“Film as dream, film as music. No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls.”
― Ingmar Bergman
View from my window in Paris.
Welcome again. This time I would like to tell you how I decided to discover Paris and what I saw there. I’m really interested in French Revolution matter, so I decided to find places and people ( I mean museums, libraries and graves, as they probably don’t live any more, since 1789) connected with this matter. I would love to tell you more what I’ve learnt and, as you can guess, which movies I recommend.
My Paris trip following french revolution
I was visiting my French friend Adorlee and first movie she recommended me, I was watching witch a nice view on Eiffle Tower. The title was La Revolution Francaise (1989) by Richard T. Heffron and Robert Enrico. It lasted 6 hours but it was really worth it. I know that some people complain . Of course, if you say ,,it’s too long” I will understand, but why won’t you make a little break? Or even a few? It’s a love about the times when Louis XVI lost his authority, leading country towards financial breakdown.
It was a big costume performance, white faces, curly hair, fancy clothes and scheming around… The movie depicts the 1789 uprising and overthrow of the Bourbon dynasty. The role of Maximilien De Robespierre is performed by genius polish actor Andrzej Seweryn. It really took me into the world of french revolution, after 6 hours I felt that I was a participant of the movie! And those costumes, wonderful!
Paris attractions
La Révolution française scene from the movie
So I went to The Carnavalet Museum which is dedicated to the history of Paris and its inhabitants. There is no entry fee. If you visit Paris, don’t miss this museum. The exhibition devoted to French Revolution was simply amazing! If you want to see how the life in Paris looked like and changed there is no better place.
It’s huge and you can feel the climate of the city. Turbulent times were eternalized on beautiful pictures and the displays are vast. It is one of the oldest museums in the city and time capsule of the Paris history. And the building itself is pretty impressive as well, perfect for all photography lovers.
Movies about turbulent times in France
One of the movies with the best actors, modern and interesting is Les Miserables. This adaptation with liked and famous actors . It’s a story about love, passion, sacrifice and headstrong people who fight for what they believe in…
Les Miserables- Shooting The Barricade Battle
Those movies will show you the luxury, pageantry, carefree elite, while the rest of the country is dying from hunger. They show this small percent of the people, who lived from the hard work of the rest of society. Sorrows of poor people lead to the passionate actions, which change their lives. I guess it’s a multi-layered cross-section of social problems of the 19th century France presented in musical.
Another movie connected with French Revolution is Danton with Gérard Depardieu. It’s a polish- french movie of Andrzej Wajda, one of the best polish producers. He has also invited polish cinema stars to create a marvelous production about bloody terror. This movie is depicting the last months of Georges Danton, one of the leaders of the French Revolution. He is a passionate revolutionary who objects to the course his revolution and his life finishes quickly. Outstanding stage design, beautiful costumes and above all, great acting make this production wort all the awards possible.
Intreseting museum in France
Luxury in which Marie Antoinette lived led the country to economical crisis.
I have visited another museum connected to the subject. It was called the Musée de la Révolution française, located near Grenoble, in town of Vizille. Since I’m interested in the subject a departmental museum on the French Revolution is something I couldn’t miss.
There were a few movies which inspired me to get involved into the subject ( all the ladies, if you like romance and beautiful dresses, this one will suit you). Lady and the Duke– when suddenly lover find out that they stand in the opposite sides of the conflict. Also a bittersweet story of Marie Anntoinette, w girl who becomes a queen of France and lives in luxury, while her subjects are starving. The movie is supposed to be ,,light”, so that it finished before the tragedy happens ( their death). She was convicted by the Revolutionary Tribunal of high treason and executed in Paris, 16 October 1793. Marie scandalous princess from Austria was the last Queen of France before the French Revolution. Sopfie Coppola presents her life in really feminine, delicate and dreamy way. I hope my article was interesting for you. And I hope you will watch at least one of the movies.