Notes on a Scandal

Notes on a Scandal

2006

Directed by Richard Eyre

This is a film that I have been meaning to see for a while. This film is worth watching for the two powerhouse performances from Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench. While I have always admired Judi Dench, I am only just beginning to appreciate Cate Blanchett. Her perfomances are always superb in the few things that I have seen. 

There other aspect of this film that I enjoyed about this film is the score by Phillip Glass. Although, I am not a fan of his strictly classical works I think his film scores are superb. There always seems to be an unrelenting feeling to his film scores and this apect of his music fits in so well with the themes and narrative of Notes on a Scandal.

Rustin Allison

Elizabeth

Elizabeth

1998

Directed by Shakur Kapur

This was a film that I actually had on DVD when it first came out and I have never gotten around to watching. Well, now I have finally watched it.

The film had much more to do with religion than I would have thought. This was a nice aspect of the film and religious studies is an area that I have a great interest. The film uses the story of Elizabeth to also illustrate how Protestantism came to be the dominant belief in a previously Catholic England. The film makes a parallel between Elizabeth becoming the Virgin Queen and the Virgin Mary in Catholicism. I thought this was a very interesting aspect of the film.

I believe this was the first film that brought Cate Blanchett to the public eye. I greatly enjoyed her performance in the role of Elizabeth and I look forward to watching this film's sequel that was released last year. Hopefully, it won't take me ten years to watch it.

Rustin Allison