HOME   News   Reviews   Adv Search   Features   My DVD   About   Apps   Stats     Search:
  Directed by
  Starring
  Specs
  • 16:9 Enhanced
  Languages
  • French: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
  Subtitles
    English
  Extras
  • Cast/crew biographies
  • Photo gallery
  • Animated menus
  • Dolby Digital trailer
  • Jacket picture

The Dreamlife of Angels

20th Century Fox/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment . R4 . COLOR . 1 mins . MA15+ . PAL

  Feature
Contract

The Dreamlife of Angels, a 1998 French arthouse film by director Erick Zonca, is a DVD best done justice by a rainy Sunday afternoon, lashings of hot chocolate and a box of four-ply tissues. It is a drifting, surreal study of the lives of two young working class French women; their friendship, relationships and struggle to survive the gritty realities of their lives.

The story is based around the friendship between Isa (Élodie Bouchez) and Marie (Natacha Régnier), who meet in an oppressive sewing factory in Lille, France. The two lonely souls tumble into an intense friendship, as the homeless Isa is taken in by Marie, who is housesitting the home of a mother and daughter who lie in a coma in hospital, following a car accident.

A central theme of the film is escapism, which both Isa and Marie attempt in vastly different ways. Isa is a drifter and a dreamer, who survives through sustaining a wide-eyed, romantic detachment from reality, floating from one dead end job to the next, but never compromising her imagination. Marie seeks more concrete escapism. As her mother continues to smile vacantly through an abusive relationship, her take on the world is distrustful and self protective. But her desperate wish to be ‘rescued’ from her reality leads to her opening herself up to be taken advantage of; allowing her defences and judgement to be disarmed by any guy offering her a half baked promise of a better life.

While this all sounds very serious, as with many French films, The Dreamlife of Angels injects plenty of subtle and gorgeous moments to sustain you through the emotional journey. And the performances across the board are stellar. Élodie Bouchez is fascinating as the dreamy Isa; you can’t help but grin along with her gorgeous smile, which lights up the darkest moments. Natacha Régnier captures the vulnerable, defensive, beautiful, drawn Marie perfectly. The entire ensemble is completely genuine and convincing, with a cast of the good, the bad, the ugly and the real steering the movie to its gripping conclusion.

  Video
Contract

Anamorphically presented in 1:78:1, the picture is clear and dark, with rich colours. While the amped up contrast and dark colours are immediately noticeable, once the story swings in, being so well suited to the subject matter, they are quickly forgotten. The dim, stark picture immediately draws you into a ‘winter in Europe’ feel, encouraged by the girls' protective, warm clothing, and the dark French streets and skies. Even scenes by the beach are shrouded in cloud; one can’t help but wonder if filming was called off when Lille happened upon a sunny day. The picture is let down by noticeable grain in parts, which unfortunately can’t be excused by a rainy grainy day. The filming, as with the transgression of the story, is drawn out, up close and intimate; involving and effective.

  Audio
Contract

Well, the sound quality of the dialogue can’t be commented upon too succinctly, as this reviewer wouldn’t have had the froggiest what they were on about without the aid of little yellow words at the bottom of the screen. Oh, and pardon the pun. Music is used subtly… a little too subtly perhaps. While the aim was likely to increase realism, allowing a feel as though you’re sitting quietly in the corner as the characters engage in conversation, a little musical encouragement always pushes a film along pleasantly. Particularly in the case of The Dreamlife of Angels, as the opening and credits demonstrate conclusively that whoever was involved with the choice of music for the film has wonderful taste. While the point of keeping the film purely to dialogue is clear, the scanty amounts of music may well leave you wanting more. What is delivered, in Dolby Digital 2.0, comes across as relatively clear, with the roar of a motorcycle and the swoosh of the ocean upon the sand delivered faithfully and true to life.

  Extras
Contract

We have a jacket picture, an anamorphically enhanced menu, an un-subtitled trailer (of very poor quality), the option of turning the subtitles ‘on’ or ‘off’, and an extras menu. The extras menu contains a photo gallery, comprising eight grainy but touching shots of the two girls, and a filmography of the two female leads and director Erick Zonca (and my, they have been busy boys and girls). There is also ‘more from Palace films’ in the form of trailers for the films Facing Window, Read My Lips, My Man and Angela. All of which made this reviewer want to see the aforementioned films. While the format drops back to letterbox, the pictures are nice and clear, and the presentation of the previews is interesting. If you, similarly, have a penchant for foreign films, you’ll no doubt have the same response. While the extras aren’t extensive, they’ve gone to some effort, and what they’ve done has been done properly.

  Overall  
Contract

The Dreamlife of Angels drifts across the screen surreally, as a steady series of mounting occurrences which build upon each other until the film startles you awake with a shock ending, which serves as a brutal wake up call. The reality of life for those trapped in the lowest class, which is unfortunately and sadly still a part of modern time, is gritty and harsh, and would not have been done justice by a ‘happy princess’ ending. Entrancing, intriguing and beautifully moving.


  • LINK: http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=4083
  • Send to a friend.

    Cast your vote here: You must enable cookies to vote.
  •   
      And I quote...
    "A DVD best done justice by a rainy Sunday afternoon… entrancing, intriguing and beautifully moving."
    - Rachel Schmied
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Sony DVP-NS530
    • TV:
          Sharp SX76NF8 76cm Widescreen
    • Receiver:
          Sony HT-SL5
    • Speakers:
          Sony SS-MSP2
    • Centre Speaker:
          Sony SS-CNP2
    • Surrounds:
          Sony SS-MSP2
    • Subwoofer:
          Sony SA-WMSP3
    • Audio Cables:
          Standard Optical
    • Video Cables:
          Standard Component RCA
      Recent Reviews:
    by Rachel Schmied

    The Bear
    "The biggest, warmest, fuzziest bear hug you'll ever get from a shiny silver disc... "

    Kurt & Courtney
    "He: grunge god, defining a generation shaping musical movement. She: skanky ho-bag. This DVD: some deeply boring English git rabbiting on about them."

    The Spanish Apartment
    "Like being stuck in a broken down car with a bunch of funky, spunky Euro youngsters, it’d be loads of fun if were only going somewhere. "

    Cosi
    "Take a splash of Moulin Rouge, a dash of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and just a smidgeon of Play School on acid and you’ve got the general idea..."

    Backbeat
    "Vibrant, gritty, exciting and very real. Not only in the ridiculously well cast Beatles youngsters, but in the great capture of the era and vibe. You’ll feel like you’ve both been there and bought the T-shirt. "

      Related Links
      None listed

     

    Search for Title/Actor/Director:
    Google Web dvd.net.au
       Copyright © DVDnet. All rights reserved. Site Design by RED 5   
    rss