I went to see the movie "The Rose of Versailles" by myself! (Addendum)

An old man watches "The Rose of Versailles" alone

The other day, I went to my local cinema to see the film " The Rose of Versailles ."

It was the first show of the morning, so there were only a few dozen people in the audience. Most of them were probably women who were veteran fans from the 1970s. There were also a few couples. There was just one other man who was dining alone, including me.

Now, there are probably many people of a generation who have never read the manga "The Rose of Versai" but have heard of the name .

"The Rose of Versailles " is a manga that began serialization in 1972 when the original author, Riyoko Ikeda, was 24 years old. It sparked a huge " Rose of Versailles " boom and has continued to be read to this day.

Not only was it serialized and published as a book (selling over 20 million copies), but it also had an anime and a Takarazuka Revue stage production (which I remember being broadcast on television), dominating the entertainment industry at the time, and the world of "The Rose of Versailles" was captivating for people of all ages, from young girls to adult women.

"The Rose of Versailles," one of Japan's most representative manga from the 1970s, will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022, with various projects such as exhibitions being held, and a new theatrical film that will serve as a culmination of the series will be released in January 2025.

＜ Visitor Benefit 3 (Marie Antoinette's Eyes)＞

I headed to the theater thinking that this remake must have required a lot of courage.

I was very interested to see how the carefully crafted original manga would be transformed into a new anime, and to sum up my impressions, I thought it was good, but I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything by watching it.

I almost wanted to watch it again to be sure.

As I felt in the old anime, the human drama within the Palace of Versailles felt quite stripped down and light .

"That's right! It was easy to read." For better or worse.

Review of the main characters

To start with, let's take a look at the main characters of "The Rose of Versailles"...

Oscar François de Jarjayes, born female but the son of a general, raised as a man

Marie Antoinette leaves Austria to marry King Louis XVI of France (to form an alliance)

-Andre Grandier, Oscar's servant and childhood friend

Hans Axel von Fersen, who would become Antoinette's lifelong lover

These main characters seek to live their lives in search of freedom in turbulent France in the late 18th century.

A rough introduction to the structure of the film "The Rose of Versailles" and my thoughts on it

The broad outline of the story is from Marie Antoinette's wedding to the storming of the Bastille and the death of Oscar.

Various episodes are included in the story, and each part is led by a narrator (the gorgeous voice of Kuroki Hitomi). Also, musical scenes in which the characters sing are inserted in the middle of the story to express their feelings.

My personal impression is that the first half focused on Oscar and Marie Antoinette, and the second half focused on Oscar and Andre.

A little more appropriately...

Marie Antoinette's wedding

- Oscar becomes the captain of the Royal Guard and guards Antoinette.

- Antoinette and Fersen's love, and Oscar's feelings for Fersen

Oscar is surprised at the huge difference between the lives of the nobles and the citizens.

- Oscar leaves the Royal Guard and transfers to the Guards

- Oscar realizes Andre's deep feelings and they become a couple

-When the citizens revolted, Oscar stuck to his own will and led the guards to support the citizens.

The revolution begins in earnest, and Oscar takes part in the storming of the Bastille on the side of the citizens, where he is shot.

In this context, Oscar's character comes across as a sensitive person who cries a lot, worries a lot, and is lost in thought, and I felt that this image had been changed from that of the old anime, where she was more sturdy and showed the strength to move forward once she made a decision.

I'm sure people will have mixed feelings about this.

I didn't mind the image of Oscar as a soft character who is sensitive, cries easily, and is often lost in thought.

However, while "The Rose of Versailles" is called a masterpiece because of the deep and thorough depiction of the conflict between the luxurious aristocratic society and the civil society that was gradually becoming dissatisfied with their peaceful life, I felt that this depiction was a little light this time, and the depth of the historical story that was the defining feature of "The Rose of Versailles" was slightly diluted.

But this was already a problem with the movie, and there was nothing that could be done about it.

I thought to myself that if I wanted to portray the overwhelming difference between aristocratic society and commoner society, the only option would be to make the film into a prequel, sequel, or trilogy...but that would take up a huge amount of time and money.

Given the current situation, I wondered if the emphasis on romance elements had increased.

One thing I can say is that this film does not focus on being the longest historical story, but rather tells the story of Oscar as a human being, which is why I felt it was a ``halfway'' film.

It's a work that will probably be seen by many people.

Ah, but I had to wait a little longer for the musical parts. The voice actors did a great job singing the songs, but the visual presentation was...

Regarding this, I read an interview with the director and it seems that the production took a long time (9 years) and the music part was being worked on during the impact of COVID-19, and from what he wrote, I got the impression that he wished he had put more effort into it.

Well, I've written a lot, but personally, I think it's a great film.

I think it was worth seeing just to see how this manga, which began serialization in 1972 and was all the rage, has been remade with a modern sensibility more than 50 years later.

Finally, the pamphlet is worth reading, as it will give you a good idea of ​​the French Revolution.

I remember when the movie ended, the woman sitting across the aisle from me was crying.

"The Rose of Versailles" Special Project

Hilton Tokyo Odaiba will be hosting a special afternoon event to celebrate the release of the film.

A special event where you can enjoy the world of "The Rose of Versailles" through sweets

~The Rose of Versailles Special Afternoon Tea~

The special menu includes sweets, ribbons, and cakes decorated with tiaras in the shape of the characters, as well as savory dishes resembling palace meals, using ingredients such as foie gras and lobster. The price is 7,800 yen .

Original goods are also sold.

Reservations are open until March 21st at the Grillogy Bar & Grill at Hilton Tokyo Odai.

I wrote a little about the movie version of "The Rose of Versailles." Thank you for reading to the end.

*Additional Note: There is one more special project.

This is a collaboration accommodation plan between the animated film "The Rose of Versailles" and Hotel New Otani (Tokyo).

This plan is limited to two groups per day and can only be booked online. The rooms are decorated with characters such as Oscar and Antoinette, as well as memorable scenes from the story, creating an immersive atmosphere in the world of "The Rose of Versailles."

Fans will also be able to take home a welcome voice and character collaboration goods unique to the hotel, making this an irresistible experience.

Reservations are by internet only.

This special offer is only available from April 26th to July 31st, and reservations will start on March 8th. For more information, click here .

*According to the official X Movies website, the film attracted over 300,000 viewers within a month of its release, and grossed over 400 million yen.

Author

Masashi Aoki

Art Examination Level 1 Art Navigator

I'm the one in the top left of the picture. I sometimes create images like this.

I photographed the marbling I did with acrylic paint and combined it with images I took myself.

In the past, I worked as a radio station director in Osaka and Nagoya for a long time.

He was a member of Aichi Triennale 2013 .

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