Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky Blu-ray Movie Review

The melodic, sensuous, and irresistible 'Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky' arrives on Blu-ray with another stunning transfer from Sony.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 28, 2010

People are always afraid of what's new.

Who would have guessed that two movies featuring famous French fashionista Coco Chanel would find themselves lumped into the same category as Deep Impact and Armageddon, Antz and A Bug's Life, and Mission to Mars and Red Planet? Such is the unique relationship between Coco Before Chanel and Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky, two pictures of incredibly similar subjects and styles, but end-of-the-world extravaganzas, cutesy CGI Family pictures, or Sci-Fi movies these are not. More art house than multiplex, these cinematic retellings of Coco Chanel's story are crafted through the eyes of two European filmmakers and both prove mesmerizingly-crafted and superbly-acted projects that bring into focus the woman behind the name that's as strong today as it was decades ago in a century long since past but in an era that's succinctly captured in each film. Where Coco Before Chanel paints a portrait of a young nobody who builds a fashion empire, Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky tells a story of the woman already in command of her life and fortune, focusing here on a supposed sexual relationship with a fellow worldwide sensation, Russian Composer Igor Stravinsky.

Let's make love.

Russian Composer Igor Stravinsky (Mads Mikkelsen) is in 1913 set to premiere his latest work, The Rite of Spring, to an eager Parisian audience. The show is an utter disaster; the crowd rebels against the Russian's work, displeased with its music, themes, and visuals. Among the crowd is Coco Chanel (Anna Mouglalis), the famed fashion trendsetter who finds herself transfixed with the composer. Years pass, and Stravinsky is introduced to Chanel when he's once again in Paris in the wake of both World War I and the Russian Revolution. Chanel graciously offers Stravinsky her countryside home as a semi-permanent residence where he may both continue to craft the musical works she so admires while also ensuring that his sickly wife receives the care she needs. As the weeks go by, the unspoken but palpable lust that hangs in the air between Coco and Igor is fully realized in a passionate sexual encounter that's followed by several more. As the two find comfort in one another's embrace and inspiration for their respective works, they must come to terms with the realization that the affair may bring with it consequences that extend well beyond the bedroom.

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky is a captivatingly sensuous movie that's as much about the physical relationship between its characters as it is the hints, glances, subtle gestures, and the unspoken passions that mainfest themselves into several erotic but tastefully-crafted sexual encounters. Director Jan Kounen balances the movie extraordinarily well; it's about personal passions and passions of the heart, both wildly realized as strongly at the piano and inside the fragrance laboratory and around the clothiers as it is in the bedroom and any other locale that serves as a nest for explicit eroticism. The movie is one that contrasts haute culture with dangerous and wild rendezvous, the picture constructed around Igor Stravinsky's contemporary musical works and Coco Chanel's elegant mansion and forward-thinking designs, all juxtaposed against uninhibited sex that seems like something grounded in the most basic and primitive of instincts. The picture's approach is alluringly unique and visually striking; it's clean and elegant, a picture of extraordinary visual construction that seems almost too good for the animalistic passions that inhabit it. Then again, that contrast defines the movie more so than any of its singular elements; the sex comes to envelop the lives of the two involved, weaving its way into their work as a springboard towards a greater creative outlet, accentuating their artistry with a passion that otherwise may not have manifested in the orderly world in which they before existed. It would seem one theme to be found in Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky posits a relationship between creativity and unbridled carnal passion, the latter serving as a release for the former, any stymieing of the personal life be damned.

