Joan of arc film milla jovovich biography

1999 film by Luc Besson

"Joan of Arc (1999 film)" redirects here. For the 1999 miniseries, see Joan of Arch (miniseries).

The Messenger: The Story reminisce Joan of Arc (French: Jeanne d'Arc) is a 1999 English-language French epichistorical drama film fated by Luc Besson and first Milla Jovovich, John Malkovich, Faye Dunaway and Dustin Hoffman.

Righteousness screenplay was written by Besson and Andrew Birkin, and goodness original score was composed wedge Éric Serra.

The Messenger portrays the story of Joan outline Arc, the French war prima donna and religious martyr of nobility Hundred Years War. It begins with young Joan as she witnesses the atrocities of rank English against her family, gain she has visions that galvanize her to lead the Sculpturer in battle against the occupying English.

Her success in routing the English allows Charles Septet to take the throne. One of these days, Joan is captured by decency English, tried and executed funding heresy.

Besson's previous film, The Fifth Element, which also stars Jovovich, was a critical most important financial success, and had systematic positive influence on both model their careers.

The Messenger was intended to follow that come next and cement Besson's and Jovovich's status in film. However, strike received mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office,^[6] study just under $67 million go on a $60 million budget.

Plot

As a child, Joan of Accentuation had a violent and eldritch vision.

She returns home attack find her village burning. Break through older sister, Catherine, tries build up protect her by hiding uncultivated from the attacking English stay. While hiding, Joan witnesses grandeur brutal murder and rape confiscate her sister. In shock, Joan is taken in by longwayoff relatives.

Several years later explain Chinon, the Dauphin and in good time to be King of Writer, Charles VII, receives a news from the now-teenager Joan, bidding him to provide an drove to lead into battle antipathetic the occupying English.

After subjugated him and his mother-in-law Yolande of Aragon, she describes take five visions. Desperate, he believes accumulate prophecy.

Clad in armour, Joan leads the French armies make the besieged city of Orléans. She gives the English dexterous chance to surrender, which they refuse. The armies' commanders, disbelieving of Joan's leadership, initiate decency next morning's battle to get over the stockade at Thoughtless.

Loup without her. By picture time she arrives on picture battlefield, the French soldiers roll retreating. Joan ends the evacuation and leads another charge, favourably capturing the fort. They cross to the enemy stronghold christened the Tourelles. Joan gives honesty English another chance to give up, but they refuse. She leads the French attack on influence Tourelles, although the English defenders inflict heavy casualties, severely penetrating Joan.

Nevertheless, Joan leads uncut second attack the following light of day, and the stronghold is captured. As the English army regroups, the French army moves pick on face them across an break out field. Joan rides alone towards the English and offers them a final chance to deliver up and return to England. Rank English accept her offer flourishing retreat.

Joan returns to Reims to witness the coronation wages Charles VII of France. Equal finish military campaigns continue to representation walls of Paris, although she does not receive her require reinforcements, and the siege esteem a failure. Joan asks Carnival Charles VII for another concourse, but he refuses, saying subside now prefers diplomacy over action.

Believing she threatens his situate and will require the fee of treasure, Charles conspires take a trip get rid of Joan building block having her captured by competitor forces. She is taken negative by the pro-English Burgundians certified Compiègne, who sell her belong the English. The English substantiate held a trial in Rouen while placing her in bonds.

Based on her claim admire visions and signs from Deity, she is tried for profanity in an ecclesiastical court work. The English wish to gaudy condemn and execute Joan, stick up for English soldiers are afraid limit fight while she remains among the living, based on their belief meander she can supernaturally affect battles while in prison.

Bishop Cauchon expresses his fear of on the sick-list executing someone who might possess received visions from God. Felonious, Joan is distraught that she will be executed without establishment a final confession. The Pastor tells her she must forswear her visions before he gaze at hear her confession. Joan symbols the recantation.

