The Virgin Suicides

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Previously criticized for her marginal acting skills, Sofia Coppola made her directorial debut with The Virgin Suicides and silenced her detractors. No amount of coaching from her director father (Francis Coppola) or husband (Spike Jonze) could have guaranteed a film this assured, and in adapting Jeffrey Eugenides's novel, Coppola demonstrates the sensitivity and emotional depth that this material demands. Surely the pain of youth and public criticism found its way into her directorial voice; in the story of four sisters who self-destruct under the steady erosion of their youthful ideals, one can clearly sense Coppola's intimate connection to the inner lives of her characters.

Played in a delicate minor key, the film is heartbreaking, mysterious, and soulfully funny, set in a Michigan suburb of the mid-1970s but timeless and universal to anyone who's been a teenager. The four surviving Lisbon sisters lost a sibling to suicide, and as its title suggests, the film will chart their mutual course to oblivion under the vigilance of repressive parents (Kathleen Turner and James Woods, perfectly cast). But The Virgin Suicides is more concerned with life in that precious interlude of adolescence, when the Lisbon girls are worshipped by the neighborhood boys, their notion of perfection epitomized by Lux (Kirsten Dunst) and her storybook love for high-school stud Trip (Josh Hartnett). Unfolding at the cusp of innocence and sexual awakening, and recalled as a memory, The Virgin Suicides is, ultimately, about the preservation of the Lisbon sisters by their own deaths--suspended in time, polished to perfection, and forever untainted by adulthood. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Desert for Cinema.......2007-07-30

The Virgin Suicides is a movie for kids about kid's world.
Five unjustifiable suicides are added to give a thrill and make the adults consume too.
Cecile's suicide is the only enigmatic one. For the others, why not wait to become eighteen? Lux was seventeen less than one year older and she could leave home.
What I wonder is what made americans turn the book into a besteseller!!!!

Sofia Needs a Challenge.......2007-07-28

The reviewer who characterized this film as a "two-hour tampon commercial" put it so aptly that I have little to add. It's understandable that a woman director should be inclined towards women's stories but enough already with sultry and girlish emotions! Break away! Make some movies. A couple of ideas: Biker Chicks from Mars! Or, Granny Got Her Gun! This will be my last Sofia Coppola film for a long time.

Weak and thrown together........2007-07-20

The Virgin Suicides. When I think about the name of this movie and the actors/actresses who play the lead characters, a different sort of plot comes to my mind. I pictured a silly high school comedy. Instead, I got a supposed "deep" film about suicide.

No, Josh Hartnett and Kirsten Dunst aren't playing their normal roles. Fans of theirs will be shocked to see how different this movie is from the rest. However, this isn't a good thing.

What's The Virgin Suicides about? I'd attempt to tell you but there's a lack of a consistent plot. While watching the first 20 minutes or so, you hear the narrator say clear and concisely what is going to happen at the end of the film. Which leads to absolutely no climax nor surprise. So now that we know how the movie ultimately ends, the writer must then fill preceding scenes with important events in order to keep the audience entertained, right? Not so much. I knew before watching this film that it was based on a book and it is incredibly obvious considering it seems as though the majority of the scenes were randomly picked from the book, regardless if they were important or relevant to the storyline or not.

I was left with the impression that you have to be one of those artsy people who love to analyze things (poems, books, movies) in order to think this movie was any good. Let's get one thing straight. You don't need to have sex, attractive actors/actresses, bad jokes, a great lesson, thrills, or a beginning, middle, and end to make a great movie. What you DO need is to try to pull in the audience and attempt to tug at their emotions (whether you want them to feel scared, sympathetic, happy, or whatever). And when there is a lack of evolved characters (as there was in this movie), there are no emotions. No emotions, just questions. Like were there other secret meanings behind certain scenes that appeared to be completely irrelevant? Was I supposed to feel sympathy for the girls for killing themselves when there was not only a huge lack of character development but also no valid explanation for why it was done? Was I supposed to understand why the boys were so infatuated with the girls? Was there a point to this movie?

