not seen the movie but have heard only good things about it.

-Claude

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 12-08-2013, 11:25 PM:

actually Claude, the first release will be the theatrical cut and minimum supplements, a second version will be the supposed longer cut and more supplements:

(from Criterion's webpage):

- New high-definition digital transfer, approved by director Abdellatif Kechiche, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
- Trailer and TV spot
- New English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic B. Ruby Rich

A full special edition treatment of this film will follow at a later date.

Posted by Stu Jamieson (Member # 4626) on 02-15-2014, 06:16 PM:

Winner of the Palm d'Or last year, it's almost a disappointment that the narrative in Blue is the Warmest Colour is so conventional. Following a young outsider as she finds herself in the reflection of another, finding her own social circle and her place within it. Then moving onto the challenges of "marriage" with it's evolving interpersonal relations and the effects and strains of individual careers upon it, resulting in largely predictable outcomes. It's an oft used narrative we've seen many times before, the only newish twist here being the lesbian angle.

But seeing the film purely in these terms is selling it short by a sizeable margin. The beauty here is in the quality of the considerable performances. Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos give it their all - and I'm not just talking about the numerous semi-explicit sex scenes between the pair. The performances don't feel like performances at all; they feel so real that one wonders whether we're actually watching non-actors. This is especially so for Exarchopoulos whose performance is so subtle yet layered that you'd swear she was merely playing herself. It's an example of impeccable casting. Seydoux is similarly good but she has less opportunity to shine - it's not her story after all.

As indicated by it's literal title, The Life of Adele - Chapters 1 and 2, the film is presented in two distinct parts. In fact, at nearly 3 hours long, it's practically two distinct movies. But it's a credit to the performances and direction that the film rarely feels long. The pacing of the second half is perfect; the first half is a little slow to start but by the time you reach the films conclusion this matters not a jot. I suspect a second viewing would reveal the necessity of the films slow measured start, in any case. The pacing reminds of another great French "blue" movie, Betty Blue, which elicits similar emotional attachments by the movies end.

The films downbeat ending is a credit to the producers. Yes, it's tragic, but it's real and it's the only sensible conclusion that can be arrived at - at least at this point in the story. Hollywood ending this is not, but neither is it the wrist-slitting "European" ending. It aims not for spectacle but rather a resoluteness to the disappointments, regrets and ultimate realities of our emotional existence.

8.5 out of 10