Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Philip Kaufman - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Kate Winslet, Michael Caine, Joaquin Phoenix, Billie Whitelaw, Geoffrey Rush, Patrick Malahide, Amelia Warner, Stephen Moyer more
Based on the award-winning play by Doug Wright, this erotic and fantastical drama reconstructs the unknown fate of the Marquis de Sade, the writer and sexual deviant who was... more
Quills [DVD] [2001]
With bedroom eyes and the mischievous smirk of an insatiable roué, Geoffrey Rush is a ... more
perfect choice to play the Marquis de Sade inQuills, adapted by Doug Wright from his own stage play and directed by Philip Kaufman. Imprisoned in France's Charenton a...
Quills [DVD] [2001]
With bedroom eyes and the mischievous smirk of an insatiable roué, Geoffrey Rush is a ... more
perfect choice to play the Marquis de Sade inQuills, adapted by Doug Wright from his own stage play and directed by Philip Kaufman. Imprisoned in France's Charenton a...
Quills DVD
Academy Award Winner Geoffrey Rush (Shine) stars as the infamous Marquis de Sade who has ... more
shocked generation after generation with his highly charged erotic writings. Rush's powerful performance is supported by an exceptional ensemble cast including th...
perfect choice to play the Marquis de Sade inQuills, adapted by Doug Wright from his own stage play and directed by Philip Kaufman. Imprisoned in France's Charenton asylum at the turn of the 18th century, de Sade is a stately court jester in dishevelled finery, and Rush imbues the role with the fierce urgency of a writer whose sexual fantasies are his sole remaining defence against repression and hypocrisy. Deprived of quill and ink, he writes with wine, then blood, then his own faeces--a descent into madness or an impassioned refusal to be silenced?Quillsembraces freedom of expression ("such beauty, such abomination", as one character notes) while affirming that all freedoms have a price.De Sade smuggles manuscripts out of Charenton with help from Madeleine (Kate Winslet), a virginal laundress who relishes de Sade's scandalous prose--a divine irony since she was taught to read by asylum abbé Coulmier (Joaquin Phoenix), whose desire for Madeleine is suppressed by Catholic propriety. The delicate dynamic of this trio is shattered by the arrival of Royer-Collard (Michael Caine, appearing somewhat comatose), a righteous hypocrite appointed to silence de Sade once and for all. It's all very engrossing as a piece of theatre (which it still is, despite Kaufman's elegant filming), and although Wright's literate dialogue limits de Sade to zesty ripostes and sneering perversity, Rush's intensity ensures that the marquis's plight is no laughing matter.Quillshas a point, makes it without condescension and knows the difference between madness and passion . --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
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A review by steerpyke on Quills (DVD) January 10th, 2005
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Liked it
Story
Good
Characters / Performances
Good
Special Effects
Standard
How does it compare to similar films?
Good
Advantages:
-
Disadvantages:
-
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Tackling a portrayal of the life of someone as controversial as the Marquis de Sade was always going to be a difficult task for writer Doug Wright, but that is what he set himself to do in 2000 `s Quills. The premise of the film is this, for various perverse crimes, de Sade (Geoffrey Rush) finds himself subject to incarceration. Due to his aristocratic status and the influence of his wife instead of the prison that he would expect, he is interned in an asylum. Here he is allowed his own room and a decent lifestyle, and under the direction of the Abbe de Coulmier (Joaquim Phoenix) is encouraged to write as a form of therapy, the idea being that writing his perverse thoughts down will purge his will to enact them. Unfortunately unbeknown to the young Abbe, de Sade with the aid of a besotted serving girl (Kate Winslet) is publishing these erotic works and making a tidy income. Word of his publications comes to the attention of Napoleon himself who in attempt to put a stop to the situation, appoints a new governor in the form of Dr Collard (Michael Caine). Collard and de Sade then embark on a power struggle as the aristocrat pushes the doctor to the limits, causing chaos and retribution as he does so.
