The Duke of Burgundy

Last updated

The Duke of Burgundy
The Duke of Burgundy UK Poster.jpg
British release poster
Directed by Peter Strickland
Written byPeter Strickland
Produced by Andy Starke
Starring
CinematographyNic Knowland
Edited byMátyás Fekete
Music by Cat's Eyes
Production
companies
Distributed by Artificial Eye
Release dates
  • 6 September 2014 (2014-09-06)(TIFF)
  • 20 February 2015 (2015-02-20)(UK)
Running time
104 minutes [2]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$175,668 [3] [4]

The Duke of Burgundy is a 2014 British erotic romance drama film written and directed by Peter Strickland, and starring Sidse Babett Knudsen as Cynthia and Chiara D'Anna as Evelyn.

Contents

The film was screened at various film festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival, the London Film Festival, and the International Film Festival Rotterdam, to positive critical reviews. [1] [5] [6] According to Strickland, the film was influenced by Spanish filmmaker Jesus Franco right down to the casting of Franco alumni Monica Swinn. This was Swinn's first film role in over 30 years (she had previously retired in 1982).

Plot

Evelyn is studying lepidopterology under the older Cynthia, who frequently lectures on her studies. Evelyn is romantically involved with Cynthia and works as a maid in her home, where she is subject to strict behavioral expectations and high standards of cleanliness. When Evelyn does not complete tasks to Cynthia's satisfaction, she is punished.

As Cynthia increasingly falters in her dominance, it becomes apparent that Evelyn is orchestrating Cynthia's role in the relationship by writing instructions and scripts for specific play scenes, which the couple acts out in the same way each day. While Evelyn finds the scenes to be sexually exciting, Cynthia only acts them out to sate her lover. She attempts to please Evelyn for her birthday by ordering a carpenter to construct a bed with a drawer underneath for Evelyn to sleep in as a punishment; however, Evelyn is unhappy with the length of time it will take to produce the bed, and ultimately refuses the gift.

Evelyn begins to demand that Cynthia lock her in a trunk in the evening as a new punishment. Cynthia agrees, but she is resentful about the new physical separation. Cynthia also becomes self-conscious about her ageing, having injured her back moving the trunk to her bedside. The couple's relationship becomes more strained as Evelyn's expectations go unfulfilled. Later, Cynthia accuses Evelyn of polishing another lecturer's boots, which she considers to be an act of betrayal. She expresses her unhappiness on Evelyn's birthday, when she demands that Evelyn bake her own birthday cake, which Cynthia eats while reclining with her feet resting on Evelyn's face. Evelyn does not enjoy the scene and calls out her safeword, pinastri , which Cynthia ignores.

The two begin to act out the same play scene as before, but then Cynthia breaks character and starts to cry. Evelyn consoles her, expressing her love. Later, Evelyn's instructions are shown being burned and the two carry out the trunk Evelyn would lay in as punishment. The film ends with Evelyn standing in-front of the house ringing the doorbell, repeating the cycle once more.

Cast

Title

As lepidopterology (the study of moths and butterflies) is a theme throughout the film, the title refers to the Duke of Burgundy ( Hamearis lucina ) butterfly, although it is no longer known "how [it] received that name in the first place, any reasoning being lost in the mists of entomological antiquity." [7]

Reception

The film received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 94%, based on 101 reviews, with an average rating of 8 out of 10. The critical consensus reads "Stylish, sensual, and smart, The Duke of Burgundy proves that erotic cinema can have genuine substance". [8] At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score, the film has a score of 87 out of 100, indicating "Universal Acclaim" based on 24 reviews. [9]

The A.V. Club called The Duke of Burgundy the 4th best film of 2015 [10] and the 34th best film of the 2010s. [11] The Indiewire critic's poll named it the third best film of the year, [12] and it ranked 69th in that publication's list of the best films of the decade. [13]

The film's score by Cat's Eyes also received positive attention. [14]

Awards and accolades

Strickland received The Wouter Barendrecht Pioneering Vision Award at the Hamptons International Film Festival for his work in the film. [15] The film also won the Grand Jury Prize at the 23rd Philadelphia Film Festival. [16]

Soundtrack

The Duke of Burgundy was released by Cat's Eyes in February 2015.

