sophia coppola – We Are Movie Geeks

THE BEGUILED is director/writer Sophia Coppola’s remake of an offbeat, little-seen 1971 gem that starred Clint Eastwood. Though directed by Don Siegel, best known for tough crime drama (he directed Clint in DIRTY HARRY the same year), the original had a strong feminist bent, so it’s seems suitable that the story is retold from a woman filmmaker’s perspective. The new film is faithful to the original to the point where it may seem unnecessary to some, but it’s a compelling story and Ms Coppola and her cast do an admirable job.

THE BEGUILED is a haunting gothic western that takes place near the end of the Civil War in a Southern mansion that functions as a small all-girls private school. As the war rages on outside its wrought-iron gates, headmistress Martha Farnsworth (Nicole Kidman) tries to maintain civility inside. The youngest student Amy (Oona Laurence), discovers injured Union soldier John McBurney (Colin Farrell) while out mushroom-hunting. She brings him back to the school where the women agree to hide him until he is strong enough to survive a Confederate prison camp. It’s not long before some of the women starts throwing themselves at McBurney, who takes advantage of the situation (and the women). There’s inexperienced Edwina (Kirsten Dunst), the sole teacher at the school who immediately takes a romantic interest in McBurney while pouty Alicia (Elle Fanning), one of the older students, also has her eyes on him. And then there’s Martha, torn between her longings for McBurney and the safety of the girls. The sexual tension becomes increasingly thick until it all comes to a head in a burst of violence and revenge as McBurney learns the hard way that Hell hath no fury like a gang of man-deprived women scorned.

THE BEGUILED has an eerie atmosphere thanks in part to the hazy, candle-lit glow of Phillipe Le Sourd’s 35mm, all-natural lensing and the mournful score by Laura Karpman that perfectly complements the mood of the film. Coppola’s calculated direction and her taut, tight screenplay (the film runs just 85 minutes) bring out the best in the cast. Farrell fill’s Eastwood’s shoes surprisingly well in the unsympathetic role of McBurney. Although we feel bad about the condition he’s in, we soon realize what an amoral, manipulative scoundrel he is (though Clint was even worse in the original, even enticing young Amy). The female cast fits perfectly to their roles – from Kidman’s yearning spinster, to Dunst’s fragile virgin with chaste romantic fantasies, to Fanning’s beguiling vixen. The BEGUILED is a carefully-paced and elegant film and is recommended.

4 of 5 Stars

THE BEGUILED opens in St. Louis June 30 at Landmark’s Tivoli Theater and Plaza Frontenac Theater.

Earlier this week, I had a few minutes to speak with co-director Keith Scholey about the experience of filming the extraordinary story of AFRICAN CATS out in the African savanna. “First of all we had a great team working with us and out in the Masai Mara, there are many great camps and resources that were most helpful. Everyone worked really incredibly together and that made it a little easier to be out there for the couple of years it took to film this story.”

I asked Scholey about some of the challenges they faced in trying to stay with the animals, or “characters” in the narrative:

“With such a huge time commitment with these animals, the biggest fear is that after all that filming, they just disappear and you lose track of them. Over the few years that we were out there filming, we had great field teams and we were able to stay with the animals day after day. For example, with Sita (the cheetah) we developed a routine of going out at first light to the place we last saw her and got to know her habits and routines. Same with the lions, although they move around more at night. There are times when you don’t see them for a day or two – it takes an incredible amount of patience.”

Directors (L-R) Alastair Fothergill, Keith Scholey

With so many animals in such a large landscape, I wondered how they were able to tell the animals they were filming apart from all the rest:

“After a being out there as long as we were, we got to know our subjects pretty well and it became easier to tell them apart. Many of them have certain places they go and certain habits that made it easier to know who they were.”

I then wanted to touch on the aspect of wildlife filming that I think a lot of people wonder about – not interfering with nature. I’ve always wondered how hard it would be to watch a defenseless cub or a weak calf carried off by predators.

Said Scholey, “First off, there are very strict rules within the national park system in Africa. You are not allowed to interfere in any way with the animals. It’s against the law. But then there is the question of do you have the right to interfere? And the answer is no. You have no right to interfere because you have to consider the consequences. Interfering even once causes a chain reaction and you end up having to go further and further to manage the situation and where does it stop? A perfect example is the thousands of wildebeests that cross the Mara River each year during the migration. Hundreds are lost to the crocodiles in the river. People have often asked “why don’t they just build a bridge?” Suddenly you are directly affecting the survival of the crocodiles and the other predators of the river and the delicate balance of the whole eco-system.”

When speaking about the awesome experience seeing this film on the big screen, Scholey couldn’t have agreed more. “I’m so glad you said that! It is quite different than seeing it on a small screen or DVD. You feel it so much more seeing it on the big screen. You almost feel what its like to actually be there.”

Synopsis:

An epic true story set against the backdrop of one of the wildest places on Earth, AFRICAN CATS captures the real-life love, humor and determination of the majestic kings of the savanna. Narrated by Oscar®-nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson, the story features Mara, an endearing lion cub who strives to grow up with her mothers strength, spirit and wisdom; Sita, a fearless cheetah and single mother of five mischievous newborns; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a rival lion and his sons. Disneynature brings “The Lion King” to life on the big screen in this True Life Adventure directed by Keith Scholey and Alastair Fothergill (Earth). An awe-inspiring adventure blending family bonds with the power and cunning of the wild, African Cats leaps into theatres TOMORROW on Earth Day, April 22, 2011.

Like AFRICAN CATS on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Disneynature. Follow the film on Twitter: twitter.com/Disneynature

There was a special NY screening of AFRICAN CATS on Saturday, April 16th, at the Crosby Street Hotel!

Filmmakers Keith Scholey & Alastair Fothergill hosted the following special guests and their families: Keri Russell, Brooke Shields, Sophia Coppola & NBC’s Natalie Morales.