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky's contrast in style between elegant and animalistic seems its greatest asset, and that the film so wonderfully captures the grace, the grandeur, and the uninhibited intimacy alike through exemplary filmmaking only makes the movie all the better. Following the mesmerizingly unique opening title sequence that suggests the coming of a picture that's to be elegantly constructed but accentuated by some topsy-turvy, hot-and-heavy element that doesn't quite fit in with everything else, Jan Kounen's Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky builds an incredibly artful and visually arresting style that's the perfect balance to the picture's thematic and dramatic nuances and just the right backdrop for the passions of its main characters. Of note is the picture's ravishing set and costume design; the way the film captures its beautifully elegant yet surprisingly understated set pieces seems award-worthy, whether the grand concert hall where Stravinsky's The Right of Spring is met with disdain or the clean lines and minimalist beauty of Coco Chanel's estate. Best of all, Anna Mouglalis and Mads Mikkelsen as Coco and Igor, respectively, play their parts with a convincing tenor as two people gobbled up by their careers but who find in one another an outlet for something that extends beyond the capabilities of their work to provide them; Coco's suffering through the loss of "Boy" Capel and Igor's dispassionate relationship with his sickly wife are offset by a torrid love affair that's of the sort only found in fantasy. For all it does well, the picture ends more on a whimpering fizzle than an orgasmic bang; that's not surprising given the entirety of the experience and the nature of the Coco-Igor relationship as it's depicted in the film. Anything less would have seemed dishonest to the picture's tone, and even if it's not a traditionally-structured conclusion, it's at least true to everything the picture so painstakingly crafted through its first 100 or so minutes.

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky delivers another dazzling 1080p transfer from Sony. The image captures a positively brilliant film-like texture, accentuated by a handsome veneer of natural film grain. Fine detail springs to life at a level that's undeniably satisfying and positively Blu-ray. Although the film is constructed of many darkened and texturally colder elements that emphasize blacks, grays, and dark blues, detail is never lacking anywhere in the transfer. Brighter colors, as they are visible in splashes throughout the picture, dazzle with pinpoint accuracy and a naturalism that commands the spotlight in every scene, not just because they stand apart from the picture's generally sterile appearance, but because Sony's extraordinarily filmic transfer captures them all with an effortlessness that's second-to-none. Black levels allow the finest of details to shine through in most scenes, though in several instances they dominate the frame or appear ever-so-slightly washed out. Fortunately, skin tones find a nice balance that's reflective of the film's slightly cold appearance while remaining free of any noticeable red or orange push. Sony's Blu-ray transfer of Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky replicates the look of film as well as any Blu-ray out there and it recalls the look and feel of another winner from Sony, An Education; it's proof-positive of Sony's commitment to crafting the finest Blu-ray presentations around.

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky features a top-tier DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Never mind that much of the film is sonically subdued; the track handles the many quieter moments with a command of the various environments around the movie, effortlessly recreating every space in which the action takes place. Atmospherics are strong throughout, whether seamless crowd noises as heard during the opening act or the natural ambience of Coco's country estate. The track delivers fantastic spacing and clarity during its several instrumental pieces, effortlessly conveying the power and precision of a full orchestra by creating a balanced and highly convincing atmosphere that delivers every note across the entire dynamic range with ease. Dialogue is smooth and center-focused, never lost underneath music or sound effects. It might not be the most memorable or action-packed lossless soundtrack, but Sony's Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky nevertheless dazzles with every passing moment.

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky features a singular supplement of substance. The Making of 'Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky' (480p, 20:20) contains plenty of candid behind-the-scenes snippets that showcase the cast and crew mentally and verbally sorting out the picture's ideas as they prepare for filming. The piece also looks at the film's story, style, and themes, as well as delving into a few of the technical aspects behind the making of the movie. Also included is the film's trailer (1080p, 2:02) and additional 1080p trailers for Please Give, The Secret in Their Eyes, Coco Before Chanel, Micmacs, "The Pillars of the Earth," A Prophet, Mother and Child, Eat Pray Love, Animal Kingdom, Get Low, and Tommy.

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky is a picture of contrasts between elegantly reserved visuals, tasteful settings, and seemingly honest characters set against the ravenous passions of two people involved in a torrid affair. The picture's contrasts are striking, and Director Jan Kounen handles the challenging material with a finesse and clarity of vision that would make his work the envy of all but the finest of filmmakers. Accentuated by stunning costume and set design, Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky is easily one of the best foreign language films of 2009 and the perfect follow-up to Coco Before Chanel. Sony's Blu-ray release of Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky features nearly faultless video and audio transfers, but the disc is disappointingly absent a more thorough assortment of extras. Fans who aren't interested in special features can buy with confidence.