"Silence in the theaters" - and they mean it

"Let them eat cake."















Today, I had my first Japanese movie theatres experience: I saw Marie Antoinette in WB theatres in Onojo City. First, the experience, and then the movie.

I recently started to have friends over my place for movies, cakes, and chats - and the last friend I had over, she told me how much fun she had. "I can never laugh as freely or loudly when I'm watching movies at the theatres, or even just at home with my friends!" When I inquired why, the only and inadequate reason she gave was that "I guess we're just shy. And it's weird." Okay, I thought... I want to experience that kind of silence. And maybe break it.

But I didn't... not really. To begin with, I guess Marie-Antoinette isn't realy a Comedy, so that kind of saves me from the condemnation for being too cowardly to thwart Japanese social norms out the window... but I did not stifle my laughter during the really funny parts, or, at least what I thought were funny. Louder than a giggle, but not as freely as I wished to laugh. With this movie, I'm just not completely certain whether it's because it's difficult for the Japanese to understand English (or pardonnez-moi, French) humour, or that "Silence in the theatres" really is an unspoken yet widely acknowledged rule in Japanese society.

I'll look into that... and the next film that will assist me in this quest for truth (hehe) would be Shrek... 2.


MARIE-ANTOINETTE

If I had to use only one word to describe what I thought of the movie, it would be, Dazzling. Maybe that has to do with the fancy, lavishedly decorated sweets exhibited throughout the movie, or the irrational abundance of her exquisite clothes. But I thought Kirsten Dunst outshone through all of this, and really embraced her role as she took on the crown of France as a confused teenager, a heartbroken daughter, a desperate woman, and a girl at heart who simply longs to live a life of her own. She stepped into the eccentric shoes of Marie-Antoinette and brought her to screen in a new, stunning light.

As for the pop music and modern dialogue, I found it to be surprisingly natural and fitting for the movie, and thought the segment of "I WANT CANDY" quite enjoyable. One thing which fell short of my expectations though, was the abrupt scene editing and the unsmoothed sound editing. But overall, it was amusing, loud at times, serene at others, exquisitely dressed, delicious, strong, and dazzling.

p.s. I stopped by my favourite cake shop, Le Couple, this morning and spotted a "Marie-Antoinette". It'll be my dessert after breakfast tomorrow morning. それとも、誕生日ケーキね。