Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers all about dangerous liaisons 1988 film by stephen frears. Buy dangerous liaisons directed by stephen frears online at alibris. Dangerous liaisons directed by stephen frears available. The 1988 stephen frears film dangerous liaisons, a luxurious starstudded screen version of the play, was followed by milos formans lightweight valmont, and then by cruel intentions. Bluray picture quality is an improvement over the old dvd but the only extras are an engaging commentary by director stephen frears and screenwriter christopher hampton and a theatrical trailer. Frears, stephen was born on june 20, 1941 in leicester. Beyond the actors, stephen frears direction is also great and i actually think that the final moments of the film are stronger than the finale of the novel even if only by a hair.
When love and lust get mixed up it becomes a messy affair in this awardwinning period piece by. Even the expressions from the actors which are often caught in their playful demeanour are carefully timed in the length of the shot and in the musical cue when needed. Click to read more about dangerous liaisons 1988 film by stephen frears. He subsequently directed the comedies the snapper 1993 and the van 1996, both based on novels by roddy doyle, and mary reilly 1996, a retelling of dr. You may choose to read this analysis of les liaisons dangereuses here or listen to it on the audio file at the end of the article paris update readers of a certain age will undoubtedly know les liaisons dangereuses dangerous liaisons from. Orton, and the american films dangerous liaisons 1988 and the grifters 1990, for which he received an academy award nomination. His film credits include my beautiful launderette, when sammy and rosie get laid, dangerous liaisons, high fidelity and, most. Stephen frears has a career approaching over halfacentury, directing films of astonishing variety, beauty, and daring, and yet many often have trouble remembering his name.
In the 1980s, director stephen frears made such diverse films as my beautiful laundrette, walter and prick up your ears, but its safe to say that dangerous liaisons was his most ambitious achievement. Other articles where dangerous liaisons is discussed. Dangerous liaisons 1988 stephen frears a sumptuously mounted and photographed celebration of artful wickedness, betrayal, and sexual intrigue among depraved 18thcentury french aristocrats, dangerous liaisons based on christopher hamptons les liaisons dangereuses is seductively decadent fun. In a pair of sumptuous drawingrooms, one in a parisian mansion, the other in a chateau on a luxurious estate in the countryside surrounding paris, two aristocrats are very bored. Dangerous liaisons was the first englishlanguage film adaptation of lacloss novel. It stars glenn close, john malkovich, michelle pfeiffer, swoosie kurtz, mildred natwick, peter capaldi, keanu. Glenn close and john malkovich are starring, alongside michelle pfeiffer, swoosie kurtz. So far, only stephen frears has made the soul of les liaisons. Following his victory in britain, frears broke into hollywood cinema with dangerous liaisons 1988, a drama film based on christopher hamptons play les liaisons dangereuses, which in turn was a theatrical adaptation of the 18th century french novel les liaisons dangereuses by. Uma thurman, john malkovich and glenn close in dangerous liaisons directed by stephen frears, 1988 what to watch. The ironic filmmaking of stephen frears celebrates this great filmmaker, beginning with a short biography of frears, general observations on unifying themes and styles in his oeuvre, and the characterization of. Stephen frears, michelle pfeiffer, john malkovich, keanu reeves, glenn close. Dangerous liaisons 1988, directed by stephen frears and starring glenn close, john malkovich, michelle pfeiffer and uma thurman based on. Stephen frears direction is maybe a bit more anonymous here compared to his work on the hit.
Dangerous liaisons by stephen frears glenn close, john. Stylish, seductive, and clever, stephen frears adaptation is a wickedly entertaining exploration of sexual politics. A new translation of one of the most notorious novels of all time published just years before the french revolution, lacloss great novel of moral and emotional depravity is a disturbing and ultimately damning portrayal of a decadent society. Dangerous liaisons 1988 directed by stephen frears. Stephen frears is one of the highestprofile international. Many of the difficulties of the book are perhaps inevitable in any work that chronicles seduction in epistolary form. Even the expressions from the actors which are often caught in their playful demeanour are carefully timed in the length of the shot and in the musical cue. Hampton joins director stephen frears to recall making their historical drama, the challenges of adapting its source novel, and the acting styles of john. The source material is the classic 18thcentury epistolary novel by.
