Introduction
I recently went to see the film CORSAGE at the Duke of York Picturehouse Brighton which was directed by Damien Chazelle. A period drama set in the 18c it portrays the life of Empress Elizabeth of Austria. Not a period of history which is well known in the UK. Sadly described in reviews as 'the Diana of her time' with comparisons made to her life , Elizabeth feels constrained and trapped in her Royal court life in Vienna and the title Corsage refers to the tense events of corsetting of her body and life. This image where a maid pulls Elizabeth's (or as she is called "Sissi") laces on her restricting corset and then measures the waist size gives a painful image of the fashion of the time and the constraints on women's lives in the name of beauty'. Her life is constrained by her marriage to the Emperor Franz Joseph (Florian Teichtmeister) and the court life.
You can watch the official trailer here:
What I thought about it
The wonderful portrayal of Elizabeth by Vicky Krieps draws you into the dilemma if her life. She makes a grand trip to England and Bavaria to visit some of her former lovers, but life is not kind to her as the story unfolds.
With exciting period costume and photography, this is a film worth seeing. Stunning scenes in Austria and England. The storyline is at times a bit confusing and the historical accuracy questionable, but it has its own beauty and is a progressive film. Vicky Krieps won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival.
In German and French with subtitles in English this film may not be everyone's cup of tea and demands some concentration . However it brings its own delights as it twists around the emotional and historical.
The Picture House brochure provides more detail of the film and its storyline.
We love going to this very unique Brighton Cinema!
Thanks you for reading my blog. Enjoy!
Big G