The film is set mainly within the asylum and as such provides the sort of humour that you are not sure whether you should laugh at, after all the misfortunes of others is not morally the most forgiving of areas to poke fun at, but humour does spring from many of these portrayals whether intentional or not. Although there is humour to be found, the subjects at hand are dark and often disturbing, madness and perversion. De Sade's writings are of a highly erotic nature, made all the more outrageous by the standards of his day. Also written into the story is the hypocrisy of those in charge of the institution, their treatment of women and their view of their fellow man. The film does portray some ideas and contain some scenes that some people may not consider the sort of subject matter that they want to see on their television set. The film is aimed at the more broad minded person and is rated 18. These scenes aren't in themselves gratuitous, and in the hands of lesser writers could have been played for cheaper thrills, but in this case are mere suggestions of what is going on in the asylum rather than graphic portrayals. It is always said that the best and most horrific special effects take place in your own mind, and this film allows you to fill in the blanks between what is presented before you.
One accusation that you can make about the films portrayal of de Sade is that it is watered down. Here de Sade is seen as a writer of teasing erotica, the reality is that his works contained the worst perversions imaginable. That they have taken that approach is probably for the best as the film remains in the realms of drama rather that pornography. Again its not important to go into detail about the historical accuracy of his writings as that is probably a film that would have a very limited audience and probably would not get passed the censor. History aside what remains in this story is a battle between the artist who believes in the freedom of the pen and the doctor who represents the censorship, yes it falls short of the true facts but it allows the film to have appeal.
Geoffrey Rush is magnificent as the aloof de Sade, at a turn charming then sneering, romantic and then perverse. He manages to bring to the film a grace and delicacy required to portray an aristocrat of the times. Phoenix also lives up to him part as the man of cloth who tries to balance compassion with discipline, a task which drives him to the edge of insanity and beyond. Kate Winslett is good but not exceptional and Michael Caine is as always still Michael Caine.
To many this will not be a pleasant film and the subject matter of lunacy and sexual fantasy is not everyone's cup of tea, but depending on who broad your outlook is you may find that this film has much going for it. It is dark yet humorous, teasing yet not graphic and though not historically correct as a biography does contain the essence of the times and its outlook on morality, erotica and madness. A very different film but not for the faint hearted.
Advantages: Geoffrey Rush Disadvantages: Kate Winslet
...stayed up late to watch Quills which was showing on one of the Sky movie channels. I did not know a lot about it, other than it was about the Marquis de Sade. I was pretty sure that any film about the infamous Marquis was going to be, at the very least, a bit risqué, so I despatched my youngest daughter to bed. Quills won the National Board of Review's Best Film of 2000. The script was by Doug Wright and it was directed by Philip Kaufman. The thing ... ...be a film based on sex, it couldn't be much else if it was about the Marquis de Sade. However, its main parts are played by Michael Caine, Kate Winslet, Geoffrey Rush and Joaquin Phoenix. I was surprised to find actors of this calibre in what I had been informed was basically a soft porn movie! I was to be very surprised. Firstly, for any of you that are not familiar with the Marquis de Sade or his writings allow me to give you just a little background ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: A comedy what makes you fink and that! Disadvantages: Comes (oo-er) to a somewhat obvious climax (fnar fnar)
How do you define making an impact on the world? How about being so infamous, having such an impact on the state of mind of a nation, that you have a word names after you? And all for putting on paper what many, many people think about, but never dare admit. Sadism. Named after the Marquis de Sade. Written about with… quills. Do you see?
Set in 1794 Paris, this is a fictionalised account (by Doug Wright, adapted from his own play) of the rise ... ...(Shine, Mystery Men). The movie opens on what appears to be a torrid love scene, which soon turns out to be something else entirely, all watched from the prison cell of the Marquis.
Years later, and de Sade is now resident in the Charenton mental asylum, but continues his depraved writings from his luxuriously furbished cell. His latest work, Justine, is being smuggled out, chapter by chapter with the assistance of laundry worker Madeleine (Kate ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Great historical insight, good characters and depth Disadvantages: Dark descriptive and indepth
*--*--*--*QUILLS*--*--*--*
Nominated for 2 Academy Awards
''Winslet and Phoenix create real fire'' Rolling Stone
''Stunning devastating…. Dark'' Film Review
-*-*-*-*-Historic Information and Plot-*-*-*-*-
Paris, 1794. Begins with a story of a prisoner during execution following to a brief introduction to the situation/location of the Marquis de Sade.
Historically the Marquis was known as Donatien Alphonse François (1740-1814), whose ... ....
The story brings the audience to the lavishly decorated prison cell of the Marquis in the Mental Asylum of 'Charenton' in France where he worked on an array of books and volumes, many which he didn't complete and many which have never been published or produced.
