The Dreamers (2003)

Director:

Bernardo Bertolucci

Writers:

Gilbert Adair (novel)
Gilbert Adair (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 October 2003 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance

Plot:

A young American studying in Paris in 1968 strikes up a friendship with a French brother and sister. Set against the background of the '68 Paris student riots.

Plot Keywords:

1968 | French | Twin | Riot | Film Buff

Awards:

8 nominations

Cast

Michael Pitt	...	Matthew
Eva Green	...	Isabelle
Louis Garrel	...	Theo
Anna Chancellor	...	Mother
Robin Renucci	...	Father
Jean-Pierre Kalfon	...	Himself
Jean-Pierre Léaud	...	Himself (as Jean-Paul Leaud)
Florian Cadiou	...	Patrick
Pierre Hancisse	...	First Buff
Valentin Merlet	...	Second Buff
Lola Peploe	...	The Usherette
Ingy Fillion	...	Theo's Girlfriend

Also Known As:

Innocents (France)
Paris '68 (UK) (working title)
The dreamers - I sognatori (Italy)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for explicit sexual content.; Rated R for strong sexual content and graphic nudity, language and some drug use. (edited version)

Runtime:

115 min | USA:112 min (R-rated version)

Country:

France | UK | Italy

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Peru:18 | Taiwan:R-18 | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | Canada:R (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Hungary:18 | Israel:18 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Brazil:16 | Canada:16+ (Québec) | Denmark:11 | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-18 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R21 (cut) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R (cut)

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Recorded Picture Company (RPC)

Trivia:

Director Bernardo Bertolucci was so impressed how the actors so naturally acted naked, he penned an uncredited lengthy extra scene in the script where all three main actors are overtly nude. It ended up on the cutting room floor.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: At the end of the movie, Theo and Isabel's parents come back to the house and start to whisper to each other in perfect English instead of French. However, as Theo and Isabel's mother is English, it should not be surprising that they would converse in English (Isabel herself tells it to Matthew when he tells her how good her English is when they first met).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Matthew: The first time I saw a movie at the cinématèque française I thought, "Only the French... only the French would house a cinema inside a palace."

Movie Connections:

Features Freaks (1932)

Soundtrack:

Ball and Chain

Only real film lovers will understand – and love – this work of art

"The Dreamers" is one of Bernardo Bertolucci's most underrated films. A mesmerizing love declaration for The Cinema, this unforgettable film must be discovered.

In 1968, 19-year-old American Matthew (Michael Pitt), while settling in Paris for studying French, meets two equally young, beautiful and liberal film buffs: the twins Isabelle (Eva Green, another Bertolucci's luminous discovery, like he did with Liv Tyler in "Stealing Beauty") and Theo (Louis Garrel, son of French director Philippe Garrel and the best of the cast). The twins' parents travel, and Matthew is invited to join the attractive duo in their apartment. He accepts the invitation, of course, and the threesome starts a bizarre game of seduction with a charming leitmotiv: riddles about classic films. Who doesn't know the right answer, has to do what he/she is asked to. In the background, student riots in defense of Henri Langlois and his merit on the Cinémathèque Française are breaking out on the streets.

The film is superb, artistically and technically. Bertolucci is top-notch, the soundtrack is overwhelming (with songs by Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Édith Piaf, among others), and the cinematography (by Fabio Cianchetti) is one of the best, if not the best, I've seen recently. Gilbert Adair, we can't forget, did an excellent job adapting his novel, "The Holy Innocents", to the big screens. The sex/full frontal scenes and amorality can shock some people, this is definitely not a film for all tastes (as almost all masterpieces), but those who are open-minded and admire good cinema, will be entranced. The ending is one of the most surprising, original and brilliant I've ever seen, but, unfortunately, not everyone will get it. That's a crying shame, but original films tend to be misunderstood. "The Dreamers" is no exception.

A must-see to all film lovers. My vote is 10.