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24 of 26 found the following review helpful:
 Totally brilliant biopicJun 07, 2000
By Poor Polidori
Despite poor reviews and disappointing box-office takings, this is an excellent attempt at portraying the turbulent relationship between the poets Rimbaud and Verlaine. The cast all give good performances, and Leo is superb as Rimbaud, as right for the part as Madonna was for Eva Peron. The film does take some liberties with the historical facts (the scene where Rimbaud is seen urinating at a dinner party is surely made up), but the main purpose of any biopic is to awaken interest in the subjects portrayed and on that level Total Eclipse succeeds admirably. Before watching it, I knew nothing about Rimbaud except that he was a French poet. The day after finishing it, I went immediately to buy a volume of his poetry. The film contains some beautiful landscape shots, as well as harshly realistic views of the Paris slums. The romantic and sex scenes between Leo and David Thewlis are convincing, erotic, and at times painfully moving. Definitely recommended for anyone who is a fan of the poets, the stars or French poetry in general.
21 of 25 found the following review helpful:
Fantastic, Leonardo DiCaprio is brilliantFeb 26, 2004
By Carlos Rodriguez
This is a great movie and is by far Leonardo DiCaprio best performance yet. He should of won an Oscar for his harrowing portrayal of 19th Century French poet Arthur Rimbaud. Rimbaud was a literary genius at the age of 16, who wrote wonderful and obscure poems about sex and death among other topics.His intense and volatile relationship with fellow poet Paul Verlaine was often times disturbing and mad. Verlaine had trouble accepting the fact that his friend, confidant and lover was extremely gifted and more successful than he ever was. Arthur Rimbaud was a merciful and shrewed young man who found pleasure in getting his way all the time and making other people look ridicule (especially the ones he did not like). Verlaine's young wife could not tolerate him and blamed him for making her husband abandon her for long periods of time. Verlaine would always come back to his wife but found Rimbaud so irresistable that he always ended up doing what he wanted and would succumb to his every need be it emotional or sexual. Arthur always knew had to get Paul wrapped up around his finger and got him to do whatever he wanted atleast most of the time. This film is highlated by great performances from the entire cast and once again it is DiCaprio's remarkable performance that makes this film extremely interesting to watch. I don't think this movie is for everyone especially the ones that only think that a good movie is not good unless someone or something gets blown off. DiCaprio's character goes thru many changes in his appearance especially when he is dying of a terrible disease (I'm sorry but I can't seem to remember which one) his character is both physical and emotional and he plays it with incredible strength and emotion. If you are a serious movie collector this is a "must have" for your collection. I love everything about this film and is one of my favorite movies ever. I gave it a 5 star rating because that as high as it goes but I would give a 10 rating because it has all the ingredients a great movie suppose to have. Watch this movie and it will leave you breathless. Superb and beautiful all the way through.
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
BEST OF DI CAPRIODec 10, 2006
By HOT MIX
"karenkellock"
I love Leo and this is the best he ever did. After this splendid movie he decided to go mainstream, away from independent films but this was his apex. It's hard to believe he did this in the era of his "This Boy's Life" for it's the opposite characterization. I have watched this film many times and I enjoy it more each time--his acting while still in his teens is incredibly apt for this strange, eccentric, nihilistic and anti-establishment poet.
