Louis-Marie Taillefer Movies
An international collection of well-known directors contributed to this compilation film, each fashioning a short film inspired by an aria from a famous opera. The approaches vary broadly, from the playful abstraction of Jean-Luc Godard's segment, which illustrates Armide with exercising body-builders, to the more literal approach of Franc Roddam, who transports Tristan und Isolde's story to modern-day Las Vegas. A particular stand-out is Julian Temple's take on Rigoletto, which recasts Verdi as the accompaniment to a contemporary Southern California sex farce. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Theresa Russell, Nicola Swain, (more)
- 1987
- PG
In 19th century Europe, it was not uncommon in times of war for young aristocrats to hire peasant boys to fight in their place. Such a surrogate is portrayed by Cris Campion in the French Field of Honor (Champ d'Honneur). The conflict at hand is the Franco-Prussian war, which was virtually fought in the backyards of its combatants. Finding himself behind enemy lines, Campion befriends a Prussian soldier who, like himself, is a substitute. Together, Campion and his new comrade try to elude capture, learning a great deal about each other along the way. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cris Campion, Pascale Rocard, (more)
Based on the play by Christopher Durang, Robert Altman's Beyond Therapy is a comedy set in New York City but filmed in Paris, where Altman was living at the time. Arrogant Bruce (Jeff Goldblum) grows bored with his live-in lover, Bob (Christopher Guest), so he looks for a change by placing an ad in the personals. He meets neurotic Prudence (Julie Hagerty) at a French restaurant and they prove to be a terrible match-up. Then Bruce goes to see his therapist, Charlotte (Glenda Jackson), who has a strange disorder herself. In the same building, Prudence goes to see her own bizarre therapist, Stuart (Tom Conti), who believes in sex with his patients. Charlotte and Stuart also have an arrangement where they meet for anonymous sexual trysts. Meanwhile, Bob's mother (Genevieve Page) is worried about her son's relationship with Bruce and she interferes with everything. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Julie Hagerty, Jeff Goldblum, (more)
- 1985
Adapted from his successful German TV series about a cop named Schimanski (Gotz George), director Hajo Gies has this Polish policeman going after the killers in a vile multiple homicide. When Schimanski discovers that a young friend and his family have been brutally murdered, his investigation steps on the wrong toes, and he is suspended from the force. His reporter-girlfriend catches on to the hot story he is chasing down, and they go after a suspect whose underworld activities link him to drug lords in Marseilles. The question is, can Schimanski and his girlfriend stop competing with each other long enough to unplug the Marseilles connection? ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Götz George, Renan Demirken, (more)
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