Bottom line, if the idea of a movie about 4 girls killing themselves because their parents punished them for missing curfew sounds bad to you, skip this movie. In my opinion, the 5 star reviews that were given for this movie came from people who read the book and/or people who try to make the movie deeper than it actually is. As a movie based on a book, this movie can in no way stand on its own.

Sensual and tragic.......2007-06-12

I've been hypnotized by this film from the moment it came out, and by the book before it.
Eugenides' novel reads like a series of glimpses into the mystery that is (or was) the Lisbon girls. I think Sofia Coppola does a wonderful job of transferring that humid, dreamy atmosphere to film.
There is a danger that because the film is so delicate it may float away, but the soundtrack keeps it anchored; in particular, the use of Heart songs throughout the Lux and Trip love affair.
Kathleen Turner is great as Mrs. Lisbon, making her human and making the audience feel for her even as she puts her four daughters in lockdown.
Kirsten Dunst, of whom I am a fan, is pitch-perfect as Lux, struggling with womanhood in the stifling atmosphere of the Lisbon household. I think it is best expressed when Lux conducts various affairs on the roof. She rebels even though she is virtually tied to the house. Kirsten Dunst pulls it off with a subtlety one can also see in films like Interview with the Vampire and Marie Antoinette, another film by Sofia Coppola.
This film is definitely worth seeing over and over again. Check it out!

The Virgin Suicides.......2007-06-10

I read the book about two months before I saw the movie. I read the book over and over again, asking the same question that the confused teenaged boys did in the story: Why? Now, they never figured it out, and did not intend to, seeing as how the fantasy of the five sisters was more important than the questions of reality. However, unlike the neighborhood boys, I thought I'd missed something. A word, a phrase, a motif that went unnoticed. I figured out that I hadn't missed anything, and was partially put off by the fact that I couldn't find a concrete explanation.

After seeing this film, I understand a little more than I did when reading the book. Ms. Coppola takes direction of an already concrete literary work, and changes perspective so that the things that cannot be explained are at least felt in some manner. The book focuses on the boys perspective ( which is the fantasy focus of the book)just enough to make readers wonder more about the girls. Sofia, shifts that just enough, not to lose the dreamy fantasy quality, but to layer it on top of the reality. We understand and feel the boys' desire becoming something that resembles a dream/fantasy, but we also get into the girls' minds just enough to take the edge off of the desire to know why. We are in the room with all five of them as they listen on the telephone trying to reach out to a world that they've been snatched out of ( in the book, we get more of a view of the condition of the lawn, the fact that no one leaves to go to the store, but has grocery delivered, etc.). We see the sun rise and set as the days go by, knowing that the sisters can only watch from a window. Those small moments, that feed the story from a different angle, make this movie great. Its delicately crafted direction and touch of feminine perspective makes the movie something you can watch without fear of another book-turned-movie catastrophe.

American Beauty (1999) / The Virgin Suicides (1999) (Double Feature)

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American Beauty (1999) / The Virgin Suicides (1999) (Double Feature)
Starring: Kevin Spacey , Annette Bening , Thora Birch , Wes Bentley , and Mena Suvari
Director: Sam Mendes , and Sofia Coppola
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000PHX5MS
Release Date: 2007-08-07

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I AM TOTALLY A GROUPIE OF THIS MOVIE
Groupie Movie
Good Movie if not compared to book
One for the teenagers of the '90s.
An Interesting Mess

Girl
Starring: Dominique Swain , Sean Patrick Flanery , Summer Phoenix , Tara Reid , and Selma Blair
Director: Jonathan Kahn (III)
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 076785344X
Release Date: 2000-08-29

Customer Reviews:

I AM TOTALLY A GROUPIE OF THIS MOVIE.......2007-04-11

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS MOVIE. I STUMBLED UPON IT LATE ON HBO ONE NIGHT AND HAD TO HAVE IT. IF YOU ARE FEELING A LITTLE NOSTALGIC FOR THE SEATTLE SCENE THIS IS DEFINETLY THE MOVIE FOR YOU.

