February 13, 2007

Sofia = Baz... just more prolific


Okay, so, get this: SOFIA COPPOLA WILL DIRECT A PUCCINI OPERA!!!

Is this not a big freaky coincidence?

Bare with me.


In 1992 Baz Luhrmann makes his first film, Strictly Ballroom. The first in his "Red Curtain Trilogy". It sets up his fanbase.

In 2000 Sofia Coppola makes her first film, The Virgin Suicides. The first in her "Little Girl Lost Trilogy". It sets up her fanbase.

In 1996 Baz Luhmann makes his second film, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. The second in his "Red Curtain Trilogy". It affirms his fanbase, while also becoming popular with teenage girls. Features rising actress Clare Danes. Features a scene in a pool.

In 2003 Sofia Coppola makes her second film, Lost in Translation. The second in her "Little Girl Lost Trilogy". It affirms her fanbase, while also becoming popular with teenage girls. Features rising actress Scarlett Johansson. Features a scene in a pool.

In 2001 Baz Luhrmann makes his third film, Moulin Rouge!. The third and final in his "Red Curtain Trilogy". It premieres at the Cannes Film Festival and it polarises critics and audiences with it's radical usage of modern music in a famous period French setting (the Moulin Rouge). Film is obsessed with the colour red, features a big elephant and is about a tragic woman. Singer Kylie Minogue cameos.

In 2006 Sofia Coppola makes her third film, Marie Antoinette. The third and final in her "Little Girl Lost Trilogy". It premieres at the Cannes Film Festival and it polarises critics and audiences with it's radical usage of modern music in a famous period French setting (Versailles). Film is obsessed with the colour pink, features a big elephant and is about a tragic woman. Musical group Phoenix cameo.

In 2003 Baz Luhrmann directs Puccini's La Boheme for Broadway.

In 2009 Sofia Coppola will direct Puccini's Manon Lescaut for France's Montpelliar Opera House.


...so what's next? Well, as we all know, Baz is filming his historical romantic epic Australia for release in 2008. Will Sofia follow suit and make a historical romantic epic? That'd be interesting, non? I just wish Baz had less time between his film projects. Seven years is too many! Any thoughts, people?

7 comments:

adam k. said...

Hmm. Yeah I would never have thought of this, but the parallels are definitely there.

Another one is the Film Bitch Award correlation: both Sofia and Baz finally earned Best Pic FB awards for their films on the third try, after each of their previous pics (LiT and Ballroom) won bronze.

adam k. said...

Scratch Ballroom and replace it with R&J (Baz's second film). My bad. But I believe that if you check the old 90's top ten lists, you'll find that R&J (like LiT) was Nat's #3 of its year. Also, they're both basically brief, quickly ended love stories.

The only thing I don't get is: since when is LiT particularly popular with teenage girls? Um, not really. More like film buffs in general, and Bill Murray fans.

Glenn Dunks said...

You'd be surprised. There are a lot of teenager girls who really love it because they relate so closely. Teenage girls are twentysomethings, I must add, but yeah. It's definitely there.

Glenn Dunks said...

More thoughts:

Both of their third films were aimed at women. And they both featured massive costume design scales.

And both of their third films were filmed in their home county. Australia for MR! and France for MA.

It's a shame Baz wasn't the son of a famous director cause then it'd just be insane.

Anonymous said...

Well, speaking as a girl who was a 14 year old obsessed with Romeo & Juliet when it came out, and was a 22 year old obsessed with Lost in Translation when that came out, I think the parallel holds up.

adam k. said...

So you're saying they're popular with the same group of then-teenage girls who are in their 20s now? Hmm.

France is Sofia's home country?

Glenn Dunks said...

She lives in France with her boyfriend (or it husband?). I can't remember his name, but he's the main guy in the band Phoenix (the one that appears in the film).