“She’s the jewel, and I had to create the jewelry box.”
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I can confidently say that for me and the production design of “Maria,” Angelina Jolie was the priceless gem. She breathes life into the iconic opera soprano Maria Callas in this captivating film now available on Netflix. This was the vision director Pablo Larrain entrusted to me when we embarked on our creative journey together for our latest project.
In the final stages of Callas’s life, Maria chronicles her journey. Using flashbacks, he emphasizes her significant milestones like meeting Aristotle Onassis, performing at La Scala in Italy, and triumphant moments. The film also delves into her battles with her health, mental condition under medication’s influence, and her torment as she recalls past memories while making a valiant effort to get back to singing one last time.”
OR
“Maria documents Callas during the final weeks of her life. Through flashbacks, he portrays her successes, such as meeting Aristotle Onassis and performing at La Scala in Italy, as well as her challenges with her health and mental state while on medication. The film also explores how she is plagued by memories while making a final attempt to resume singing.”
OR
“Maria traces Callas’s steps during her last weeks. Through flashbacks, he underscores her achievements like meeting Aristotle Onassis and performing at La Scala in Italy, as well as the difficulties she faced with her health and mental state under medication. The film also examines how she is haunted by memories while making a final effort to rekindle her singing career.”
OR
“In the closing chapters of Callas’s life, Maria narrates her tale. Using flashbacks, he underscores her victories like meeting Aristotle Onassis and performing at La Scala in Italy, as well as her hardships with her health and mental state under medication. The film also delves into how she is tormented by memories while making a last-ditch effort to revive her singing career.”
OR
“Maria recounts Callas’s journey during her final weeks. By employing flashbacks, he emphasizes her triumphs like meeting Aristotle Onassis and performing at La Scala in Italy, as well as the struggles she faced with her health and mental state under medication. The film also examines how she is haunted by memories while making one last attempt to revisit singing.
Beyond immersing themselves in books, Dyas and Larrain explored Paris by frequenting Callas’ preferred eateries and theatres, places that Dyas was tasked with recreating later on.
I was fortunate enough to accompany them as we paid a visit to her old apartment on Avenue Georges Mandel, once my dear friend’s residence in Paris. Regrettably, the present owner declined our request to snap some photographs, but not one to be deterred, Dyas swiftly sketched every detail that caught his eye instead.
Dyas points out that the script suggests the apartment should reflect a blend of her former elegance, contrasted with her present solitude and loneliness, as well as her everyday life with her maid and butler. He proposes an approach to portray this seamlessly through the furnishings, color scheme, and overall design of the apartment.
Each room seamlessly transitioned into the next, whether it was her cluttered and untidy personal space, or her dressing room adorned with Greek and Roman statues.
Dyas envisioned The Dressing Room as a welcoming space where Callas could entertain visitors and conduct interviews comfortably.
Dyas found his bedroom reminiscent of an opera stage upon initial observation.
Dyas found the color palette intriguing and thought-provoking. His aim was to create an atmosphere that would make the observer feel like they’ve stepped back into the 1970s.
He expressed that he felt a strong obligation to authentically portray the essence of the 1970s, as our narrative would be predominantly set within the limits of her apartment for about two-thirds of the film.
Dyas examined the French fashion collections from 1975 and 1976, specifically focusing on those by Yves Saint Laurent. He discovered that Maria was acquainted with Yves Saint Laurent, so he studied his designs closely to find the earthy browns, rusts, and creamy hues that were prevalent in his collections. He also noticed that these colors often featured striking pops of orange, green, and turquoise as accents throughout the collection.
He too examined Dior and Sonia Rykiel’s collections, observing that they shared similar color schemes. “Consequently, I endeavored to incorporate the actual colors of the clothing into my wall designs. Therefore, my selections for wallpaper, floor coverings, and drapes were all influenced by the clothes of that era and these renowned designers.
The statues were obtained from Italy or movie prop warehouses in the U.K. They significantly contribute to the dressing room scene. As Dyas explains, “We aimed to convey the image of a woman who achieved great success and was fortunate enough to live an extraordinary life. However, she had her share of personal struggles and made sacrifices.” Dyas further describes the statues as somber artistic expressions that evoke feelings of pain, suffering, and deep emotions that push one’s boundaries.
Some were shattered and marred, either devoid of eyes or possessing only a truncated skull. Dyas aimed to make the injuries striking and conspicuous on this character, symbolizing her as a deeply wounded and fractured individual.
In terms of artistic preferences, Callas leaned towards specific styles in painting, particularly avoiding landscapes and contemporary works. According to Dyas, she had a deep affection for Renaissance artwork, with her living space adorned with such pieces. He further notes that the depiction of the Madonna and infants was a recurring theme in her art collection.
Since the budget was limited, Dyas couldn’t procure the original paintings. Instead, what was displayed were replicas or recreations of them.
The dressing room concerned Dyas the most.
In the story, that particular room played a significant role, and Jolie’s character would often be found within it. Collaboration was key when it came to designing this space, with Dyas working closely alongside Massimo Cantini Parrini, the film’s costume designer. Dyas made sure not to conceal the costumes behind oak panels in this room.
In reality, Callas possessed more than 10,000 items and over 1,000 pairs of silk gloves. The challenge for Dyas was to depict this abundance on screen. Ultimately, he constructed a set where she could be enveloped by all the clothing items such as dresses, shoes, and handbags.
Beyond this, Dyas aimed to display Parrini’s iconic hero costumes, evoking memories of her operas. According to Dyas, “We accumulated a vast collection for the set. We had more than 4850 clothing items; hats, shoes, gloves, and dresses which we obtained from costume houses and thrift stores.” He further notes, “We maintained the ’70s fashion color palette throughout our designs.
Read More
- SUI PREDICTION. SUI cryptocurrency
- „People who loved Dishonored and Prey are going to feel very at home.” Arkane veteran sparks appetite for new, untitled RPG
- LDO PREDICTION. LDO cryptocurrency
- Destiny 2: A Closer Look at the Proposed In-Game Mailbox System
- Clash Royale Deck Discussion: Strategies and Sentiments from the Community
- Jennifer Love Hewitt Made a Christmas Movie to Help Process Her Grief
- ICP PREDICTION. ICP cryptocurrency
- Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic Was Inspired By Akira And Cowboy Bebop
- Critics Share Concerns Over Suicide Squad’s DLC Choices: Joker, Lawless, and Mrs. Freeze
- EUR IDR PREDICTION
2025-01-08 00:16