The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of our all time favorite books. The story of this corrupted young man who wanted to stay young and beautiful forever is fascinating. We first watched the 1945 version several years ago not long after reading the book for the first time.

Lord Henry Hotton arrives to the house of his painter friend, Basil Hallward where he sees for the first time the portrait of an extraordinary beautiful young man, Dorian Gray. The painter is clearly infatuated with his model which makes Hotton even more curious and eager to meet him.
From the first moment they set eyes on each other, it’s clear these two will have a strong bond. After a conversation about life and youth, Dorian will seal his fate wishing that his portrait would get old instead of him. Lord Henry will easily drag him to his hedonistic world. A life of vice and sin starts…

This movie is considered by many the best adaptation of the book (at least until now!) and one of the reasons of its success is the chemistry between Lord Henry and young Dorian Gray. The master and its pupil. The way Hurd Hatfield looks expectantly at Hotton waiting for praise and good counsel is brilliant. Just like the visible fascination the older man has for the beauty of Dorian.

George Sanders does an incredible job has the witty Lord Henry Hutton. The blasé aristocrat who pursues constantly a life of pleasure without any care for the consequences charms and repels with his provocative opinions which often cause dismay among his pairs. His lazy posture and careful speech clearly show he seems at ease in his role, delivering an amazing performance.

Hatfield’s Dorian is perhaps a little too rigid during some scenes with Sibyl but when Lord Henri is around, his face seems to shine with pleasure. His quiet elegance and unemotional attitude can be a bit disturbing sometimes… The way he looks at Basil when he sees the painting is so calculating and cruel. But in the final scene, the array of emotions on his face are subtle but almost overwhelming.

After watching so many episodes of Murder, She Wrote, it’s always a surprise to see the wonderful Angela Lansbury as the innocent and generous actress Sibyl Vane. She tries to bring out the best from Dorian without much success. He is only interested in her talent and how that makes him feel, scorning her at the very first occasion.

My only complaint would be the settings of the Victorian London East End that seem almost picturesque and far from the reality, however nothing that really spoil the atmosphere of the scenes.

Besides the sterling performances of the entire cast, this adaptation really captures the spirit of the book which is not an easy task. A must-see for fans of the book and for those who always enjoy a good movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037988/

Champaner, India, 1893, . Waiting anxiously for the monsoon, the peasants of a small village are getting worried about the upcoming tax payment, lagaan, imposed by the British. When the villagers ask the officers for a delay, the arrogant and despicable British officer, Captain Russell, sees an occasion to humiliate the villagers even more and demands a double lagaan. Then the unthinkable happens, Russell challenges one of the young man of Champaner, Bhuvan, to a cricket match. In case they win, no taxes will be charged for 3 years but if they lose, the tax will triple. Russell is confidant, the villagers don’t know the rules of the game and it was impossible for them to build a team capable of beating the British in only three months.

Lagaan is a movie about courage, freedom, social inequity and love. At the end of the 19th century the relations between Indians and British are getting more strained. We can feel the thirst for freedom from those villagers and admire their resistance to the British occupation. The director doesn’t forget also the complex problem of the Indian castes and the power they have in their society. The difficult life of peasants who depend of the monsoon and the success of their harvest is still an actual problem.

Bhuvan (Aamir Khan) is the typical Indian hero: handsome, brave, intelligent with a good sense of humour. He is immediately seen as the leader of the team and each time a problem arises, everyone looks for him for a solution. He is impossible to resist especially during the scenes when he gently teases the beautiful young Gauri. The song O Roi Chori is one of our favourites and a clear example of the chemistry between the two actors.

Gauri (Gracie Singh) is a strong willed Indian girl with a golden heart. She’s been in love for Bhuvan all her life and is waiting for a proposal. When Elizabeth Russell arrives into their lives, she feels threatened…

Elizabeth (Rachel Shelley) is an extraordinary woman, she’s beautiful, generous and brave. She doesn’t hesitate to go against her brother, Captain Russell (Paul Blackthorne) when she thinks he is in the wrong. She is determined to help the villagers of Champaner in every possible way, teaching them the rules of the game but also the English language. Of course, there’s some odd scenes a bit over the top, but nothing that spoiled our enjoyment.

We certainly need to make a special note about Paul Blackthorne’s Captain Russell, an old school villain who was perfect in this story. He is everything we like to hate in a bad guy and he never forgets his duty to disgust us at the most high level.