Both the book and the film succeeded in making those crazy people look somewhat logical in their decisions, yet i thought they remained largely fantastical. Directed by stephen frears, starring stephen frears, michelle pfeiffer. The grifters, a cynical french sex drama dangerous liaisons and much, much more defies. I was tempted to abandon it, but i persisted and am glad, foralthough this epistolary novel of the last days of the ancien regime initially appears to be stylish but superficialit soon grows in both subtlety and power. Dangerous liaisons project gutenberg selfpublishing. With glenn close, john malkovich, michelle pfeiffer, swoosie kurtz. Stephen arthur frears born 20 june 1941 citation needed is an english film and television director. Dangerous liaisons 1988 frears has hopscotched all over the place in terms of genre, location, tone, medium and even quality, so much so that its rare to. Christopher hamptons script for dangerous liaisons 1988 won him a.
Frears has chosen fantastic music to accompany the style and enhance this aspect of the film. He has been nominated for two academy awards for best director. But its characters could step into the 20th century without missing a beat. Dangerous liaisons stephen frears 085391187226 hpb. Pleasure also follows a certain amount of time spent becoming accustomed to the stylized mannerisms of dangerous liaisons, stephen frearss handsome, intelligent adaptation of. Directed by stephen frears from a scandalous 1782 novel and christopher hamptons compelling 1986 play, dangerous liaisons is nasty, decadent fun. Director stephen frears sinfully delicious tale about the games aristocrats whom were former lovers play to exact revenge, score sexual conquests and generally stroke their own egos by using and destroying others for their. Dangerous liaisons, stephen frears, 1988 glenn close. Glenn close sex scandal, christian bale naked, rupert everett snubbed queerty john malkovich was an american actor, director, producer, and fashion designer who always walked to the beat of his own highly idiosyncratic artistic drum. This week sue lawleys castaway is the film director stephen frears. My beautiful laundrette is a 1985 british comedydrama film directed by stephen frears from a screenplay by hanif. Stephen arthur frears born 20 june 1941 is an english movie and television director. A scheming widow and her manipulative exlover make a bet.
Dangerous liaisons has a very particular rhythm which moves like a mathematical calculation. The story is one of scandalous goings on amongst the aristocracy, and the publishers made an astute marketing move when they added a foreword insisting that their opinion was that it was merely a novel. Possible loose bindings, highlighting, cocked spine or torn dust jackets. Stephen frears was born on june 20, 1941 in leicester, leicestershire, england as stephen arthur frears. Four liaisons, but only one is dangereuse the new york times. As far as i can tell, stephen frears belongs to the latter category and it was fascinating for me to watch the styleneither predetermined nor. The endless, unsettling appeal of lacloss novel comes from his portrayal of. Dangerous liaisons 1988, directed by stephen frears and starring glenn close, john malkovich, michelle pfeiffer and uma thurman based on hamptons play.
Frears has directed numerous movies since the 1980s including my beautiful laundrette, dangerous liaisons, high fidelity, the queen, philomena, and florence foster jenkins. Dangerous liaisons is a highmannered revel for the actors, who also include swoosie kurtz, mildred natwick, and keanu reeves. The screenplay was based on christopher hamptons olivier awardwinning and tony awardnominated theatrical adaptation for the royal shakespeare company, 4 directed by howard davies and featuring lindsay duncan, alan rickman and juliet stevenson the film was shot entirely on location in the. It can be seen as the quintessential expression of the excesses and evils of that ridiculously wealthy, and soontobeheadless, minority of the population of 18th.
He is a director and producer, known for dangerous liaisons. Comparison and differences of dangerous liaisons novel and. You also have glenn close, john malkovich, michelle pfeiffer and uma thurman turning in great performances. Stephen frears, english film and television director known for movies that explore social class through sharply drawn characters.
Stephen frears born june 20, 1941, british director. Stephen frears 1988 this was originally a book, written in the place and period it was set. Dangerous liaisons 1988 frears delivered power, intrigue and sexual menace with this story of elegant cynicism set in 18thcentury france a parable of the arrogant ennui that prefigured the. The extraordinary sam frears life and style the guardian. Stephen frears webchat as it happened film the guardian. The grifters seemed to derive from memories of film noir more than it grasped a real america or the jim thompson novel.
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