In 2006, director
Sofia Coppola took a bold new take on a historic figure and crafted one of the most original, fresh, and bravest films of that year with
Marie Antoinette. With
Kirsten Dunst in the leading role, it takes historical biopic to a whole new level with a brilliant modern outlook. While the film lacks the historical politics that Antoinette had to face within her kingdom and through France, it does romanticize the life Antoinette had with a brilliant supporting cast featuring
Jason Schwartzman, Rip Torn, Molly Shannon, Marianne Faithful, and a very young
Tom Hardy. While the film does take place in the years leading up to the French Revolution, Coppola took a unique perspective on the historical period and time, making audiences realize that Antoinette was still, at heart, just a girl. From hanging Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers off the back of chairs, or using day-glo colors to accent specific atmosphere, to instead of using a traditional score and using 1980's New Wave like
Bow Wow Wow, The Cure, New Order, Gang of Four, Siousxsie and the Banshees, to modern music like
The Strokes, Radio Dept., Squarepusher, and
Aphex Twin, this film pushed all buttons. While the reception by critics was cold, over the years it now seems people are warming up to Coppola's take on a historical epic.
