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SEPTEMBER 2000 NEWS                

DVDEmpire.com is offering the DVD of Beyond the Clouds (Par-dela les Nuages) for $22.45 plus shipping. One of the extras is the 52-minute documentary called To Make a Film is to be Alive, which was made by director Michelangelo Antonioni's wife on the making of this film. I assume the documentary might include scenes with Vincent. I plan to purchase it so I'll let you know.

Some new additions to the Archives today! I purchased a Japanese book featuring five of France's top film stars - Jean-Hugues Anglade, Christophe Lambert, Jean-Marc Barr, Lambert Wilson and Vincent Perez. I'm guessing that the book was published around 1993 since his filmography ends with Fanfan. Since I don't know of anyone who can translate Japanese, the article will go unposted, but I've gathered all the color and black & white photos of Vincent and put them in Gallery 4. There are three you might recognize from Cyrano de Bergerac, but the rest should be new to you. Enjoy!

The October 1995 issue of Marie Claire magazine named Vincent "Man of the Month" declaring "the hottest star in France comes to conquer America." If only his Hollywood films had been more successful, he might have conquered America by now, but we do know that he's definitely gotten the attention of American women! The Crow: City of Angels may have done poorly at the box office due to its bad script, but as Ashe, Vincent at least endeared himself to the feminine audience. Of course, he finds being a sex symbol rather laughable "as if remembering the loser within. I think of myself as a child with my dog, bad at school, always a dreamer." Vincent, there's nothing wrong with being a dreamer.

As mentioned in the update of September 1, Vincent is serving as a jury member at the Deauville Film Festival in France.

Le Libertin was shown in Spain as El Libertino during the summer and two of Madrid newspapers had the following praise for Vincent:

El Mundo - "Gabriel Aghion emphasized the benefit of having Vincent play the role of Diderot by saying 'he has a mixture of freedom, boldness, enchantment, beauty and brilliance that no other French actor has.' One would say that Gabriel Aghion is enamored with Vincent Perez."

La Razon - "Le Libertin stars Vincent Perez - a charming, attractive and intelligent actor."

As Labor Day approaches, summer is ending and I'll have more free time to devote to more updates and additions to the Archives. There's little news right now while Vincent is between films. However, he is presently at the Deauville 2000 Festival of American Films serving as a jury member. The festival begins today and runs through September 10 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, which is on the Normandy coast. A special tribute will be given to actors Susan Sarandon and Samuel L. Jackson.

His last project, Bride of the Wind, filmed in Vienna on the life of Alma Mahler, wrapped production the week of July 17th. English-born composer, Stephen Endelman, has the honor of providing the music. With his background in opera and orchestral music, he seems perfectly chosen. He's created new arrangements of Gustav and Alma Mahler's works as well as an original underscore. The final scene is highlighted with the performance of an Alma Mahler song "The Summer Night" sung by renowned opera singer Renee Fleming. Through the generous assistance of the Vienna Philharmonic, Endelman conducted from Gustav Mahler's original scores for the 2nd, 3rd and 5th Symphonies. According to Montrealonline.com, the film with be released in November with a Deutsche Grammophon label on its CD soundtrack. However, I wouldn't hold my breath on this date as release dates are often inaccurate.

Paramont Classics is distributing the film, which chronicles the life of Alma Schindler Mahler (played by Sarah Wynter) who was born into wealth, luxury and sophistication in turn-of-century Vienna. Willful, sensual, and talented, she was considered one of the most beautiful and fascinating woman in the city. She was muse to many famous men including Gustav Mahler (Jonathan Pryce) and artist Oskar Kokoschka (Vincent Perez). For more information on this film, see my May newsletter.

Vincent's next film, The Husband I Bought, to be directed by Stephan Elliott, will begin shooting in London September 15th. Charlize Theron was to co-star in this Ayn Rand novella, but dropped out for a Woody Allen movie. I have read no news on who is replacing her.

Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train is presently being featured in London. Two critics from the Independent had the following comments - "It benefits from strong performances by Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Pascal Greggory, Vincent Perez as a transsexual (he looks terrific) and the great Jean-Louis Trintignant." The second review states, "The post-funeral wake, presided over by the dead man's identical twin brother, degenerates into an emotional bloodbath worthy of La Reine Margot, stoked by the unexpected appearance of the mysterious Viviane, who turns out to be the late painter's son, post-sex change (Vincent Perez, proving one of the cinema's most alluring transexuals)." Yes, most alluring! By the way, both the DVD and video are available with English subtitles at Amazon.com.

It's disappointing to learn that the Le Bossu DVD has not been released with English subtitles. This is what UK's DVD Times had to say: "This is a terrific film, and the DVD does it full justice, but sadly the language is French only, and though there's a subtitle option, it's aimed at deaf French people rather than a more international audience - though for those whose command of spoken French is less than absolument parfait, the subtitles do help somewhat. There's a good selection of extras, the high point of which is a superbly-presented hour-long documentary that covers the entire production history of Le Bossu, and includes interviews with the leads and key production personnel. Further extras include filmographies for the four leads and director Philippe de Broca. The trailer is in unsubtitled French, but gives a good account of the film's high points, and the extras are rounded off with a section of ten well-presented stills."

"So is it worth buying? Well, if you speak French or are learning it, or know someone who's learning it, go right ahead: this is one of the most dazzlingly enjoyable films of recent years, and one that wipes the floor with most British and Hollywood costume dramas. But it's a pity that given that the vast majority of British and even American DVDs include at least a French subtitle option that TF1 Video didn't feel the need to reciprocate."

Le Temps Retrouve (Time Regained) seems to be popping up these days around the US. I caught it at my local arthouse a couple weeks ago and I know it recently played in Atlanta and NYC. I had been given this video (without English subtitles) from a Vincent Perez fan, who picked up an extra copy in Paris this spring. However, I have to admit that I didn't learn that much more with the opportunity to read the subtitles! I have little knowledge of Proust myself, which most critics agree is a major stumbling block in following the film. Other than Marcello Mazzarello, who plays Marcel Proust in middle age, the rest of the characters are at least given fairly equal time on screen. I thoroughly relished every moment that Vincent appeared and was especially fond of him at the piano, and when he returns as a World War I deserter, he has a more modern-day appeal with a hint of earthiness. However, for the present time, Time Regained will remain one of my least favorite VP films.

In case you've forgotten, I Dreamed of Africa is now available at your local video stores. Though the video is still too expensive to purchase, you can get the DVD at Amazon.com for only $20.96 plus shipping.

Last, but not least, there are two new interviews. Both were done in connection with the premiere of I Dreamed of Africa. The first is from HAL Cinema, an Italian web site, and the second is from a television web site in Spain called Cine Y TV. Both interviews were graciously translated by Cinzia Masina of Belgium.