Chocolat [Region 2] |  | Director: Lasse Hallstroem
Actors: Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina, Carrie-anne Moss, Antonio Gil
Category: DVD
Buy New: $53.38
New (1) Used (4) from $24.81
Rating:  416 reviews
Sales Rank: 223269
Format: Pal
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired), English (Subtitled)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 2
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Running Time: 121 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5017188883313
ASIN: B00005LDBH
Theatrical Release Date: January 5, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
With movies like Chocolat, it's always best to relax your intellectual faculties and absorb the abundant sensual pleasures, be it the heart-stopping smile of chocolatier Juliette Binoche as she greets a new customer, an intoxicating cup of spiced hot cocoa, or the soothing guitar of an Irish gypsy played by Johnny Depp. Adapted by Robert Nelson Jacobs from Joanne Harris's popular novel and lovingly directed by Lasse Hallstroem, the film covers familiar territory and deals in broad metaphors that even a child could comprehend, so it's no surprise that some critics panned it with killjoy fervor. Their objections miss the point. Familiarity can be comforting and so can easy metaphors when placed in a fable that's as warmly inviting as this one. Driven by fate, Vianne (Binoche) drifts into a tranquil French village with her daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol, from Ponette) in the winter of 1959. Her newly opened chocolatier is a source of attraction and fear, since Vianne's ability to revive the villagers' passions threatens to disrupt their repressive traditions. The pious mayor (Alfred Molina) sees Vianne as the enemy, and his war against her peaks with the arrival of "river rats" led by Roux (Depp), whose attraction to Vianne is immediate and reciprocal. Splendid subplots involve a battered wife (Lena Olin), a village elder (Judi Dench), and her estranged daughter (Carrie-Anne Moss), and while the film's broader strokes may be regrettable (if not for Molina's rich performance, the mayor would be a caricature), its subtleties are often sublime. Chocolat reminds you of life's simple pleasures and invites you to enjoy them. --Jeff Shannon
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 411 more reviews...
 CHOCOLAT IS TO BE SAVORED July 2, 2009
Gail Cooke (TX, USA)
The combatants in this deliciously different take on the eons old tug-of-war between good and evil are a young woman, the daughter of a self-proclaimed witch, and a platitudinous curate.
As she struggles to find her place in the world and he equivocates to protect dusty tradition, they vie for the hearts and loyalties of some 200 French villagers, inhabitants of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, "no more than a blip on the fast road between Toulouse and Bordeaux."
The actors voices are in perfect pitch as they depic the cowed, affection starved townspeople. Characters are fully realized: Francis Reynaud, the guilt-ridden parish cure' with his cold eyes and "the measuring, feline look of one who is uncertain of his territory;" the 81-year-old Armande Voizin "with a smile that worked her apple-doll face into a million wrinkles;" and the venal wife-beater, Muscat, who struts "stiff-legged like a dog scenting a fight."
Vianne Rocher and her six-year-old daughter are wanderers. They arrive in Lansquenet on Shrove Tuesday, where their appearance is greeted with veiled curiosity by villagers who "have learned the art of observation without eye contact." Battle lines are drawn when Vianne opens La Celeste Praline, a gaily decorated confectioner's shop on the town square, directly across from the austere St. Jerome's church overseen by Pere Reynaud.
It is Lent, the priest has decreed abstinence, deprivation. Yet, Vianne's shop is a "red-and-gold confection," her window a proliferation of truffles, pralines, Venus's nipples, candied fruits, hazelnut clusters, candied rose petals, all there to tempt Reynaud's parishioners. He sees it as a disgrace, a degradation of the faith, and eventually preaches against Vianne from his pulpit.
When a band of gypsies moor their colorful houseboats at the village's small harbor, the prelate asks them to leave. Vianne welcomes them, further infuriating Reynaud. Weakened by his self-imposed Lenten fasts, he denies his hunger and watches her shop with "loathing and fascination" as he begins plotting to rid Lansquenet of what he believes is her evil influence.
One of Vianne's staunchest allies is a kindred spirit, the elderly Armande, the village's oldest inhabitant who delights in reminding Reynaud "of things best forgotten," and dares to invite the gypsies to remain as her guests.
At times fearful of the consequences, Vianne turns to her mother's cards, seeking an answer in augury. Nonetheless, she stands her ground, even making plans for a "Grand Festival Du Chocolat" on Easter Sunday. It would be a celebration with games in the square and a riot of sweets in the shop. But Reynaud sees it as an affront, an excess, he would have "The egg, the hare, still living symbols of the tenacious roots of paganism exposed for what they are."
Wisely compressing the film to the days between Shrove Tuesday and Easter Monday, the director uses impeccable pacing in leading to Reynaud's final assault, an effort to destroy the festival and Vianne along with it.
A surprising yet fitting denouement caps this deftly told tale of lust, greed and love. Francophiles will be drawn to the evocative depictations of daily village life, while gourmands revel in the mouth-watering scenes of chocolate preparation. Chocolat is to be savored.
chocolat July 2, 2009
M. Bodnar (Carlsbad, CA USA)
I love this movie, not only because Johnny Depp is in it, but because it is very enchanting. Juliette Binoche is wonderful in this film. Beautifully done!
Wonderful , wonderful! July 1, 2009
Linda S. Cruz (Riverside, CA USA)
What a chocolate shoppe, what a story!! Take time to see this flick, you'll love the small French town, the delicious shoppe and the intriguing human stories that live in this town.
