Diva (Widescreen): Amazon.ca: Wilhelmenia Fernandez, Fr�d�ric Andr�i, Richard Bohringer, Thuy An Luu, Jacques Fabbri, Chantal Deruaz, Anny Romand, Roland Bertin, G�rard Darmon, Dominique Pinon, Jean-Jacques Moreau, Patrick Floersheim, Philippe Rousselot, Jean-Jacques Beineix, Claudie Ossard, Ir�ne Silberman, Serge Silberman, Daniel Odier, Jean Van Hamme: DVD

Product Description

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Modern noir meets high opera in the French suspense flick Diva. Delivery boy Jules has an opera obsession. He spends his small disposable income on sophisticated sound equipment and manages to bootleg a live performance of his favorite diva, Cynthia Hawkins (played by real-life opera singer Wilhelmina Wiggins Fernandez). But Jules is spotted making the recording by shady investors who want the tape. As if that weren't enough, a second cassette, filled with enough evidence to topple an international drug and prostitution ring, makes its way into Jules's mailbag. Writer-director Jean-Jacques Beineix does a terrific job of adapting Delacorta's pulpy novel for the screen, keeping all the excitement while adding a layer of depth. A movie to make even a dedicated opera hater appreciate a perfectly sung aria, Diva has enormous loft apartments, thugs galore, gorgeous visuals, and a corker of a chase scene. Watch it--and watch your back. --Ali Davis

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Customer Reviews

32 Reviews

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
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Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (32 customer reviews)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic, April 20 2004

By

Tom Munro "tomfrombrunswick" (Melbourne, Victoria Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diva (Widescreen) (DVD)

Most films are produced by professional production houses and have elements of the formulaic. They are action thrillers, romances, horrors or mysteries. Production companies will use teams of writers a bank of directors and hire actors who have some star quality. Some films from production houses are good, most are mediocre and some are bombs. However most tend to be reasonably simple in construction and use the same tools of audience manipulation.

Diva is a film that is different from the main stream. It is in reality simply a mystery thriller with a well-written comic plot. From that point of view it can not be said to be an intellectual film it is very much a main stream production. However whilst not an intellectual film it is a intelligent film.

The plot is multi dimensional. A courier secretly tapes the performance of a reclusive opera star. The opera star has never allowed her work to be copied so that the tape is immensely valuable. At the same time a dying woman puts into the couriers bag a tape which holds the clue to a major corruption scandal. The film is about the pursuit of the courier by two lots of villains, one chasing the recording the others chasing the tape.

Introduced into the mix is the character of a detective figure who is unlike the conventional action hero as one can be. A character who is obsessed with a Zen like philosophy, who lives in a huge bar apartment and does incredibly complex jigsaw puzzles and who makes strange speeches on the art of buttering the baguette.

Rather than the film being powered by a simple plot each scene is carefully crafted both to develop the narrative of the film and also to illustrate the feel of the film and to define the characters. The opening scene is a glorious aria from the rather obscure opera La Wally. The aria is one of subtle beauty and gravity and it is sung by the Diva of the title who is a woman of incredible attractiveness.

The key of course is that the film is entertaining and keeps one interested, as it does not use the normal formulas and resolutions of conventional mysteries. It is rather an entry into a slightly strange surreal world. Although France makes its share of dud films, films like this give it the reputation of a country which makes films which are more enjoyable than those released by the mainstream.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Quintessential 80s French film-making,, Jan 1 2012

By

K. Gordon - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Diva (Widescreen) (DVD)

In the same way 'The Breakfast Club' defined a certain kind of 1980s
US filmmaking, and 'Blow Up' defined 1960s hipness, 'Diva'
defined a certain kind of 1980s European cinema.

That doesn't mean it's great, just seminal. It marked a turning away
from deep psychology, philosophy, politics or even plot, and marked an
emphasis on style, energy, colors, etc. The movie is about being a cool
movie, with cool sets, cool shots, a cool car chase, etc. The plot is
just enough to hold it all together.

All that said, it is great to look at, the chase is fun, and the film
is fun too, in an empty calorie, music video sort of way. It's
frustrating. If the acting was a little better (the leads range from
pretty good to very awkward) and the story had a little more heart and
brains, it could have kept it's grand style, and been a great film, not
just an entertaining, great looking film.

The new Meridian version is disappointingly weak. I actually
prefer my old Anchor Bay copy (I believe the same version
is the hgv edition in Canada), which was itself far from
perfect, but seems to be stronger both visually and aurally.
Read the in depth analysis on DVD Beaver comparing the
Meridian, the Anchor Bay and the Fox Lorber and you'll
get some interesting details on the differences.

I have also heard (but not yet personally seen) that
the 2004 region 2 WB and similar 2007 Region 2 Optimum
release may actually be the best version around, and currently
sells pretty cheap on Amazon UK, so if you have
a region free player, you might want to check that out.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Diva, July 5 2009

By

Vanity Smurf (Vancouver BC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diva (Widescreen) (DVD)

Diva (Widescreen)

One of the best movies from the early 80's. This movie is filled with visual beauty and vivid colors. The story is good and kinda reminds me of the present times with the illegal music downloads (sort of).
It could have done with a better score, but this was the 80's and most movies were riddled with synthesized scores. The singer who plays the Diva has an awesome voice and this movie was my introduction to opera and great classical music.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars My intro to french cinema
I first viewed this movie in the mid-late eighties as a impressionable, idealistic, young man. It was my first real foray into "foreign" film. Read more

Published on Sep 13 2005

5.0 out of 5 stars As wonderful now as it was then
When I saw DIVA in the theaters, back in 1982, I knew I had witnessed something incredibly special. And for years it had kept a warm spot in my heart and mind. Read more

Published on Jun 14 2004 by Rocco Dormarunno