Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky

The power of the camera stands out front and center in this movie about two 20th Century cultural titans. I would give the credit for magnificent, original, startling camera work to the movies director: the Dutch Frenchman Jan Kounen. As far as the acting, both Anna Mouglais, who plays the haute couture, perfume, clothes designer, and Mads Mikkelsen, who plays the composure, pianist, conductor also deserve accolades for strong performances. The movie starts out with Chanel already a successful entrepreneur who lives in a mansion in the Paris suburb. After hearing and witnessing, Stravinsky's controversial oeuvre invites him and his family of four children and wife to her mansion. He accepts and off they go to live the bourgeois life at Chanel's. Once there, he and Coco take a great pleasure in each other's company while his wife stands helplessly by in the mansion. To drown her woes, he takes pleasure at being at the mansion with her children. The storyline is strong enough to keep this story of love, infidelity, passion moving smoothly along to the end. Yet, upon seeing this film, I was amazed. more like wowed, awed, flabbergasted by the movie picture camera work, thus my giving five stars to an interesting story. I would have given four stars, but the camera angles are so intense, for example like in the forest branches twined together with the late afternoon sun in the background blocked by the leaves. Sure, both Chanel and Stravinsky, were artistic groundbreakers, changing the culture on their artistic whims. Yet, I found this movie more about the art of filmmaking. Plus the sounds of making movies, which Stravinsky excelled at, earning him a star on Hollywood's walk of fame, for composing music for some of Hollywood greatest hits. Nonetheless, Chanel and Stravinsky are 20th Century cultural icons. And this movie deserves to be treated in its own respect of greatness, as a 21st Century icon: the power of the visual is as pleasing as everything else culturally centered in this film.

My wife's choice of movies, although we are both great fans of Mads Mikkelson - anything with this Danish actor is worth seeing. He plays the role of Stravinsky - his French is passable, his Russian is, well, amusing. The production values of this movie are massive - great period sets, stunning earlier 20th century modern French interiors, and wonderful vintage automobiles (says this car guy). OK, it is a hopeless romance story. Almost against my will, I was riveted in watching this movie.

I enjoy most of Mads Mikkelsens work so this was something I was happy to add to my collection. It was received in the time frame advised in fine condition; I am satisfied with my purchase.

OK, this is a simple story based on real people and almost real events. If you saw the movie "AGATHA" with Redgrave, and Hoffman you know that they never were lovers, or actual acquaintances. Take that to the 10th power and you have this great movie that is little more than superb cinematography, cast, and of course soundtrack. Coco Chanel DID NOT have a sexual affair, Stravinsky DID NOT sleep with her, and they both DID NOT die thinking of the other...but after you watch this hidden gem, you will wish they had! The facts overshadow the script, and the relationships are scarcely fair to Stravinsky's family or his fellow artists who performed a less-than-favored Le Sacre du Printemps. Still, the performance shown is quite literal to the actual opening performance right down to the police being called to calm the riots. I enjoyed it, learned the facts after reading all the notes on the package, and still repeat the ritual twice or more a year.

Too much story for a short film. There was lust between them but not enough character development to see any passion build. Perhaps it was just her desire to have sex without emotional bonds. Perhaps I missed in the subtitling how long this liaison lasted too along with other subtleties. FYI - I would say this is X rated since there are a few depictions of naked people having sex.

Wonderful movie

The first time I put on my newly arrived DVD, I was a bit exhausted and perhaps had one too many Martinis. When it was over I stumbled into bed. A few nites later I watched again, and it wasn't until then that I realized I had nodded off more than I realized during the first viewing. What a nice surprise! It was like watching a 5 star movie I hadn't seen before! Yes, indeed, I it enjoyed so much the second time around, not so tired, and relatively alert. I know it isn't perfect, but to take me into the theatre on the premier of Le Sacre alone was worth the price of "admission". Even that wasn't perfect but I was in my glory. After 50 years of loving Stravinsky and a Johnny-come-lately to fashion via Project Runway, this movie was so entertaining for me. I hope you find it that way too.

i bought the movie "coco & igor" along with "coco before chanel" as the reviews were quite good. but....this has to be one of the worst movies i have ever seen! i did enjoy 'coco before chanel' and audrey tautou did a wonderful job as coco chanel. however, "coco & igor" was not even close....the casting of coco chanel was way off. the actress anna mouglais, that played coco, was just too tall for the part and did not at all come across as coco chanel. the editing of the movie was horrible as well. if i could i would return it for a refund.....there was absolutely no flow to the story and if one did not know any history of coco chanel or igor stravinksy, it would have been impossible to follow. there was no need for all the nudity or sex either. that certainly did not represent chanel at all! i think if she were alive she would be appalled at this vulgar display. other than seeing the chanel fashions and her glorious house, it was a complete waste of time.

I was lucky enough to see this film earlier this year, it is absolutely fabulous. If you love France, this is the film for you. The cameraman is incredible, whizzing you in and out of scenes in a most delightfull manner making you feel as though you really are in Paris. The actors are superb. I just loved every minute.

Consegna super veloce! Un film con un bravissimo Mads Mikkelsen.

Bon film

Un très beau film qui évoque un épisode peu connu de la vie de Chanel et de Stravinski. Le début : (22 premières minutes) offre une reconstitution saisissante de la création du Sacre du Printemps, par Nijinski et qui causa un si grand scandale. C'est fantastique qu'un metteur en scène ait reconstitué ce moment, fondateur dans l'histoire de la danse moderne. Seul regret : la version anglaise de ce DVD permet les sous-titrages mais comme on a aussi du russe (lorsque Stravinski parle avec sa femme ou avec Diaghilev), si on enlève les sous-titres, on ne comprend plus rien ! Mieux vaut acheter la version française.

Nulle part (j'ai vérifié) il n'était question, dans la description du produit proposé par le site avant l'achat, du fait que le DVD ne proposait qu'une seule langue : l'italien. Je ne parle pas cette langue. Je m'attendais, pour un film français, à un DVD en français. J'ai le sentiment d'avoir été trompé, roulé. Je serais heureux de savoir si un échange est possible avec un exemplaire en français...