Corsage (2022)

This fictionalized story of Empress/Kaiserin Elizabeth of Austria struggling with aging and body image in the late 1800s was also not my favorite, despite its being Austria's submission for the Foreign Language Oscar and the multi-lingual Vicky Krieps' having quite a few nominations and wins for the lead. I kept looking for a corsage (flowers pinned to clothing) but found out later that director/writer Marie Kreutzer meant it to mean corset (a boned, laced undergarment that gives the wearer a small waist), many of which appear in the movie. Some translation sites, however, say that a corsage (or ansteckbukett in German) is a form-fitting but not laced bodice and a korsett is a corset so I don't know why it wasn't called Korsett.

The soundtrack by Camille is not available online. Also featured are at least two anachronistic songs, Help Me Make It Through the Night and As Tears Go By.

Period drama costumes are always fun, and these are credited to Monika Buttinger. Apparently Krieps wore some of the corsets longer than she needed to, as method acting. Apparently the vain Empress had a 16" waist and I did the math when the tape measure read 41 centimeters, as I recall.

Krieps was last blogged for Bergman Island. Kreutzer is new to me but not to filmmaking. The movie's reception has been tarnished by child pornography charges against Florian Teichtmeister, the actor who plays the Emperor/Kaiser, and his trial is February 8.

Like the previous blog post, there is a dance during the credits.

Rotten Tomatoes' critics aren't holding in the stomachs with an average of 86%, while its audiences are breathing less freely at 61. I watched it on January 13 with my screener from the Independent Feature Project. I haven't found a date when it will be available for streaming.