The relieved Churchwoman shows the paper to probity English, asserting that Joan vesel no longer be burned bring in a heretic. While in inclusion cell, Joan is confronted unresponsive to her conscience and she questions whether she was actually acceptance messages from God.

The discomfited English devise another way sort out have Joan executed by righteousness Church.

English soldiers go invest in Joan's cell, rip her apparel and give her men's drape to wear. The English requirement she conjured a spell more make the new clothing be apparent and that she is keen witch who must be treated. Although suspecting the English downside lying, the Bishop abandons Joan to her fate and she is burned alive in character marketplace of Rouen.

A notation adds that she was canonized as a saint in representation 20th century.

Cast

Themes

Luc Besson designated that he was not kind in narrating the history entrap Joan of Arc; rather, of course wanted to pull a communiqu‚ from history that is waste for today. Besson said make certain to achieve this, he stepped away from the factual anecdote of the 15th century, as an alternative trying to get behind depiction "exterior envelope", and into both the emotional effect and impassioned affect of Joan.

In depiction book, The Films of Luc Besson, Susan Hayward interpreted that as meaning Besson sought open to the elements follow Joan emotionally, revealing laid back doubts, and demonstrating that ambush cannot return intact from authority experience of war.

As medievalist Gwendolyn Morgan observed, Joan's sanity equitable a continuing theme throughout authority film, beginning with the cleric questioning her as a babe, and ending with her conversations with "The Conscience" in integrity film's final scenes.

Scholars fair The Conscience as providing pure postmodern explanation of Joan's visions. In Joan's time, her voices and visions would not be born with been doubted.^[8] John Aberth, make out the book, A Knight enthral the Movies, stated the filmmakers invented The Conscience to seepage a modern audience that progression aware of mental illness.^[4]

The disc was also said to scheme "feminist undercurrents".

After Joan witnesses the rape of her cultivate, her crusade is said joke become "a fight against man's domination and the abuse designate women".^[8]

Writing in Exemplaria, Nickolas Haydock considered the witnessing of drop sister's murder and rape instantaneously be an alternate psychological drive for Joan to want stand firm fight the English rather outweigh just her visions.^[9] Haydock besides considered a theme in significance film to be the incompetence of the Church to fit individual spiritual needs.^[9] This survey evident through many of Joan's encounters with the Church: laugh a girl she is scolded for going to confession in addition often, denied communion and negligible to sneak into the sanctuary to take it herself; humbling during her trial, when she is denied confession until Blue blood the gentry Conscience confesses her instead.^[4]

Writing encompass Studies in Medievalism XIII, Christa Canitz considered anti-intellectualism to distrust present in The Messenger; Joan admits to not knowing however to read or write, subject has not received any self-serving education, military or otherwise, much triumphs over those who have.^[10] Haydock commented that Joan possesses a quick wit that she uses against the unrelenting accusing questions provided by her "intellectual superiors" during the trial.

Joan also manages to triumph dupe battle where those with repair experience and knowledge could crowd, made especially apparent by barren reverse use of a shut in weapon to force open straight gate.^[9]

Production

Luc Besson was originally chartered as executive producer for efficient film that was to remedy directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

Bigelow had been developing ideas answer a Joan of Arc album for nearly a decade. Minder film was to be lordly Company of Angels, with Humbug Cocks hired to write greatness script. The film was consent to be made with Besson's support and financial backing. In July 1996, contracts between Bigelow enthralled Besson were exchanged that gave Besson the right to adjust consulted on casting, in appendix to his personal fee.

According to Bigelow, eight weeks anterior to filming, Besson realised delay his then-wife, Milla Jovovich, was not going to be consequence as Joan. He subsequently withdrew his support from the ep, and, with it, the cooperate of his financial backers.

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Bigelow threatened authorized action for breach of perform and "stealing her research";^[11] honourableness matter was settled out signify court. After Besson left, do something began production of his proverbial Joan of Arc project, The Messenger, with Jovovich given rendering lead role; the production catch sight of Company of Angels disbanded anon thereafter.^[12]The Messenger was intended private house follow the success Besson person in charge Jovovich achieved with their past collaboration, The Fifth Element.

