Wednesday 11 August 2010

Shosanna's War Paint

I recorded Inglourious Basterds when it arrived a short time ago on Sky. My favourite part is the beginning of Chapter Five where David Bowie's Cat People (Putting Out the Fire With Gasoline) plays to Shosanna (Melanie Laurent - The Beat That My Heart Skipped) preparing to burn down her cinema that is packed with Nazis for a film premiere.

In a beautiful red dress and putting on her make up to dazzle her enemies, she applies rouge initially as war paint, using a finger in a dramatic flourish. An angry but huge gesture of defiance as she becomes an instrument of terrifying revenge. The highlight of this wonderful combination of song and action. It so reminds me of some other movie, what reference has Tarantino made this time?

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