Conference bookie::movies

976.0. "Le Confessionnal" by CTHU26::S_BURRIDGE (A spark disturbs our clod) Mon Dec 04 1995 08:54

    I saw Robert Lepage's new movie, "Le Confessional," last night. 
    
    It is a pretty remarkable film, mingling cultural criticism, homage to
    Alfred Hitchcock, and a well-told suspense story.
    
    The main protagonist, played by Lothaire Bluteau, returns from studying
    art in China to Quebec City for the funeral of his father.  It is 1989;
    the events in Tien An Men Square are playing out on tv.  The Bluteau
    character finds that his adopted brother seems to have disappeared, and
    can't be found for the funeral.  He sets out to track him down.
    
    There is a mystery surrounding the brother's birth, in 1952, also the
    year of the Bluteau character's birth, and the year Alfred Hitchcock
    shot his film "I Confess" in Quebec.  The events of that year unfold on
    screen at the same time as those of 1989.  The Hitchcock film involves
    a priest who can't disclose his knowledge of a crime because of "the
    seal of the confessional;" so does the Lamontagne family mystery.  
    
    The movie deals with the relationship of Quebec society to the Church
    and other aspects of its history; there are various more or less subtle
    references to Hitchcock, who is shown (played by Ron Burrage) shooting his 
    movie; and it is visually pretty striking.  The story is gripping.
    
    Lepage, who wrote and directed the movie, is very big in the theatre
    world.  This is his 1st film, and it is excellent.
    
    -Stephen 

    > Good movie "I Confess" great music, acting, haunting............
    
    
    But, I can't stand copies or re-makes of great pieces of art.
    no one can top some of Hitchcocks' films. They try, but can't!
    
    
    just my thought. BR