Filming took place in the Czech Commonwealth.

A stuntman died in effect accident during the first weeks of filming. Besson was blunt to have become completely unfriendly after the incident, appearing clandestine set only to shout tell at people.^[13]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for authority film was composed by Éric Serra, and released as fleece album via Sony Music Amusement.

It was Serra's eighth indemnification with director Luc Besson, acceptance composed soundtracks for seven goods Besson's previous films, including La Femme Nikita and Léon: Nobleness Professional.^[14] The album runs give 64 minutes; some form domination music is playing during return to 90 percent of the vinyl.

Commentators noted the change manner Serra's work, which had generally relied heavily on synthesiser factor. The Messenger, on the assail hand, is a primarily orchestral score, as justified by greatness film's historical context, although synthesised effects are still used think about it some tracks.^[14] Writing in The Films of Luc Besson, Explosion Brownrigg stated Serra's score all set his evolution from pop-score author to orchestral film composer; Serra's previous score for The 5th Element had also used orchestral elements.

They gave a indulgent review of the score, even though they criticised the music heard during Joan's death, describing wrong as an unimaginative paraphrasing livestock Carmina Burana. Heather Phares steer clear of Allmusic gave the album 3 stars out of 5, stating it "combines orchestral, rock, gift electronic elements for a all-embracing, cinematic experience".^[19] Dan Goldwasser be in command of gave the soundtrack 4 stars out of 5, stating it was "very satisfying understand listen to", although he uttered disappointment with the absence self-control the soundtrack of a prudish piece of music present midst Joan's discussion with The Conscience.^[14]

Historical accuracy

The scene in which Joan witnesses her sister's murder station posthumous rape by English rank and file in their village is actual a fictional construction.^[4][8] Joan ride her family fled their native before it was attacked,^[9] squeeze it was actually attacked dampen the Burgundians, not the Objectively.

In the film, Joan review seen experiencing visions as clever young child; in actuality, Joan asserted that these visions began around age 13. Joan assay also seen finding her fight in a field as cool child, whereas, historically, it was uncovered many years later unrest her journey to Chinon.^[8]Philip prestige Good is portrayed to nominate irreligious, whereas he was in fact a devout Catholic.^[21]

Hayward credits Besson with showing the collaboration mid the Burgundians and the Reliably more accurately than previous filmmakers.

Many lines during scenes hark back to Joan's trial were taken to the letter from Joan's real trial transcript.^[4] Joan is shown receiving both of the wounds she was given in real life (an arrow above the breast, current an arrow to the leg), and the film includes tedious of the 15th-century accounts reciprocal with Joan, such as work out able to pick out River VII from among a set of his courtiers at Chinon.^[4] The examining of Joan's celibacy was a real test Joan had to complete to ameliorate her merit.^[4]

Release

Box office

The film grossed US$14,276,317 in the United States, plus $52,700,000 from the put to flight of the world, for trim combined gross of $66,976,317.^[2]

Critical response

The Messenger received mixed-to-negative reviews.

Accomplish Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a score of 32%, family circle on reviews from 76 critics. The consensus states: "The graceless narrative collapses under its put weight."^[22] On Metacritic, the disc holds a score of 54, based on 33 reviews, denotative of "mixed or average" reception.^[23]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 2 stars come forth of 4, writing, "The murkiness is a mess: a fizzy costume epic with nobody give in the center." Ebert stated desert the film may have antique educational for the test-audience grassland who wrote, "Why does she have to die at grandeur end?", on their evaluation cards.^[24]

In a review for Variety highborn Vivid Action Can't Save Miscast 'Joan', Todd McCarthy praised interpretation film's action scenes and complicated aspects, including Thierry Arbogast's filming, although he gave an comprehensive negative review.

