8 Women

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

François Ozon's musical comedy 8 Women comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The French soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. There are no supplemental materials of any consequence, but this Universal release boasts excellent sound and picture quality making it worthwhile for any devotee of French film. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Subtitle: English, Spanish
• Features:
  • cc [None specified]

AWARDS

• Berlin International Film Festival

•     Won Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution - 2002

• French Academy of Cinema

•     Nominated Best Actress - 2002 (Fanny Ardant, Isabelle Huppert)
•     Nominated Best Cinematography - 2002 (Jeanne Lapoirie)
•     Nominated Best Costumes - 2002 (Pascaline Chavanne)
•     Nominated Best Director - 2002 (François Ozon)
•     Nominated Best French Film - 2002
•     Nominated Best Original Score - 2002 (Krishna Levy)
•     Nominated Best Production Design - 2002 (Arnaud de Moleron)
•     Nominated Best Screenplay - 2002 (François Ozon, Marina de Van)
•     Nominated Best Sound - 2002 (Jean-Pierre Laforce, Benoit Hillebrant, Pierre Gamet)
•     Nominated Best Supporting Actress - 2002 (Danielle Darrieux)
•     Nominated Best Young Actress - 2002 (Ludivine Sagnier)

• National Board of Review

•     Nominated Best Foreign Film - 2002

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Catherine Deneuve - Gaby
       Isabelle Huppert - Augustine
       Emmanuelle Béart - Louise
       Fanny Ardant - Pierrette
       Virginie Ledoyen - Suzon

• Director:

  François Ozon

• Producer:

  Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missonnier

• Play Author:

  Robert Thomas

• Screenwriter:

  Marina de Van, François Ozon

• Cinematographer:

  Jeanne Lapoirie

• Composer (Music Score):

  Krishna Levy

• Editor:

  Laurence Bawedin

• Production Designer:

  Arnaud de Moleron

REVIEWS:

• After the subdued classicism of the dramatic thriller Under the Sand, director François Ozon lets loose with this star-studded camp extravaganza, and though the results are never less than immensely enjoyable, the director's hyper-ironic, postmodern take on Technicolor '50s women's pictures is in the end more than a little shallow. But depth isn't what Ozon is interested in here: 8 Women is all surface and pastiche, from the garish costumes recalling both Douglas Sirk's All That Heaven Allows and Luis Buñuel's Diary of a Chambermaid, to the curiously static musical numbers marrying François Hardy classics to Lawrence Welk-style choreography. The formula yields some delectable performances, among them a grand, icon-smashing tour de force from Catherine Deneuve; a tweedy, constipated turn from Isabelle Huppert, cast joyously against type; and Emmanuelle Béart's lip-smacking parody of the erotic-maid archetype so endemic to Gallic film history. Even the film's source material seems tailor-made to Ozon's needs: The acidic one-liners, double- and triple-crosses, and ambi-sexual character revelations all work in tandem with 8 Women's meticulously designed and over-lit sets, fake snow, and plastic deer. So while film geeks -- in particular those with an encyclopedic knowledge of French cinema -- may have a ball, those expecting a straight (in every sense of the word) comedic murder-mystery will be forgiven if they stagger out of 8 Women a little dazed and confused. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
• After the subdued classicism of the dramatic {\thriller} {#Under the Sand}, director {$François Ozon} lets loose with this star-studded camp extravaganza, and though the results are never less than immensely enjoyable, the director's hyper-ironic, postmodern take on Technicolor '50s women's pictures is in the end more than a little shallow. But depth isn't what {$Ozon} is interested in here: {#8 Women} is all surface and pastiche, from the garish costumes recalling both {$Douglas Sirk}'s {#All That Heaven Allows} and {$Luis Buñuel}'s {#Diary of a Chambermaid}, to the curiously static musical numbers marrying {$François Hardy} classics to {$Lawrence Welk}-style choreography. The formula yields some delectable performances, among them a grand, icon-smashing tour de force from {$Catherine Deneuve}; a tweedy, constipated turn from {$Isabelle Huppert}, cast joyously against type; and {$Emmanuelle Béart}'s lip-smacking parody of the erotic-maid archetype so endemic to Gallic film history. Even the film's source material seems tailor-made to {$Ozon}'s needs: The acidic one-liners, double- and triple-crosses, and ambi-sexual character revelations all work in tandem with {#8 Women}'s meticulously designed and over-lit sets, fake snow, and plastic deer. So while film geeks -- in particular those with an encyclopedic knowledge of French cinema -- may have a ball, those expecting a straight (in every sense of the word) comedic {\murder-mystery} will be forgiven if they stagger out of {#8 Women} a little dazed and confused. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide

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