Marie Antoinette

My, what a strange film. Maybe in historical drama, authenticity is the most important thing, and it certainly looks like it fulfils that need, but the hipster indie soundtrack is nothing short ofbaffling, especially when a string quartet arrangement of Siouxie and the Banshees' "Hong Kong Garden" erupts into the real thing. Direction of the cast is also a tad peculiar - you'd almost think that Rip Torn was deliberately trying to make the King of France sound like a Texan Oil Baron, and the only people even remotely French (who, of course, speak English with an accent) are but minor cameos. Since Marie Antoinette's demise occured long after the events ending the film, one might think that it's about the life at court, with it's sundry intrigues, but these aren't explored deeply, hinting only at malicious gossip rather than actual plots perpetrated by or against the Queen. It's a nicely looking, moderately engaging film that, just when it seems to start going somewhere, ends.