Tag Archives: film based on a novel

‘The Master’ of our times (film: Master i Margarita / The Master and Margarita – Michael Lockshin, 2023)

Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel ‘The Master and Margarita’ was written between 1928 and 1940, but the writer never saw it published. The first – censored – version of the book appeared in the USSR in 1966. I guess this is the … Continue reading

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cool psychological thriller on the shores of the Lac Léman (film: Merci pour le chocolat – Claude Chabrol, 2000)

In 2000, Claude Chabrol, having turned 70 years old, was entering his last decade of life and cinematic career. ‘Merci pour le chocolat‘ (distributed in the English-language market under the rather funny title ‘Nightcap‘) was the sixth film in which … Continue reading

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bloody thrones (film: La reine Margot – Patrice Chéreau, 1994)

Historical movies are getting old too. ‘La reine Margot‘, the adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ novel produced by Claude Berri and written (in collaboration) and directed by Patrice Chéreau was made in 1994. I am passionate about history (including historical books … Continue reading

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Claude Berri’s elegant farewell (film: Ensemble, c’est tout – Claude Berri, 2007)

‘Ensemble, c’est tout’ (2007) is the last film that Claude Berri wrote (based on a novel by Anna Gavalda) and directed to the end. His filmography ends with another film (‘Trésor’), which he was unable to finish and see released, … Continue reading

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Brigitte Bardot investigates (film: Voulez-vous danser avec moi? – Michel Boisrond, 1959)

Director Michel Boisrond had already secured in the mid-1950s a name for himself in the history of French cinema, being among the first to cast in leading roles Brigitte Bardot and, a little later, Alain Delon. The collaboration with Brigitte … Continue reading

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another movie about the Boleyn sisters (film: The Other Boleyn Girl – Justin Chadwick, 2008)

One does not learn the history of Verona from ‘Romeo and Juliet’ – neither from Shakespeare’s play, nor from Zeffirelli’s film, nor from Prokofiev’s ballet. This is what historical treatises are written and read for. Likewise, the story of the … Continue reading

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the loneliness of the contract killer (film: Le rapace – José Giovanni, 1968)

The life of writer, screenwriter and director José Giovanni can be good material for the script of a movie waiting to be made in the future. Giovanni was far from a nice guy in his youth, and when he became … Continue reading

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not only for gourmets (film: La passion de Dodin Bouffant – Anh Hung Tran, 2023)

From the original French title of the film ‘La passion de Dodin Bouffant‘ the essential word we must remember is passion. The 2023 film by director Anh Hung Tran (English title is ‘The Taste of Things‘) depicts a love story … Continue reading

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an improbable love story (film: Mademoiselle Chambon – Stéphane Brizé, 2009)

‘Mademoiselle Chambon‘ is the first film from Stéphane Brizé‘s filmography that I have the opportunity to watch. It was made in 2009 and the script, on which Brizé is co-author, is an adaptation of a novel by Eric Holder. It’s … Continue reading

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cinema of the uncles (film: Les tontons flingueurs – Georges Lautner, 1963)

Almost every reference to ‘Les tontons flinguers‘ includes the phrase ‘cult film’. To be honest, I don’t know exactly what this expression means, but I suspect that what is meant in this case is that director Georges Lautner‘s film has … Continue reading

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