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I just re-watched this movie tonight, because to my greatly pleasant surprise it was on tv. Elian has endured the boringness of my live comments while I watched and she reminisced, having seen it, and she encouraged me to start a thread on it, because I suppose she was exhausted with my unceasing awed blabberings in regards to the film and wanted me to write here instead of in our IM window

Since I have seen this film first several years ago, it has topped my list of "best movies." Im reluctant to use the term favourite, because that usually entails movies I cant get enough of and could watch day and night, whereas Quills is not exactly like that.

It is one of the best if not the best movie I have ever watched because of the themes it touches on, the marvelous acting in it, and its powerful impact. I found this movie profoundly disturbing the first time I watched it (and it still disturbs me to this day) but I was riveted and mesmerized... In my defence I can say that I think this movie fascinates me so because it perfectly combines themes that are of high interest and imporance to me - spirituality, psychology/psychiatry, freedom (of speech), literature and writing, and well, sex - while exploring fundamental questions of human nature, love, power and control, and the issue of sanity vs. insanity...

Regardless of historical accuracy/lack therof, I love how this film takes a different spin and makes the Marquis de Sade a sort of tragic hero... certainly works in the world of the film...

Some WONDERFUL quotes in the movie besides that, the dialogue being superb... and on a purely level some distinct scenes of merit (though I think I can only pay appropriate attention to them after several viewings, when the "disturbed" factor slightly decreases...)...
Not to mention Joaquin Phonenix as the angsty priest...

The acting in this movie is absolutely amazing and the main parts are played by some of my very favourite actors... Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Joaquin Phoenix, Michael Caine... wow. All exquisite here.

Im not sure what more to say here right now because I think Im still in my post-Quills-shock... this isnt a movie I can watch often, but each time I do it racks my brain with some of the most fundamental questions in life. I appreciate movies like this. Highly.

enchantress wrote:

I just re-watched this movie tonight, because to my greatly pleasant surprise it was on tv. Elian has endured the boringness of my live comments while I watched and she reminisced, having seen it, and she encouraged me to start a thread on it, because I suppose she was exhausted with my unceasing awed blabberings in regards to the film and wanted me to write here instead of in our IM window

This is not how it happened at all...I was in no way bored, and I encouraged her to start the thread because she said that people would think she was perverted for liking it, to which I responded, 'It's not a porno, for fuck's sake!'

I guess using the Marquis' favorite phrase worked.

I do like this movie, though I haven't seen it in ages, the ending depresses and angers me, and full frontal naked Geoffrey Rush is a little much to take...

But as Enchie said, there's always Joaquin in full priest garb to make up for that. And I think everyone can guess what my favorite scene is. (Yes I'm shallow...so what? Being such, I will leave the discussion of the movie's more serious aspects to others. )

Elian wrote:

... I encouraged her to start the thread because she said that people would think she was perverted for liking it....

Ahem...
Shhhhh... blowing my cover like that... when for years Ive done well to preserve the "very innocent and pure" enchie facade... :P:P

Well, I suppose the truth's gotta come out some day...

And you're not shallow... that scene was GREAT. :cheers

Enchie, were you familiar with any of De Sade's works before you saw the movie?

I havn't seen the film but based on your raving about it, I think it is now on my "buy" list.

It's an excellent film, I really should watch it again.

The French are so intellectual they name even their tents after philosophers.

I saw it a while back and was impressed but can't remember now all the detailed scenes. What spoilt it for me a little was the melodramatic murders. The psychological cruelty was far more dramatically effective. Caine played a stunner and the whole movie(bah! am sounding North American) was a hymn of praise for intellectual freedom and the individual mind.
And Kate Winslet is just my cup of tea.

Im glad there are other Quills-appreciaters around here

Hi Iavas , yes, its a good movie to watch every so often, but I cant do it in very close intervals. Its a high impact film.

Sass, I have read OF him, in historical/quasi-historical things... but I have not yet read any of his original writings. That is something I need to and want to do though. (damn university busyness....)

The film is great. Let me stress though, not a "feel good" movie at all, but then I think great movies dont always need to be of that type.

Tosh, (hi, nice to meet you by the way )... Caine was amazing here... terrible and thoroughly hate-able, but he did it so well. I love that man's acting.

I need to buy this movie... surprisingly I dont own it yet (though I guess since I got a dvd player only last year thats not so unusual )...

I think Iavas may have the movie. I watched it once in the past and remembered liking it a lot. But it's been several years ago so I can't remember it all that well. Will have to see if Iavas owns it and give it another watch.

I do remember being horrified when Kate Winslet's character was murdered.

Quote:

I think Iavas may have the movie.

I'm afraid not

Hi enchie!

So was it Alan that owned it then?

Yes, because he's a Michael Caine fan.

I wasn't a big fan of Quills. Although it did certainly cover some challenging subject matter, it was just a little too much for me to handle. It just left me feeling kind of dirty. That was several years ago, though, and I think I'm a little harder to shock now, so I've been thinking about giving it another go.