32 of 43 found the following review helpful:
 Pseudo ArtJul 22, 2000
Goodness! The way people were speaking about this film, I thought it would be one of those deep, dark, poetic, pathbreaking epics that you come across once in a lifetime. Sadly, it isn't even a half-way decent film, with disappointing performances from both DiCaprio and Thewlis. The direction is shoddy, and the 'dark' sides of the leads aren't very well explored. At times, the pace is lethargic, and even DiCaprio's stunning beauty isn't enough to lift this movie out of its depression. No doubt the director has approached the subject with a lot of heart. Indeed, the doomed love affair between Verlaine and Rimabaud is intriguing even in this day and age. It must be said that for a film of this sort to work, the chemistry between the lead actors is vital. On this level, thankfully, the film is an absolute success. Few same-sex couples on screen have exhibited the chemistry that Leo and David seem to share. Every scene between them sparkles with electricity, and their falling in love is authentically captured. This however, is not at all sufficient for 'Total Eclipse' to work. Theres something amiss, and its difficult to say exactly what. Perhaps its the weak script and the misplaced soundtrack. Personally, I found that the director's attempts to age DiCaprio thoroughly hilarious. In these scenes, Caprio (who was 20 at the time) looks like a schoolboy playing Lincoln, and the fake moustache is just too much. Leo is one of those actors who seem destined to remain boyish-looking (like Michael J Fox), and these scenes serve to reiterate that belief. The film tries to stick to history and facts, but there are sequences that do make you wonder. That apart, the most powerful thing about this movie is the fascinating on-screen chemistry between DiCaprio and Thewlis, though individually, their performances are bland and lacklustre. Its also the film where DiCaprio is at his beautiful best, his almost androgynous frailty is totally bewitching. The sex scenes between the duo make for some compelling viewing. There are two prime love scenes here - the first features the couple's first kiss, and Leonardo DiCaprio's only onscreen gay smooch. It also features footage of Leo completely nude, thats found its way to numerous sites on the Web. However, far from being 'erotic' these scenes are handled with such sensitivity, seldom seen in other films of the genre. The other love scene is already rather notorious among Leo fans, featuring DiCaprio making love, and I really mean making love, to David Thewlis. This scene is mesmerising in its brutality, as Leo plays a top to David Thewlis' passive bottom. Its also compelling to watch how Leo is thoroughly convincing as a gay guy enjoying gay sex - many straight actors engaging in this sort of loveplay on screen have appeared stilted, but this man is incomparable. If theres any reason why you should buy 'Total Eclipse', this is it. Gay fans will note that this is the only recorded instance of Leo engaging in explicit sex, though newer releases of the film see a trimmed down version of the scene. However, Leo's portrayal of a disturbed poet is unconvincing. His limitations as an actor have been exposed in later films such as 'The Beach', but over here, he appears to be lost. Theres also too much blood and sado-masochism going on, and Leo lacks the experience or talent to pull these sequences off, though Thewlis manages this better. And while the couple look totally in love and besotted with each other, they aren't able to translate this attraction into equally impressive performances. On the whole, the director has tried to handle a sensitive subject with grace, and believe me, she does succeed. But as a film in its entirety, 'Total Eclipse' falters. This could have been a remarkable movie had the director put Leo and David's superb coupling to good use, but she doesnt. Rather, she resorts to some weak one-liners, pensive close-ups and bits of hot sensuality to retain the viewers interest. For all that, I must confess, that despite its weaknesses (and there are so many!) I have found myself watching this film time and again - is that a sign of a film being good? I suppose different viewers have had different reactions to this film. To me, this is a film with great heart, but with far too many holes to rave about. If you haven't seen it, then do so! For all its flaws, 'Total Eclipse' is essential viewing. Recommended for audiences with an interest in deviant French history.
6 of 7 found the following review helpful:
Magnificent filmMar 03, 1999
By AbbesN@aol.com
Being a French citizen and having studied both Verlaine's and Rimbaud's poetry and personalities at school,I confirm that this film was totally misunderstood and that it didn't deserve to be turned down in the US. David Thewlis' and Leo's performances are absolutely remarkable with a special award for David who portrays Verlaine with rare perfection. But I suppose, people just saw the film as another gay love affair. I highly recommend this film and definately thinks it deserved an Oscar. I have watched it 4 times and am still not tired of it. You may think I recommend this film because I am French. This has nothing to do with it. The actor's performances are astounding and that's enough to make a good film. I would like to say more but it's difficult to express myself in a foreign language.
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