Max Ophüls
Blu-Ray Review: La Ronde
There’s a strange and quite frankly farcical notion that in the ‘good old days’ everyone held hands until after marriage and promiscuity was something which only happened in the shadows. Sure, your gender and social class had a huge bearing on your ability to ‘play the field’, but it wasn’t the be all and end …
Blu-Ray Review: Montparnasse 19
The portrait of a tortured artist is one which has inspired fascination and sometimes imitation for hundreds of years. Alcoholism and drug addiction can become romantic notions when they’re associated with the likes of Hemingway, van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, Coleridge or Dickens. Indeed, these kinds of excesses have become synonymous with those who are considered creative …
Blu-Ray Review: Le Plaisir
Some celluloid experiences are just pure pleasure. Aptly named, Le Plaisir is one such film. Based on a triptych of tales by Guy de Maupassant, Max Ophuls brings the bewildering decadence of late 19th century France to life on the screen. His camera roams around luxurious ballrooms, high class brothels and artist studios, dazzling and …
Blu-Ray Review: Madame de….
Nothing has captivated audiences from the advent of ‘talkies’ quite like great romantic drama. Whether it’s Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Dr Zhivago or Brief Encounter, there’s something exhilarated in being swept-up in the moment. Director Max Ophüls was a fan of romance too (as many of his actresses would attest). He made several films …