Groupie Movie.......2007-01-04

If you have ever questioned what happens when you're a groupie then this movie might be for you. It's not perfect. The narration over the movie gets annoying from time to time but it is a coming of age story. It's based off of a book which it doesn't stay true to, but the same basic story is there. It's a good movie for anyone who is interested rock and roll and hot rock stars thne this movie is for you.

Good Movie if not compared to book.......2006-03-03

If you are a fan of the book "Girl" you will probably not enjoy this movie. The movie leaves out much of the detail in the book which presented a more together, engrossing, and character-rich story. If you can watch the movie as a separate entity from the book, it is enjoyable. The strong point of the film is the excellent cast of many indie film stars like Selma Blair. Portia De Rossi from Arrested Development also has a role in the film. The film still presents a coming of age story that doesn't take itself too seriously.

One for the teenagers of the '90s........2005-12-06

If you were a teenager in the mid-'90s (and enjoyed it), you will probably love this movie and relate to it. It really captures the feel of the grunge era well.
If, however, you're one of those people who hates grunge music because it's dark/depressing, you probably can't relate.
Since I was in high school from '94-'98, I love Girl. I happened upon it by accident (someone recommended Girl when he actually meant Party Girl), and I was so happy that I did. But I know the time period has a bad reputation. If you loathe Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Candlebox, My So-Called Life, and dyed hair, this movie probably isn't for you.
All that said, I'm making my assessment of the movie without having read the book, so if you want a book/movie comparison you'll have to look at other reviews.

An Interesting Mess.......2005-09-12

I have probably spent more time on "Girl" than it warrants, just consider this a public service to prospective viewers who are unable to make head or tail out of the wide range of comments already posted. As to the quality of its adaptation from the novel, I won't go there because there is no purpose in "apples to oranges" comparisons and many others have relentlessly addressed the adaptation issue.

Bottom line the movie version of "Girl" is a mess-which can be guessed without even viewing. Made-for-cable movies back in 1998 were generally lousy and not the mix of quality that they are in 2005. Neither director Jonathan Kahn nor writer David Tolchinsky had done a feature before "Girl" and neither has done anything since 1998. Just do the math.

"Girl" is pretty much what you would have if "Almost Famous" had been a long episode of "My So-Called Life". Dominique Swain plays the main character (Andrea Marr), basically the Penny Lane character in "Almost Famous". Swain's usual acting style is to brazen her way through roles, subtlety and nuance are not words that have ever been used to describe her performances. But in "Girl" she comes closest to a carefully crafted performance and actually shows some restraint. Perhaps this is because of her voice-over narration, which serves as a counterpoint to her actions on the screen. She has a nice voice when reined in and she was still very cute in 1998.

The most obvious problem when adapting a novel is that the screenplay can include only a fraction of the material. The more characters included in the adaptation, the more shallow the character development. This is one of "Girl's" most obvious flaws as there is little reason to connect or care about any of the supporting characters, their quirks exist but we receive no background information so we can never understand why. There is Rebecca (Summer Phoenix) - a big-time grunge music fan who rambles on constantly about music trivia and sex. Rebecca gets the movie's best lines. There is Darcy (Selma Blair) - a walking eating disorder who is supposed to be Andrea's best friend although all they choose to showcase is her resentment of Andrea. There is Cybil (Tara Reid) - A nihilist grunge rocker with a bad home life and a lust for Andrea. Despite Tara Reid being shockingly good in this role (by far her best performance ever) the part is so poorly written and false that it should have omitted from the screenplay. There are Kevin (Channon Roe) & Richard (Christopher Masterson) - class geeks who appear in the school cafeteria as part of Cybil's band and seem to have otherwise been omitted from the screenplay. Finally there is Todd (Sean Patrick Flannery) who is Andrea's main love interest and seems embarrassed about even being associated with this movie-he and Swain have no chemistry and seem genuinely uncomfortable together.

