Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (2009)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	Interviews-Crew-Director Jan Kounen (17.53) Deleted Scenes-15 (19.20) Featurette-Making Of-(20.22) Theatrical Trailer-(1.43)
Rating
Year Of Production	2009
Running Time	113:54 (Case: 118)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Jan Kounen
Studio Distributor	Madman Entertainment	Starring	Anna Mouglalis Mads Mikkelsen Yelena Morozova Natacha Lindinger Grigori Manukov Radivoje Bukvic Nicolas Vaude Anatole Taubman Erick Desmarestz
Case	Amaray-Transparent
RPI	$34.95	Music	Gabriel Yared

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	French Dolby Digital 2.0 (224Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	2.35:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	2.35:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English English Alternate Subtitles	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     Did the great, if controversial, Russian composer Igor Stravinsky and the Parisian fashion and perfume icon Coco Chanel have an affair in the summer of 1920? Biographers of both artists record merely the footnote that Stravinsky spent two weeks at her house, and nothing more. There have been more spurious facts on which to base a biopic but director Jan Kounen is not really interested in making a strict biography. His film Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky is more about two tortured geniuses sharing their sad passion.

     When we first meet Stravinsky (Mads Mikkelsen) he is experiencing the worst night of his professional life. The ballet Le Sacre de Printemps (Rites of Spring) is premiering to almost universal outrage in Pairs. It is 1913 and the outrage is not limited to booing and jeers, the police are called and a riot breaks out; all over some strange and challenging music and some freestyle ballet choreography from the Ballet Russes of Sergei Diaghelev and choreographer Nijinsky. As chaos reigns one lone woman seems impressed if confused. It is Coco Chanel (Anna Mouglalis).

     Seven years later and Chanel is a major success but Stravinsky is down on his luck. The intervening years have proved tragic for both of them. Chanel has lost her young, dashing English lover Arthur "Boy" Capel (Anatole Taubman) and Stravinsky’s loving wife Katarina (Yelena Morozova) is dying of consumption. Chanel invites the now exiled and penniless Stravinsky to her empty home. Despite her ills Katarina can still smell a seductress from a mile away and the arty pair fall into a love affair under her very nose. Still Katarina seems to grudgingly accept the liaison so long as her husband’s art is advancing. The recent Coco Avant Chanel presented one era of this iconic figure's life and this film presents another but it has to be said that in neither does she come off very well. The Chanel of this film is an unknowable woman whose desire for Stravinsky is akin to an attempt to absorb his genius. For his part Stravinsky is also a vain artist.

     The opening scenes in 1913 are worth the price of admission alone. Director Kounen takes us into the heart of the maelstrom. Even though the actual choreography was lost we feel like we are in the theatre in Paris when the drama went down. The remainder of the film, the love story, is a film of long looks and glances. Those who want their love stories a bit more brisk and hot-blooded may find the pace of this film a little slow. It requires some patience, indeed a surrender to the spirit of Chanel. Once, perhaps if, you have fallen into its rhythms the film becomes entrancing. The costumes of course are stunning, beautifully detailed recreations of the haute couture of the day.

     If Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky doesn't work as a standard love story because of the slowly dying wife in the other room. The acting from the central pair is excellent.Mouglalis knows her Chanel, having modelled Chanel for several years.

     Better seen as a sad romance between two people damaged in their own different ways; dry and analytical in its love and yet languorous and sensual seen from another angle.

Video

     Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky was shot on 35mm film and projected in the cinema at a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The original aspect ratio has been preserved for this DVD release. It is 16x9 enhanced.

     The image quality is sharp without being overly so, suiting the mood of the piece. The film balances the somewhat dull chamber rooms with lavish spectacles. The colours are stable and bright throughout. In particular, the red and golds of the theatre are superbly conveyed by the transfer. The flesh tones are accurate.

     There are no technical defects with the transfer. The grain is mild and one has to search hard to find evidence of compression.

     There are removable subtitles in English.

Video Ratings Summary

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Audio

     Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky comes with a slightly underwhelming French Dolby Digital 2.0 track running at 224 Kb/s. This is no action powerhouse and the focus of the film is really at the centre channel but it still would have been nice to get a surround track. All those social gathering scenes would have benefitted from a deeper sound palette. The film does get a 5.1 track in Region 1.Still, for what we have it is not too bad. The dialogue can all be heard clearly and the music of Stravinsky emerges to appropriate effect.

     There is also an original score by Gabriel Yared which sublimely undercuts the drama and passion of the piece.

     The actors appear to be in audio sync.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
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Overall

     There are a wealth of extras added to this DVD.

Menu Animation

     I have pretty much given up on commenting on menu animations unless a real effort has been made to make them impressive. Here the menus are framed nicely in picture frames with Chanel designs. Simple yet elegant.

Making of Featurette (20.22)

     An interesting and informative Making of this includes lots of background information about the film and most interestingly lots of footage on location and in preparation - including the round table discussions over characterisation between the actors. Whether this is a rare addition because it is classed as "secret actors business" or not it is a welcome addition to this featurette.

Deleted Scenes (19:42)

     There are 15 deleted scenes here. The longest is almost 3 minutes and the shortest under 30 seconds. Whilst interesting to watch they were almost universally well advised omissions for a film that already has a leisurely pace.

Interview with Jan Kounen (17:53)

     This is a good interview, in English, with the director. It is pound for pound probably of more value than a commentary track as he chooses the most important aspects upon which to elaborate such as the themes and ideas behind the film and the approach he took to the material.

Theatrical Trailer (1.43)

     The short trailer.

     This film is available in other Regions but only Region 4 has the interview. Bonus! Region 1 does have the 5.1 track though. I would still go for the Region 4.

     After its startling beginning Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky will divide viewers as it takes an artistic and languorous approach to the story of these two alleged lovers. Persevere, for the film does reward with its quality acting, superb music and rich costuming.

     The transfer is very good both in sound and vision terms. The extras are interesting and informative.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall