Reviews

I did not expect such a low rating for this nice little work of art. I've seen many films with ratings below 6/10, and Bagatelle is definitely much better than that.

I'm not pretentious enough to claim that I fully understand the film, but I am amazed by the cinematography and the dreamy, abstract imagery. Also, this is not the hardcore type of surrealism of Jean Cocteau. It is indeed very cute, and I can see it as a very accessible surreal short for the audience.

I watched the original adaption directed by Kubrick in 1962 and this second adaption from 1997 for many times just to make a comparison. In terms of the cinematography and editing, I prefer Kubrick's version and I don't see the need to elaborate on that. However, I think it is more meaningful to make a film that actually confuses the audience and makes them question about morality. Kubrick's version serves more as a satire while Lyne makes us sympathize Humbert, and I believe that it is also what makes the book by Nabokov great. I believe that films are not obligated to explicitly teach us what is right and what is wrong. The capability to critical thinking should be required for well-developed moviegoers today. If you dislike the film because you consider it disturbing, I feel bad for you (but don't worry, you'll get there). By the way, the performance by Jeremy Irons and Dominique Swain are marvelous.