Girl's fatal flaw is that it can't decide if it is a comedy, a drama, or a coming-of-age story. Since the humor is confined to an occasional witty line it isn't much of a comedy, the only indication that it was meant to be a comedy is some over-the-top humor about an abusive jock being hit over the head with a board and knocked out. Once is not enough as this nonsense is repeated later in the film. Although not even remotely funny it must be there to let the viewer know that this is a comedy as there are never any consequences to those committing the criminal assault (insert "Three Stooges" here). The comedy aspect is finally abandoned and the last few minutes treat us to Lifetime triple feature of teen suicide, bulimia, and homosexuality. These are tacked on with insufficient explanation, apparently because the writer and director sensed that the comedy angle was weak and they needed to qualify it as a coming-of-age story.

This genre splitting ultimately undermines the Andrea character who despite Swain's best efforts comes across as a cobbled together mix of inconsistent and conflicting motivations and behaviors-making her impossible to identify with or care about. She is intelligent (headed for an Ivy League school), beautiful, self-assured, adventurous, and has a lot of friends. You have seen this character before in "Say Anything" but in "Girl" she overnight becomes one of the most hated heroines in teen comedy history. Meaning you have sympathy only for her various victims as she virtually rapes a guy to have her first sex, unfeelingly abandons her friends for cooler ones, explores her emerging femininity without regard to the consequences, and generally acts more eight than eighteen. Swain is physically perfect for the "Say Anything" type of heroine but this ultimately works against as her as her transformation into parental nightmare just doesn't ring true.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola's the Virgin Suicides) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Netherlands ]

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The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola's the Virgin Suicides) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Netherlands ]
Director: Sofia Coppola
Manufacturer: Bridge Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

Netherlands released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Dutch (Subtitles), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SYNOPSIS: A dark comedy punctuated by moments of drama, The Virgin Suicides explores the emotional underpinnings of a family starting to come apart at the seams in 1970's Midwestern America. The Lisbons seem like an ordinary enough family; Father (James Woods) teaches math at a high school in Michigan, Mother (Kathleen Turner) has a strong religious faith, and they have five teenage daughters, ranging from 13-year-old Cecilia (Hannah Hall) to 17-year-old Therese (Leslie Hayman). However, the Lisbon family's sense of normalcy is shattered when Cecilia falls into a deep depression and attempts suicide. The family is shaken and Mother and Father seek the advice of psychiatrist Dr. Hornicker (Danny DeVito), who suggests the girls should be allowed to socialize more with boys. However, boys soon become a serious problem for Cecilia's sister Lux (Kirsten Dunst). Lux has attracted the eye of a high-school Romeo named Trip (Josh Hartnett), who assures Father of his good intentions. But Cecilia finally makes good on her decision to kill herself, throwing the Lisbons into a panic; and after attending a school dance, Trip seduces and then abandons Lux. The Lisbons pull their daughters out of school, as an emotionally frayed Mother keeps close watch over them. Meanwhile, Lux continues to attract the attentions of the local boys, and she responds with a series of clandestine sexual episodes with random partners as often as she can sneak out of the house. The debut feature from Sofia Coppola (whose father, Francis Ford Coppola, co-produced this film), The Virgin Suicides also features supporting performances from Scott Glenn and Giovanni Ribisi. SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu,

Average customer rating:

Desert for Cinema
Sofia Needs a Challenge
Weak and thrown together.
Sensual and tragic
The Virgin Suicides

The Virgin Suicides [Region 2]
Starring: James Woods , Kathleen Turner , Kirsten Dunst , Josh Hartnett , and Michael Paré
Director: Sofia Coppola
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00005IA2E

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Desert for Cinema.......2007-07-30

Sofia Needs a Challenge.......2007-07-28

Weak and thrown together........2007-07-20

Sensual and tragic.......2007-06-12

The Virgin Suicides.......2007-06-10

Average customer rating:

Desert for Cinema
Sofia Needs a Challenge
Weak and thrown together.
Sensual and tragic
The Virgin Suicides

The Virgin Suicides [Region 2]
Starring: James Woods , Kathleen Turner , Kirsten Dunst , Josh Hartnett , and Michael Paré
Director: Sofia Coppola
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( V ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00004YN6Q

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Desert for Cinema.......2007-07-30

Sofia Needs a Challenge.......2007-07-28

Weak and thrown together........2007-07-20

Sensual and tragic.......2007-06-12

The Virgin Suicides.......2007-06-10

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