The daily life in the village is also one of our favourite parts: the constant bickering, the rumours, the unbreakable friendship and those simple stories typical from every small community that always amuses us. Everyone in the village has a role on the team and the message is clear, to fight you need to stick together, despite the differences. Sadly the women stay a lot more in the background than we wished to…

The music is gorgeous and we end up humming many of the movie songs all day long without noticing it. A. R. Rhaman is a very talented musician. O Re Chori, O Mitwa, Radha Kaise Na Jale, O Palaanhare are simply unforgettable! The balance between the music and the story is perfect and not so often achieved in Bollywood movies.

Ashutosh Gowariker created 3h40 hours of pure entertainment with great performances, beautiful settings, eye catching costumes, incensing music and an energetic choreography. Seen several times and considered one of our favourite Indian movies, Lagaan is one of those movies who we always like to watch when in need something to cheer us up.

Highly recommended!

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0169102/

El Rey Pasmado (The Dumbfounded King)

Spain, 17th century. While leaving the bed of the well known courtesan Marfisa, the young King Phillip IV (Gabino Diego) contemplates her body. It’s the first time he sees a naked woman. Completely dumbfounded, he then decides he must see also his queen in the same lack of attiring. Of course, this provokes immediate controversy and scandal among the Court, the people and most especially members of the Inquisition. But the King is determined and he will do what it takes to get his queen naked.

Adapted from Gonzalo Torrente Ballester novel – Las Crónicas Del Rey Pasmado (highly recommended!), the movie is light but with a very appealing story about intolerance and prejudice. The great sense of humor and the witty dialogues are what make this movie so special along with the beautiful wardrobe and the superb settings, who work as perfect eye candy.

[Show as slideshow]

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102788/

Belle Époque

Fernando (Jorge Sanz), a young soldier, deserts from the army and finds himself in an old farm with an old anarchist man and his four daughters. Three of them are extremely beautiful and then there’s the younger one, Luz (Penelope Cruz), who always feels like she doesn’t belong with her lovely sisters. He will be seduced by the first three women and they all break his heart, when he finally understands that his true love is Luz.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103791/

Pan’s Labyrinth was one of our favorite movies of 2006 and we got the chance to see it again some days ago.

Spain 1944. Ofélia, a 12 year old girl is travelling with her pregnant mother to their new home. Her stepfather, the severe Captain Vidal, was appointed to a new post in the mountains where he could fight the guerrillas who rebel against General Franco. While her mother struggles to keep her unborn child safe, the young girl explores the old house and its surrounding deep mysterious forest. One day, she discovers a labyrinth and meets its guardian, the Faun, who opens the doors to a new world…

Pan’s Labyrinth is one of those marvellous stories full of magic and strong emotions but also filled with sadness. Captain Vidal is pure evil, a man without conscience or any concern for his wife or even his stepdaughter, someone who will do anything for success.

The Faun is a very mysterious character, sly and ambiguous, you can’t help but wonder what his true intentions are and you fear for young Ofelia. He reminds us of one of those old fairy tales’ characters, so unpredictable you never knew what to expect from them.

We read that the choice of the actress to play Ofelia was quite difficult to make until they finally saw Ivana Baquero. This young girl is absolutely astonishing! Full of sensibility and strength, even during the hardest moments, she always touches your heart. The anguish we felt for Ofélia when she realises she’s completely alone and under Vidal’s power is completely overwhelming. She wakes up all our protective instincts and we only wish we were able to be there for her.

One of our favorite characters is Mercedes who brings young Ofelia under her wing and keeps fighting for what she believes. Very powerful performance!

Guillermo Del Toro became one of our favorite directors. He always manages to create very deep caring characters that have trouble fitting (for those interested in fantasy/action, you have to see Hellboy).

Pan’s Labyrinth is a fairytale for grown-ups with moments of horror and violence but also with an unattainable beauty that makes it unforgettable. Highly recommended to all those who like dark stories, but beware prepare your handkerchiefs.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5d4f1nyLgg&feature=related]

Official site: http://www.panslabyrinth.com/

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457430/

The end of the year is fast approaching and it’s time to list the best historical movies movies and TV series we saw in the last twelve months. We decided not to consider only productions of 2008 but every movie and TV series we saw and commented here on the blog during this year. There are still so many past productions to explore that we thought the more the merry. In no particular order here are our 10 favourites, which are your favourites??