Related Research Articles

<i>After the Wedding</i> (2006 film) 2006 Danish film

After the Wedding is a 2006 Danish-Swedish drama film directed by Susanne Bier and starring Mads Mikkelsen and Sidse Babett Knudsen. The film was a critical success and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but lost to The Lives of Others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sidse Babett Knudsen</span> Danish actress (born 1968)

Sidse Babett Knudsen is a Danish actress who works in theatre, television, and film. Knudsen made her screen debut in the 1997 improvisational comedy Let's Get Lost, for which she received both the Robert and Bodil awards for Best Actress.

Cat's Eyes are an alternative pop duo formed in early 2011 by vocalist Faris Badwan and Italian-Canadian soprano, composer and multi-instrumentalist Rachel Zeffira.

<i>Borgen</i> (TV series) Danish political drama television series

Borgen is a Danish political drama television series. Adam Price is the co-writer and developer of the series, together with Jeppe Gjervig Gram and Tobias Lindholm. Borgen is produced by SAM Productions on behalf of DR, the Danish public broadcaster, which previously produced The Killing. In Denmark, Borgen, lit. 'The Castle', is the informal name of Christiansborg Palace where all three branches of Danish government reside: the Parliament, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme Court, and is often used as a stand in term for the Danish Parliament (Folketinget).

The Robert Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role is a Danish Film Academy award presented at the annual Robert Award ceremony to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a Danish film.

<i>Chop Chop</i> (2001 film) 2001 film by Niels Arden Oplev

Chop Chop is a 2001 Danish comedy film. Its original Danish title is Fukssvansen, which literally means "the panel saw". Written and directed by Niels Arden Oplev, the film stars Martin Buch, Anders W. Berthelsen, and Sidse Babett Knudsen, and was produced by Zentropa.

<i>Her</i> (film) 2013 film by Spike Jonze

Her is a 2013 American science-fiction romantic drama film written, directed, and co-produced by Spike Jonze. It marks Jonze's solo screenwriting debut. The film follows Theodore Twombly, a man who develops a relationship with Samantha, an artificially intelligent virtual assistant personified through a female voice. The film also stars Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, and Chris Pratt. The film was dedicated to James Gandolfini, Harris Savides, Maurice Sendak and Adam Yauch, who all died before the film's release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Strickland (director)</span> British film director and screenwriter (born 1973)

Peter Strickland is a British film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his films Berberian Sound Studio (2012), The Duke of Burgundy (2014) and In Fabric (2018).

<i>Berberian Sound Studio</i> 2012 British film

Berberian Sound Studio is a 2012 British psychological horror film. It is the second feature film by British director and screenwriter Peter Strickland. The film, which stars Toby Jones, is set in a 1970s Italian horror film studio.

<i>Björk: Biophilia Live</i> 2014 British concert film by Icelandic musician Björk

Biophilia Live is a 2014 British concert film by Björk, directed and edited by Peter Strickland and Nick Fenton. The film features Björk performing tracks from her Biophilia Tour, which started in June 2011 and ended in September 2013. It was filmed at Alexandra Palace in London on 3 September 2013, and had a theatrical premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on 26 April 2014 with screenings across the world throughout the same year.

<i>Inferno</i> (2016 film) 2016 American action mystery film directed by Ron Howard

Inferno is a 2016 American action mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard and written by David Koepp, loosely based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Dan Brown. It is the sequel to The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Angels & Demons (2009), and is the third and final film in the Robert Langdon film series. It stars Tom Hanks, reprising his role as Robert Langdon, alongside Felicity Jones as Dr. Sienna Brooks, Omar Sy, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Ben Foster, and Irrfan Khan.

<i>Courted</i> (film) 2015 film

Courted is a 2015 French drama film directed by Christian Vincent. It was screened in the main competition section of the 72nd Venice International Film Festival where Fabrice Luchini won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. At the 41st César Awards, Sidse Babett Knudsen won the César Award for Best Supporting Actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chiara D'Anna</span>

Chiara D'Anna is an Italian actress, director, writer and academic notable for working with the writer and director Peter Strickland in Berberian Sound Studio and The Duke of Burgundy. While studying Geology at the University of Turin she joined drama school. Her directorial debut was an adaptation of Bulghakov's The Master and Margarita. The following year her adaptation of Oscar Wilde's Salome was awarded the Aquilegia Blu National Prize. After obtaining her MSc she left Italy to pursue her acting career in London.

