Ridley Scott to direct 'The Last Duel'

[Andrea90]

Seen it yesterday. A really good movie, the duel is fantastic. So the cinematography, i have to see it again but in english because in my opinion the dubbing ruin a bit the interpretations.
He is very close to the book, i am glad of it. Battle scenes are very short, i hoped longer but it's the final duel that steal the scene.

Glad you enjoyed! What did you think of the performances?

Comer is fantastic. Driver and Damon are good.

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

Yeah, this is a film for grown-ups.

Here's my lengthy, in-depth review:

Spoiler

Spoiler

*Except for the helmets of course.

[close]

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Some new BTS footage in this interview with Matt Damon

Starts at 1:33 and then again at 3:29

Almost looks like Ben Affleck having a heated argument with Ridley Scott at one point! 

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

I like how they expanded certain areas of the book in the film that was only hinted or briefly mentioned, like Carrouges and Le Gris serving together in the Caroline War. Eric Jager mentioned he did some new research just for the film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xrkHI4OY-A

New BTS photo:



Proof that you can use historically accurate full-visor helmets for a duel without anyone getting confused as to who is who. And these guys aren't even wearing surcoats:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI1N43N-cPg

[Andrea90]

Half elmets are used to show the facial expressions of Damon and Driver..for me is a good idea.

[Ridlazz921]

Oh boi, sadly the Box Office for this movie is not doing to well.

I hope Ridley is close to shooting Kitbag, so that they dont pull the plug or get scared by The Last Duels box office performance.

[skhellter]

will Ridley say that "knights are cooked"?

[426Buddy]

Lol

[Voodoo Magic]

Seconded. 

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

Oh boi, sadly the Box Office for this movie is not doing to well.

I hope Ridley is close to shooting Kitbag, so that they dont pull the plug or get scared by The Last Duels box office performance.

The poor box office in this particular case isn't such a great disaster as some people make it out to be. I'm about 100% certain that Disney/20th financed this film knowing it would likely lose them a lot of money. Initially at least.

This film is what is referred to as a "prestige picture". It was made to bolster Disney/20th's image with it's socially relevant #metoo theme and gain them recognition as a studio that can make Oscar worthy material, not just box office money haulers like Star Wars and Marvel. And Ridley delivered, it got a lot of critical praise.

You'll also notice how little was spent on marketing for this picture which cost just over $100 million to make. The marketing expenditure was probably more inline with a $50 million picture. What this all comes down to, is that Disney will pay a little less tax next year and because it's widely considered one of Scott's finest films, it will still be a top streamer and Blu-Ray seller forty years from now. It will eventually make it's money back and then it will continue to generate income almost indefinitely. Not bad for a tax write off.

Kitbag shoots in less than three months, it's financing would almost certainly be locked in by now.



Lots more BTS!:









We few, we happy few...

























The Scottish "battle re-enactors".
"Job's done, kunts kilt, coming hame":



https://twitter.com/i/status/1450612598660009984

[Andrea90]

I was thinking about the film.
In my opinion the three points of views are great, but the words

Spoiler

the truth

[close]

before Marguerite's point of view ruins the film anyway. With these words the film is only a good film, it could be a mastepiece imho without them. I expected only the viewers could decide the truth, also in the book no one knows the reality. Those words change the sense of the film, it's a pity.

[Some Old Dude]

I think he made the right choice stripping the ambiguity away with the third act. It's essentially about the first woman to famously speak out against sexual assault from a man in a position of power. There's no need to question her legitimacy for the purpose of the narrative given what the modern parallels  of the movie are.

[Ingwar]

Not to mention it's based upon true story. Rape occurred.

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

New featurette:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyy4wbAm2os

[Ingwar]

The poor box office in this particular case isn't such a great disaster as some people make it out to be. I'm about 100% certain that Disney/20th financed this film knowing it would likely lose them a lot of money. Initially at least.

Dark medieval drama about rape couldn't duel against Venom, Halloween Kills and Bond movie, not to mention upcoming Dune. It was inevitable.

Interesting article here:

https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/tragedy-the-last-duel-flopping-box-office/

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

I don't think Den of Geek really understands that it was never Disney/20th intentions to make a gazillion bucks from this film. They could also easily have moved the picture to a quieter weekend and spent some money marketing the picture if box office gross alone was their main concern.

I think he made the right choice stripping the ambiguity away with the third act. It's essentially about the first woman to famously speak out against sexual assault from a man in a position of power. There's no need to question her legitimacy for the purpose of the narrative given what the modern parallels  of the movie are.

Yeah it does give the movie a more powerful ending, if people were left scratching their heads it would deflate the ending a bit I think.

On the other hand, an ambiguous ending would have given people a lot to talk about and discuss afterwards. Historically, the entire Kingdom of France was pretty evenly split in opinion as to who was telling the truth even after the duel. The discourse lasted for centuries.

Jean Le Coq (Le Gris' lawyer) personal diary still survives today. In it he confided that "no-one really knew the truth of the matter". Consider that Le Coq was the best lawyer money could buy back then and consider that these high-powered defense attorneys usually have a very good idea as to their clients guilt or innocence.

But in real life Le Gris claimed (and had several high-profile alibi's) that he was quite far away from Marguerite when the rape occurred. But with the movie version of Le Gris claiming that he "loved her" and had supposed "consensual" intercourse (in his mind, despite her protestations), it completely changes the story. You can't really do "ambiguous" with that anymore.




New BTS: