|
Irma Vep (Essential Edition) | 
 enlarge | Director: Olivier Assayas
Actors: Maggie Cheung, Jean-pierre Leaud, Nathalie Richard, Bulle Ogier, Lou Castel
Studio: Zeitgeist Films
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $16.96
You Save: $13.03 (43%)
New (25) Used (4) from $16.96
Sales Rank: 23814
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc, Original Recording Remastered, Special Edition, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language)
Rating: Unrated
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 96 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 1109
UPC: 795975110938
EAN: 0795975110938
ASIN: B001G0LC1E
Theatrical Release Date: 1996
Release Date: December 9, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New and Factory Sealed Item Fast Shipping
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
In the tradition of films about filmmaking, Irma Vep takes its own special place among such films as Fellini's 8 . A has-been director decides to remake the silent French serial film Les Vampires starring a Hong Kong action film superstar. The production is falling behind schedule and its star, Maggie Cheung (who plays herself), finds herself an outsider with the film's crew save for a woman costumer (Nathalie Richard) who has a crush on her. Rene the director (Jean-Pierre Leaud) cast Maggie after viewing one of her many martial-arts fantasy films. Although he finds her perfect for the part of the jewel thief in Les Vampires, the rest of the crew cannot see the reasons for casting Maggie beyond her beauty and how she looks in her tight-fitting latex costume. Rene's vision is soon lost on everyone and he suffers a mental breakdown. The film is reassigned to Jose (Lou Castel), a seemingly more commanding director (although he takes the job because his welfare is about to run out), whose first decision is to fire Maggie. Irma Vep is presented as a comedy, but at its heart lies an examination of the art and craft of filmmaking. In a clever turn, Maggie creeps around her hotel getting into character, in essence remaking Irma Vep for real-life director Olivier Assayas. Assayas wrote the film in 10 days and shot the film in a month after meeting Maggie Cheung at a film festival--a fascinating case of life imitating art... or is it the other way around? --Shannon Gee
Product Description
Hong Kong action diva Maggie Cheung (Ashes of Time Redux, In the Mood for Love) plays herself in Olivier Assayas' spiky satire of the French film industry. After seeing her in Johnny To's Heroic Trio, past-his-prime director René Vidal (New Wave legend Jean-Pierre Léaud) impetuously casts Cheung as the lead in his remake of the silent classic Les Vampires. Unable to speak a word of French, Cheung tries to navigate the disorganized production while clad in a head-to-toe rubber catsuit and receiving cryptic direction from Vidal. Things only get crazier as she juggles a lovesick bisexual costumer (Nathalie Richard), a gossipy executive's wife (Bulle Ogier) and the whole backbiting crew. With freewheeling shots choreographed to the strains of Sonic Youth and Luna, Irma Vep immerses the viewer into the heady desperation and l'amour fou of modern moviemaking. Zeitgeist Films celebrates its 20th Anniversary with a sparkling new DVD release of this supercool comic gem.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- 16:9 Anamorphic transfer, available for the first time in North America
- Audio commentary: a discussion with director Olivier Assayas and critic Jean-Michel Frodon
- 30 minutes of never before seen on-set footage, plus an additional audio essay by Assayas and Frodon
- "Man Yuk: A Portrait of Maggie Cheung" (1997), a short film by Assayas
- Black-and-white rushes of Cheung as Irma Vep on Parisian rooftops
- Original French theatrical trailer
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired
- 16-page booklet with essays on Maggie Cheung and Les Vampires director Louis Feuillade by Assayas, and a new appreciation by critic Kent Jones
|
|
|
Copyright 2008 DVDonsale.com | |