<i>150 Milligrams</i> 2016 film

150 Milligrams is a 2016 French drama film directed by Emmanuelle Bercot. It was screened in the Special Presentations section at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. The film is based on the true story of French pulmonologist Irène Frachon, who became noted for her investigations of the serious side effects and deaths attributed to the diabetes drug Mediator, produced by French manufacturer Laboratoires Servier.

<i>In Fabric</i> 2018 British horror comedy film

In Fabric is a 2018 British horror comedy film, written and directed by Peter Strickland. The film follows a haunted red dress as it torments various owners. It stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill, and Gwendoline Christie.

Fatma Mohamed is a Romanian actress known for her appearances in all five of director Peter Strickland's feature films, namely Katalin Varga, Berberian Sound Studio, The Duke of Burgundy, In Fabric and Flux Gourmet.

<i>Vitello</i> (film) 2018 Danish film

Vitello is a 2018 animated comedy-drama film directed by Dorte Bengtson in her directorial debut, and co-written by Bengtson and Kim Fupz Aakeson. It is based on a series of children's books by the same name by Aakeson and Niels Bo Bojesen. The voice cast includes Samuel Søby Bang as the titular character and Sidse Babett Knudsen as his mother, along with Bodil Jørgensen, Nicolaj Kopernikus, and Birthe Neumann.

<i>Club Zero</i> 2023 film by Jessica Hausner

Club Zero is a 2023 internationally co-produced dark comedy thriller film, directed and produced by Jessica Hausner, from a screenplay by Hausner and Géraldine Bajard. It stars Mia Wasikowska, Mathieu Demy, Elsa Zylberstein, Amir El-Masry and Sidse Babett Knudsen.

<i>The Duke of Burgundy</i> (soundtrack) 2015 film score by Cats Eyes

The Duke of Burgundy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2014 film of the same name directed by Peter Strickland. Featuring the original music composed by the alternative pop duo Cat's Eyes, in their maiden film scoring debut, the album was released by RAF Records and Caroline Music Distribution on 16 February 2015, four days before the film's release. The music received critical acclaim and has been assessed as one of the best film scores of 2015.

<i>Sons</i> (2024 film) 2024 film by Gustav Möller

Sons is a 2024 psychological thriller co-written and directed by Gustav Möller. The film starring Sidse Babett Knudsen and Sebastian Bull is about an idealistic prison officer Eva Hansen, who faces the dilemma of her life when a young man she knows from before is transferred to her prison.

References

  1. 1 2 "Film Review: 'The Duke of Burgundy'". Variety . 18 October 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY (18)". British Board of Film Classification . 12 January 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  3. ↑ "The Duke of Burgundy (2015) - Financial Information".
  4. ↑ "The Duke of Burgundy".
  5. ↑ "'The Duke of Burgundy': Toronto Review". The Hollywood Reporter . 8 September 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "TIFF Review: Peter Strickland's 'The Duke Of Burgundy' Is A Surreal & Sublime Knock-Out". Indiewire . Archived from the original on 20 September 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  7. ↑ Oates, Matthew (4 June 2015). In Pursuit of Butterflies: A Fifty-year Affair. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4729-2451-3.
  8. ↑ "The Duke Of Burgundy (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "The Duke of Burgundy". Metacritic . Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  10. ↑ "The 20 best films of 2015". The A.V. Club . 17 December 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  11. ↑ "The 100 best movies of the 2010s". The A.V. Club . 18 November 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  12. ↑ "The 20 Best Films of 2015". Indiewire. 10 December 2015.
  13. ↑ "The 100 Best Movies of the Decade". Indiewire. 22 July 2019.
  14. ↑ "The Oscars will ignore The Duke Of Burgundy's score, but they shouldn't". The A.V. Club. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2019. And yet as great as The Duke Of Burgundy's score is, it stands zero chance of landing an Oscar nomination. First off, it's weird, and often dissonant—not the kind of thing an Academy member would be inclined to play in their car on the way to work. But more importantly (and, frankly, damningly), The Duke Of Burgundy just isn't well-known enough.
  15. ↑ "HIFF 2014 Golden Starfish Awards Announced: 'Gett' and 'The Special Need' Named Best Features". Hamptons. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  16. ↑ "Philadelphia Film Festival Announces Prize Winners Including 'Duke of Burgundy' & 'The Overnighters'". Way Too Indie. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.