don't miss NOTES ON A SCANDAL — Page 2

Why not?

Dench and Blanchett take this material to a level lesser actors would be able to achieve. I was mesmerized by their performances, but the screenplay is so melodramatic. I enjoyed it for the cast, but found the story a bit unbelievable. I can see how people would be put off by the dangerous lesbian theme, and I disagree that the characters is not pathetic. She is a cruel and lonely woman who has a superiority complex that makes her a fascinating character to watch in Dench's hands. If not for these two actor's this movie could have been a disaster. I do recommend the film, but mostly for the opportunity to see these performances.

I was also thankful that if a film needs such heavy narration it was not done by Morgan Freeman.

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Well, Auggie, this film also has it's fair share of hetero-boning. And if Dench, as expected, gets an Oscar nomination, more people will see it. I don't think it is the "Lesbian are evil" film that some do, but it is unfortunate that many WILL see it this way. There are those of us who are able to judge characters on their behavior other than their sexual orientation, but for middle America (and I use that term not to slam people in "middle America" but as a phrase that has become synonymous with small minds and ultra-conservative thinking)it will be the "Lesbians are evil" theme that sticks with them.

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I finally got around to seeing the film on Tuesday. I must say that I positively loved it. Sure, the story was a bit "Lifetime Television for Women,”, but the actors took the material and ran with it. Dench and Blanchett are very deserving of their upcoming SAG and Oscar nods. In fact, if anyone is to knock Miss Hudson off of her Dreamgirls pedestal, I look for it to be Cate. Sure, she just won two years ago and that will work against her. But if there's a Hudson backlash or her support is nowhere near as strong as we think, Blanchett may be billed as a "Two Time Academy Award Winner" by the end of February. And as breathtaking as Dame Judi is, Helen Mirren seems to be unstoppable in the Lead Actress category.

Just my two cents.

***SPOILERS***

"I could get TWO YEARS in prison for this!"
"The time will FLY BY.... I'll visit you all the time!"

HA.

I saw The Piano Teacher a few years back. My favorite scene was the one where the teacher tries to give the guy a blow job, and he just pushes her off of him and out the door - which leads to an ice skating rink. So the teacher ends up slipping across the rink with spunk around her mouth. HILarious.
***END SPOILERS***

Barbara would never describe herself as a lesbian--her pursuit of Sheba is nothing as simple as sexual obsession. She wants a soulmate, and this is the only twisted way she knows how to go about it. It is boring and pointlessly PC to read her character strictly from a sexual-politics angle.

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"Barbara would never describe herself as a lesbian--her pursuit of Sheba is nothing as simple as sexual obsession. She wants a soulmate.."

If all she wants is a soulmate, then why doesn't she pursue men? Although thankfully we aren't subjected to any lesbian sex scenes, or fantasy sequences.. the film makes it abundantly clear that she is a lesbian and interested in Sheba sexually..the way she strokes Sheba's arms, looks at her, talks about her...The big problem I have with the film is that its such a simplistic,stereotypical characterization..we have here a lonely, desperate, bitter old lesbian who stalks pretty young women, and bashes their families. Its the same old sad image of gay people that some people would like the world to believe is the truth....we'll all end up as sad, lonely predators, bent on ruining families. If the characterization swayed away from the lesbian aspect, or the writers made her character more fully realized, then perhaps I would have enjoyed it more.

"The problem is this: when is the last time you saw a movie where the gay person hit on a straight person and the straight person said, "I'm not gay" and that was enough to make the gay person back off? "

Because that is not INTERESTING in anyway--why dramatize a social gaffe? It CAN be funny if a gay guy hits on a str8 guy--writers have been milking yucks from str8 guys unknowingly romancing men in drag-it need not be ALWAYS be offensive.

That being said, I'm a little surprised about little compassion you folks have for Barbara. I didn't see the last scene as a let-down or spoiler at all. I saw it as her first attempt to meet someone on her own terms, not as THE GREAT EDUCATOR or someone who uses power plays to meet her emotional needs. She simply met her as Barbara, not as someone who can help her in some way.

Barbara wants someone to need her desperately, but is too proud to pursue those needs in a direct way. She's a Sebastian Veneable homosexual, using lofty ideals of her "soul mate" search to assuage her guilt and shame, shown in the small scene with Julie Mackenzie--even when she's given the chance, she doesn't divulge her true self. I think to label her as a lesbian predator is simplistic and ignores the subtlety Marber, Dench and co bring to Barbara.

I liked the score, though I can see where some might find it heavy-handed, but I like over-the-top.

I was most impressed with the cinematography by Chris Menges and the excellent script. Just thought it was great.

The movie is fantastic.

Loved it from start to finish.

Dench just gets better with age and Blanchett is truly thrilling.

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No it shouldn't have.

And I don't think it's campy at all.

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I watched the DVD with commentary last week. It's funny, really - Blanchett and Dench talked about what a ball they had tearing into each other in the study, but the director was horrified and moved by the same scene. He barely acknowledges any humor in the material. Of course the book was written as a comedy - author Zoe Heller has said this - so it's strange that Eyre has a completely different take.

Updated On: 5/1/07 at 02:25 PM

Sorry, I still think this is the most overrated movie of 2006.

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