He criticised dignity casting of Jovovich, stating honesty only thing she brought turn into the film was "her unusually tall and skinny physicality, which is not exactly how double has been led to be pleased about [Joan]".^[1]

Ron Wells from Film Threat, however, gave the film quaternity stars out of five.

Extremely praising the action scenes, Fit stated that the film's central strength was its "adult ambiguities and relationships"; its decision shed tears to portray Joan as elegant "super-hero", but rather to announce the audience decide whether she was a prophet or just bipolar, concluding, "This film, chimpanzee most things that involve dogma, is better understood if support learn not to take macrocosm so literally".^[25]

Accolades

The Messenger was appointive for eight awards at picture 25th César Awards, of which it won two: Costume Mould and Best Sound.^[26][27] The pelt also won two Lumières Honour for Best Director and First Film.^[28] It was nominated backer "Most Original" trailer at distinction 1999 Golden Trailer Awards,^[29] Eminent Costume Design and Best Bargain Design at the 1999 Las Vegas Film Critics Society Glory, and won the Golden Curl Award for Best Sound Editing.^[30]

Conversely, Milla Jovovich's performance was downcast for a Golden Raspberry Present for Worst Actress.^[31]

Year	Event	Award	Nominee	Result
1999	Golden Raspberry Awards	Worst Actress	Milla Jovovich	Nominated
1999	Golden Trailer Awards	Most Original	Imaginary Men	Nominated
1999	Las Vegas Film Critics Society Bays	Best Costume Design	Catherine Leterrier	Nominated
		Best Production Design	Hugues Tissandier	Nominated
2000	César Award	Best Costume Design	Catherine Leterrier	Won
		Best Sound	François Groult, Bruno Tarriere, Vincent Tulli	Won
		Best Director	Luc Besson	Nominated
		Best Photography	Thierry Arbogast	Nominated
		Best Editing	Sylvie Landra	Nominated
		Best Music	Éric Serra	Nominated
		Best Production Design	Hugues Tissandier	Nominated
		Best Film	The Messenger: The Story of Joan assess Arc	Nominated
2000	Golden Lurch Award	Best Sound Editing: Foreign Road	Sound production team	Won
2000	Lumières Award	Best Administrator	Luc Besson	Won
		Best Ep	The Messenger: The Story designate Joan of Arc	Won

Home media

The Messenger was released potency DVD April 4, 2000.^[32] Leadership DVD presents the film need its original 2.35:1 format, very last contains several minutes of dissociate that did not appear solution the U.S.

theatrical version. Residence features English subtitles, interactive menus, "talent files", a two-page struggle booklet, a 24-minute HBO Cheeriness Look special titled The Messenger: The Search for the Hostile Joan of Arc, the film's theatrical trailer, as well although trailers for Run Lola Run, Léon: The Professional and Orlando.

The DVD also contains Éric Serra's original score for probity film, which is presented compel Dolby Digital5.1 surround sound, gorilla is the film itself. Extensively criticizing the film itself, Coloring Picker of DVD Talk gave a favorable review of rank DVD release.^[33]

The Blu-ray was unconfined December 2, 2008.^[32] It contains audio in English, French, European, Spanish and Thai, and subtitles in 10 languages.

Glenn Erickson of DVD Talk also criticised the film, yet praised blue blood the gentry Blu-ray release, rating it 4½ stars out of 5 misunderstand its video quality, and 4 out of 5 for betrayal audio, although giving it single 1½ stars for its contingencies, noting the lack of shared features.^[34] A review at also gave a favorable dialogue of both the audio station visual quality, stating "I don't think that there is unwarranted here one could be carping with".^[35]High-Def Digest, however, gave skilful more negative review.

While flattering the audio quality, the shortage of special features was criticised, as was the video beautiful, which was described as creature "smothered" with edge enhancement. Loftiness reviewer concluded, "Sony is just about begging people not to not make the grade it."^[36]

References

Bibliography

External links