1. Cranford
2. Lark Rise to Candleford
3. Sense & Sensibility
4. Jodhaa Akbar
5. Sweeney Todd
6. Persuasion (2007) / Persuasion (1995) (ex-aequo, we just couldn’t decide :) )
7. Northanger Abbey
8. Lost in Austen
9. Jane Eyre
10. The Prestige

And we already have an eye out for some of the movies and series being announced for 2009/10, among those we feel might be of interest are:

1. Dorian Gray
2. Public Enemies
3. Nottingham
4. King Lear
5. Black Death
6. Bronte
7. Wuthering Heights
8. Agora
9. Pope Joan
10. Sherlock Holmes
11. Love and Virtue

With this we end 2008 and we want to wish you all a Happy New Year’s Eve. May 2009 bring you new amaizing series and the best historical movies ever!

We always try in this blog to talk about non anglophone series and movies and this was one of our main goals for this year. This time, we decide to make a little post about some favorite French period dramas.
In some cases, it was not easy to find videos and even pictures was a hard quest…

The story starts with Phillipe, le Bel and follows the French monarchy until the Hundred Years’ War. Memorable performances and a must for all those who love series set during the Middle Ages. A new version was aired a couple of years ago but it was not near as good as the original one.

[googlevideo=http://video.google.fr/videoplay?docid=-8334027040817887593&ei=W1kxSczxFIL82wK_jonrDQ&q=les+rois+maudits&hl=fr]

After the war, a man returns home but his wife knows he is not the man she was married to… Sommersby was inspired by this movie but the original is much more complex and captivating. The performance of Gérard Depardieu alone is worth the trouble of finding a copy.

(No video found…)

Inspired on the book with the same name by Alexandre Dumas, this story is set during the 16th century in France. Marguerite de Valois (Isabelle Adjani), known as la Reine Margot, is about to marry the Huguenot King of Navarre, Henry of Bourbon. Six days after, the St. Bartholomew’s Massacre takes place…
Aesthetically captivating, the scene where Margot appears dressed in white and covered in her brother’s blood will remain one of the most powerful images of the movie.

[youtube=http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=17CL22j1qOU]

Adapted from the theatre play by Edmond Rostand, this must be one of the most cherished historical movies in French cinema. We are not Gerard Depardieu fans but he is so wonderful as Cyrano that you easily get caught up in the story. The nose insults will remain one of our favorite scenes.

[youtube=http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=HFIe995kJQc]

Wife of Louis XIV, Madame de Maintenon decided to open a school for impoverish aristocratic young women. From the beginning, things become much more complicated than expected…
Isabelle Hupert is sublime in this movie as the self rightous and austere Maintenon.

[youtube=http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=-HtkWUCfV8A]

Directed by one of our favorite French directors, Gérard Corbiau, Le Roi Danse is a movie about Louis XIV and his passion for dance and music. A must for any history buff who enjoys a gripping story, perfect photography and the music of Jean-Baptiste Lully.

[youtube=http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=4o-RYmQrftI]

A biopic about Adèle Hugo (Isabelle Adjani), daughter of the famous novelist Victor Hugo, who is known for her tragic life. Her complicated relationship with her father and a non returned love dragged her slowly into madness…

[youtube=http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=fvH77u47d7k]

Another biopic with Isabelle Adjani who seems to have a gift to portray tragic and gifted young women. Camille Claudel was a sculptor and the student (and lover) of Rodin. This movie shows us how she defied social rules while becoming an artist and later an outcast for being openly involved with a married man.

[youtube=http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=eaxNm1aGKqI]

Adapted from the novel with the same name by Émile Zola, this movie is all about the life and struggling of the French miners in the North of France at the end of the 19th century. Again, Gérard Depardieu’s performance proves why he is considered one of the most talented actors of his generation.

See the movie trailer here.

The passionate love story between George Sand and Alfred Musset is brilliantly reenact by Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel. Another story with a powerful woman of the 19th century who led an original life without many regards for social conventions. A must for all Juliette Binoche’s fans!

[youtube=http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=98qdACO-g3I]

During a cholera epidemic, the young Pauline de Théus starts her journey home to join her husband when she meets Angelo Pardi, a young revolutionary who is trying to escape the Austrian authorities…
This is a beautiful love story where Juliette Binoche shows us again how marvellous she is and even Olivier Martinez, who lacks a bit of natural, manages to held our attention and hope for a happy ending.

[youtube=http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=gwpNBd8YTNg]