movie notes : Queen Margot (1994)

I don't think a scene of these two wrapped in a red blanket was actually in the theatrical release of the movie

Queen Margot (1994) is a French historical movie and I highly recommend it.

It is a 1994 movie based on the 1845 Alexander Dumas novel which in turn is based on French history from 1572. I don't particularly trust anything that is "based on a true story" so I'm a little uneasy about the historical veracity of a movie based on the novelization of history written 273 years after the events took place and the movie is close to half a millennium (422 years) away from the actual events

For much of the movie I had no idea what was going on in context of French history. Fortunately, it's characters follow human impulses and it wasn't hard to understand what was going on. I'm pretty sure the movie covered all 7 deadly sins (gluttony, lust, greed, hubris, despair, wrath, vainglory, and sloth).

the French movie poster

Isabelle Adjani is a fragile beauty but none the less a beauty and I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. In contrast, Henry III of Navarre is played by Daniel Auteuil an ugly frenchman (not to be cruel but he doesn't have conventional movie star good looks. He did a good job though). In the poster at the top of the post, they focus on Adjani and her other costar Vincent Perez.  Adjani is full of emotion but unlike her contemporary Juliette Binoche doesn't spend all her time crying (Binoche seemed to have a talent for beautifully weeping).

Margot and Catherine de Medici (Adjani and Virna Lisi who at times is a little scary looking and seems to age 20 years in the movie) 

The costumes and sets are wonderful. The violence in the movie starts slow but builds and then peaks with the St Barthelomew's Day Massacre. It is often a beautiful movie. At times this movie is like a French painting of Gericault or Delacroix come to life.

I didn't keep a death count during the movie because I usually only do that with action movies but I should have. It was a lot.

I actually sat in the theater during the entire end credits listening to the music. In particular, I found one song compelling; what I assumed at the time was a late medieval French folk song isn't. Obviously I don't speak French, the song "Elo Hi" is in Hebrew.

Elo Hi by Ofra Haza

La reine Margot – Soundtrack is an album by Goran Bregović, with the music that he composed for the 1994 film La Reine Margot, by Patrice Chéreau. Like most of Bregović's work, the melodies in this soundtrack are heavily influenced by Balkanfolk music tradition, but he also refurbished and recycled some of his previous work while he was the frontman of Bijelo dugme, one of the most influential Yugoslav rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s

An unexpected source of music for a French film.

An Outburst of Beethoven

via David Thompson

I think this is marvelous.


notice at 3:50 the blue shirted French horn player who, unlike his fellow French horners, is not playing his instrument. It is very possible he had a reason but it seems like instruments are played in unison so I think he might have gotten caught on camera loafing.

one of these things is not like the others

notice at 5:21 I obsessively watched this looking for the cameramen once I realized that there were multiple views but I hadn't noticed the cameramen. There are a couple cameramen. One in dark clothing in the upper left and another in a white shirt going across the front of the crowd. I think a third one is in a white shirt next to the building  Editing away the cameramen makes the people's reactions seem more authentic despite the reality that there were guys with big camera pointing them at people's faces.

I'm not sure if this was edited in a linear way. the white shirt cameraman running in front of the crowd at 5:21 can also be seen running in front of the same crowd at 5:16. Did he do it twice or did they use the footage of the same event twice?

Also notice the little girl at 1:01 who sits next to a boy and she seems to be trying to mimic his way of sitting. And there is the little conductor at 3:35.

Update June, 6, 2014
Hmmmm, at the woman with dangling earrings is watching and then at the next scene at 2:14 she teleports so she is talking to a guy with a newspaper.

Likewise, at 2:30 the sunglasses guy is seen in the crowd behind the bassist and at 2:33 (the next scene) he teleports to the cafe area.

Talkin' Thunderbird Blues

The Talkin' Thunderbird Blues by Townes Van Zandt

(Live in Staffordshire, UK, Oct 15, 1990)

A Star Trek Christmas

The crew of the starship Enterprise sing "Let It Snow"


and for those who don't celebrate Christmas:

Lou Reed (1942 - 2013)

An excellent Lou Reed performance on Saturday Night Live Nov 15, 1986.

Note at the end when it almost sounds like booing but is actually people yelling "Louuuuuuu!"

Lou Reed is dead, Sam Kinison is dead, who knows who else in the video is dead. Someday there will probably be an app that will mark everyone in a video who has died with a little tombstone and the date of death.

Lou Reed was one of my all time favorite musicians. His singing style is close to spoken word but it is a style of singing.  My theory is that he sang that way on purpose to focus the audience's attention on the lyrics. There is an honesty in his way of singing that can be subtle.

I think in the 90s, Lou was interviewed by a very earnest Charlie Rose and was asked why the Velvet Underground reunion didn't stay together (specifically John Cale) and tour the US. Lou responded with something like "Uh, that's because we hate each other." Refreshing honesty and straightforwardness.

His volume of work is extensive and between the Velvet Underground and his solo career there are a huge number of songs I like. I don't think I'd recommend Metal Machine Music to anyone who likes his lyrics.

There is a difference between Lou solo and Lou with the Velvets performing the same song.

Apropos of Tom Hanks being called the most trusted man in America

Apropos of Tom Hanks being claimed to be the most trusted man in America I present this :

Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd rapping during the end credits of the movie Dragnet (1987).  A quick search and I find its own music video including extensive choreographed and synchronized dancing.

Note Tom Hanks going for the 1980s style of shouting out the lyrics.

Performed by Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks
Featuring Glenn Hughes and Pat Thrall
Written by Peter Aykroyd, Dan Aykroyd and Pat Thrall
produced by J.B. Moore and Robert Ford

The lyrics to City of Crime :

Dan Aykroyd : This is the city. It's a city of crime. My name is Friday. I carry a badge.