However, this film depicts the Marquis in the final 20 years of his life where he finds ways and means to get his writings into the public eye and out of the prison.
After publications ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Interesting film and amazing performances. Disadvantages: Too much sex that doesn't seem to serve a purpose.
A couple of friends had harped onto me about the film Quills, and seeing it on sale for a relatively low price on DVD, I reckoned I may as well buy it to see what all the fuss was about.
The film is about the Marquis De Sade who is locked away in a mental institution warded over by a priest played by Joaquin Phoenix. The priest indulges the Marquis and even encourages him to write down his explicit sexual thoughts as a means of therapy. However, ... ...getting them published causing outrage. Napoleon is advised to send a Doctor to the asylum to sort out the Marquis. The Doctor is not as indulgent as the priest, but the Marquis refuses to stop writing, instead making do with whatever is available to write with including his own blood and clothes.
The story is more complicated, though, as it is clear that the Marquis is interested in Madeline, as is the priest. Madeline (played by Kate Winslet), ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
I watched this film purely because I could find nothing better to do with my time that evening.
The film has some big names - Micheal Caine (who manages to break his usual type a little), Kate Winslet, and River Phoneix's gorgeous brother (whose name currently escapes me, I'm sorry).
The plot is relatively obvious but not without it's moments of drama.
The Marquis de Sade has been imprisonned following the Revolution. He is residing in an insane ... ...gentle, young priest who believes in the best in everyone and is the forerunner of occupational therapy! The Marquis is housed in a particularly splendid cell and is allowed to write his perverse stories to help him remain sane.
Trouble is that Kate's character is smuggling the stories out to a dashing young man on a horse (who never learns her name, and she never learns his, but the sexual tension is clearly (and predictably) there) who canters ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Plot: Set in the year 1794, this is a fictional tale of the Marquis de Sade and his desire to get his stories published whilst imprisoned in a mental asylum.
Release details
DVD Region: DVD
Studio(s): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; Deluxe Video Service - Fox
Based on the award-winning play by Doug Wright, this erotic and fantastical drama reconstructs the unknown fate of the Marquis de Sade, the writer and sexual deviant who was imprisoned in Charenton Asylum for the last 10 years of his life. QUILLS is a Gothic period piece from director Philip Kaufman that details the fall of the French Revolution and the subsequent imprisonment of the fallen aristocrat, a notorious free thinker who lived to write with an outstanding creative spirit and provocative sexual appetite. In the film, the Marquis de Sade (Geoffrey Rush) befriends the liberal director of the asylum, Abbe Coulmier (Joaquin Phoenix), and both share affections with the asylum laundress, Madeleine (Kate Winslet). Madeleine is a nubile but virginal young woman profoundly attracted to the mental prowess of the clever and wickedly defiant inmate who willingly smuggles his banished texts out of the asylum. But, when Napoleon reads JUSTINE, one of Sade's anonymous texts, he sends in Dr. Royer-Collard (Michael Caine), a cruel and moralistic man, to "cure" the Marquis of his supposed madness. However, the battle between the moralistic doctor and Sade only provokes the prisoner's rebellious spirit, resulting in a horrifying tragedy. QUILLS is a deliriously beautiful film that captures the free spirit of the imagination and the powers of undaunted artistic expression. Geoffrey Rush is a marvel as the profane and ingenious writer, strutting and flourishing about his erotically charged cell with awe-inspiring passion and greatness.
Technical information
Special Features: Audio Commentary By Writer Dong Wright, 3 Featurettes, Theatrical Trailer, TV Spot, Stills Gallery
Review: "...Rush relishes his role....Winslet captures both the beauty and the spirit of the character..." (Box Office, p.152, 01/11/2000)
"...[Rush] runs with it. It's a brave, take-no-prisoners performance....Winslet manages to instill nice complexity...as does Phoenix..." (Hollywood Reporter, p.24, 31/10/2000)
"...Funny, engrossing and unpredictable....Rush gives a towering portrayal of one of the most infamous men in history..." (Movieline, pp.28-30, 01/11/2000)
"...Geoffrey Rush [plays] Sade as a gleeful voluptuary unfettered by either morality [or] sentimentality....Mr. Kaufman revels in the chaos....Ms. Winslet's shrewdness as an actress has never been better displayed than it is here..." (New York Times, pp.E1-8, 22/11/2000)
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