I can resist everything, except chocolat June 23, 2009
C. CRADDOCK (Bakersfield)
Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche) comes with her daughter to a quiet little village in France where people value Tranquilite - Tranquility. Just before Lent she opens a chocolatier that will turn the town upside down.
-----------------------
Vianne Rocher: And these are for your husband. Unrefined cacao nips from Guatemala, to awaken the passions.
Yvette Marceau: Psshh. You've obviously never met my husband.
Vianne Rocher: Well, you've obviously never tried these.
===============================
Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina) sees her as a threat to the morals and tranquility the people of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain treasure. He starts a crusade against her, and against a group of vagabonds headed by Roux (Johnny Depp) who arrive by boat. When Vianne Rocher befriends them, a line is drawn in the sand:
-----------------
Comte de Reynaud: Let me try to put this into perspective for you. The first Comte de Reynaud expelled all the radical Huguenots in this village. You and your truffles present a far lesser challenge.
=============================
But to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, "I can resist everything, except chocolat."
I like everything about this film, and everyone in it is chock full o' talent. Somehow, though, the whole was equal to less than the sum of its parts. And less was not more, less was less. Was it too many cooks spoil la mousse au chocolat? This was an attempt to create a fable, and that is a very delicate thing. Like a chocolat souffle, someone slams a door and the whole thing collapses. Maybe it was just me. Your mileage may vary.
Speaking of fables, Edward Scissorhands, for me, now, there was a fable. Johnny Depp was fabulous in it. Sometimes you can't create a fable, you just have to use your divining rod and find one. Sometimes the magic just doesn't work, especially when you set out to create a fable. Chocolat is magic, but too much chocolat is just an overdose.
Lasse Hallstroem made this after The Cider House Rules, and as they were filming, they learned that they had 7 Oscar nominations, and would win for Michael Caine, best supporting actor, and the script by John Irving. Chocolat would also garner five nominations, but no wins. Lasse Hallstroem is married to Lena Olin, who plays Josephine in Chocolat.
I don't fault him for that, or think it adversely affected the film, I just mention it because you can tell that everyone is having a great time making the film, Chocolat. They are literally making chocolat, and eating chocolat, too. It is a family affair, with old friends reuniting, and new friendships being forged.
Juliette Binoche and Lena Olin both appeared together in The Unbearable Lightness of Being, where they were two corners of a love triangle with Daniel Day-Lewis. Olin played Sabina, the one who wore her grandfather's derby while making love.
Lasse Hallstroem had worked with Johnny Depp before, when he directed him in What's Eating Gilbert Grape? In Chocolat, Johnny finally gets to play guitar, and we hear him do some blues and Django Reinhardt's Minor Swing. It is a real treat to hear Depp play Le Jazz Hot, and he is not half bad. He has some great vintage guitars and a Dobro.
Peter Stormare is great as Josephine's husband, a wife beater. He is not quite a scary as he was in Fargo, but he is scary enough, and also a little sad. Alfred Molina is kind of an uptight wet blanket, but you can see that he is just an insufferable self righteous buzz kill because he is sad. Nothing that a little, or a lot, of chocolat won't cure.
---------------------------
Vianne Rocher: [to the Comte de Reynaud] Ah, good morning. Can I interest you in some nipples of Venus?
==============================================
Judi Dench is fabulous, as usual, and so is Leslie Caron, though her part is so small I didn't even notice her. The director apologized that her part was so small. She was in Gershwin's An American in Paris with Gene Kelly, directed by Vincente Minnelli. She starred in Lerner and Loewe's Gigi with Maurice Chevalier, also directed by Liza's dad and Judy Garland's husband, for goodness sake! I haven't even mentioned Daddy Long Legs with Fred Astaire! Leslie Caron is a legend of the silver screen!
With all the fabulousness on display, you'd think that they could create a decent fable.
The Chumscrubber (2005) .... Carrie-Anne Moss was Jerri Falls
... aka Glueck in kleinen Dosen (Germany)
Mystery Men (1999) .... Lena Olin was Dr. Annabel Leek
The Big Lebowski (1998) .... Peter Stormare was Nihilist #1, Uli Kunkel/'Karl Hungus'
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) .... Johnny Depp was Gilbert Grape, Directed by Lasse Hallstroem
Damage (1992) .... Juliette Binoche was Anna Barton, Leslie Caron was Elizabeth Prideaux, and Peter Stormare was Peter Wetzler
Edward Scissorhands (Widescreen Anniversary Edition) (1990) .... Johnny Depp was Edward Scissorhands
The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) .... Juliette Binoche was Tereza and Lena Olin was Sabina, who wore the derby
Prick Up Your Ears (1987) .... Alfred Molina was Kenneth Halliwell
Mitt liv som hund (1985) was directed by Lasse Hallstroem
... aka My Life as a Dog (Canada: English title) (USA)
An American in Paris (1951) .... Leslie Caron was Lise Bouvier
---------------------------
Vianne Rocher: [to the Comte de Reynaud] Ah, good morning. Can I interest you in some nipples of Venus?
=====================================
chocolat June 4, 2009
Sam Morgan (westport, Mass,usa)
Ya Love Chocolat? Characters that relate to people in life? You have an imagination? How did a Pirate get in here?
You're gonna lov it....unless you're stuck on cartoons/animation..these characters are somewhat real!!
|
|
|