Dan Aykroyd : 3:15 a.m., Thursday, January 15. It was chilly that morning in the City of Angels. 

On this particular occasion we happened to witness a pagan* ritual in progress.

Dan Aykroyd : See that, Streebek? We’re just in time

We have stumbled into a major crime

Tom Hanks :  They've got the girl all fright

Now that’s not nice

I think she is the subject of a sacrifice

Dan Aykroyd : Buddy, we’re putting this party on ice

Tom Hanks :  But first you know we really ought to read 'em their rights

Dan Aykroyd : Read ‘em their rights

Read ‘em their rights

Tom Hanks : 

Well, I’m here tonight to rap about your rights

Cause right now you’re in trouble

Don’t have to say nothing at all, you all got two calls

And you’d better make ‘em on the double

Pagans : 

This is a city of crime

Don’t step out of line

This is a city of crime

You’d better be praying your judge is kind

Dan Aykroyd : 

You’re a dangerous mob and it is our job

To bust you all for being violent

While we are here let’s state it clear

Tom Hanks :  You have the right to remain silent!

Pagan : 

Well, excuse me copper, Mr. Crimestopper,

What is wrong with what we’re doing?

We just like to dance in our goatskin pants

Around this ancient ruin

Tom Hanks :  Now it's not so funny,

That it costs big money

If you ever have to hire a lawyer

Dan Aykroyd :  It’s my duty to inform you

And my pleasure to warn you

Tom Hanks :  We’ll provide one for ya! Huh!

Pagans : 

This is a city of crime

Don’t step out of line

This is a city of crime

You're looking at seven to nine

Dan Aykroyd :  Now you know what you’ve been doing is a serious crime

Tom Hanks :  And you'll probably be doing some serious time

Dan Aykroyd :  In case you might be worried about the friends you lose

Tom Hanks :  At least they get to see you on the evening news

Dan Aykroyd :  It’s a new sensation

Tom Hanks :  We go down to the station

Dan Aykroyd :  You’re going to answer some questions

Tom Hanks :  And have some refreshments

Dan Aykroyd : What is your full name? What were you doing on January 15th of this year? All we want is the truth, mister. What were you doing in the location in question? What is the purpose of your pagan organization?

Pagan : Whoa! You can't pin nothing on me copper!

Well, excuse me

Excuse me

Don’t use or abuse or refuse me

It’s no joke, I’m broke

My rights I can and will invoke

I’m homely, and I’m lonely

But the state cannot disown me

It’s ain't funny

I might want money

To take home to my honey

Pagans : 

This is a city of crime

Don’t step out of line

This is a city of crime

Where an [something indistinct] is hard to find

[the movie end credits version ends here with the sound of a jail cell slammed closed]

Dan Aykroyd : 

In case you don't agree

With my methodology

I like to do things my way

Tom Hanks : Don't get memory loss 

About who's the boss

Dan Aykroyd :  Don't forget my name is

Everyone : Friday!

Dan Aykroyd :  I'm the man of the hour

Tom Hanks :  The tower of power

Dan Aykroyd :  I'm the arm of the law

Tom Hanks :  The very last straw

Dan Aykroyd :  I'm on the side of the right

Tom Hanks :  A Trojan white knight

Dan Aykroyd :  If you get me uptight I am

Tom Hanks :  A frightening sight

Dan Aykroyd :  I'm as strong as the army

Tom Hanks :  Nothing can't harm me

Dan Aykroyd :  Coming down like a hammer

Everyone : Get ready for the slammer

[sound of a jail cell slammed closed]


*"pagan" the video informs stands for People Against Goodness And Normalcy

Meet Creole gal who help you to come out of your shell

From the movie Girls Girls Girls (1962) : Elvis Presley singing the Shrimp Song.


Lyrics :
I saw three shrimp in the water, two were old and gray
I swam a little bit closer and I heard the third one say
Goodbye mama shrimp, papa shake my hand
Here come the shrimp boat for to take me to Louisian'
Here come the shrimp boat for to take me to Louisian'
He showed his mama and papa, the shrimp newspaper he read
An invitation to all the shrimp and this is what it said
Free ride, New Orleans, stay in grand hotel
Meet Creole gal who help you to come out of your shell
Meet Creole gal who help you to come out of your shell
If I should live to be ninety, I will never forget
The little shrimp and the song he sang as he jumped into the net
Goodbye mama shrimp, papa shake my hand
Here come the shrimp boat for to take me to Louisian'
Here come the shrimp boat for to take me to Louisian'
Here come the shrimp boat for to take me to Louisian'
Here come the shrimp boat for to take me to Louisian'

Townes Van Zandt singing the same song but in a way that makes the little shrimp's situation sound more depressing.

Too Fat Polka

In My Garden of Love

Benny Hill - My Garden of Love

The lyrics :

In my garden of love

Now there’s a rose for the way my spirits rose when we met
A forget-me-not to remind me to remember not to forget
A pine tree for the way I pined over you
And an ash for the day I ashed you to be true

And the sun and the rain fell from up above
And landed on the earth below
In my garden of love

Now there’s a beetroot for the day you said that you’d beetroot to me
A sweet pea for the sweet way you always used to smiled at me
But you had friends who needed you
There was Ferdy, there was Liza
So, just for them, I put down a load of ferdy-liza

And the sun and the rain fell from up above
And landed on the earth below
In my garden of love

Oh, Gus the gardener’s left now and you went with him, too
The fungus here reminds me of the fun Gus is having with you
The rockery’s a mockery, with weeds it’s overgrown
The fuchsia’s gone, I couldn’t face the fuchsia all alone

And my tears fell like raindrops from the sky above
And poisoned all the flowers in my garden of love