Friday, May 22, 2015

At last, society at large heard Deaf people's grumbles especially Deaf-Blind

Surprisingly, the world of French filmaking and society at large surely heard the grumbles among Deaf and Deaf-blind people regard to the film casting of Deaf roles.

"Marie's Story" film still haven't cast the real Deaf-blind individual to play the role of Marie so far.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxjFukrSEBzH-UfjpPA3uoLkpLeBcUPRbMznr54MulH5qjitok

Don't know what will be the given response(s) by the Deaf-blind community regarding this French-produced film. Deaf actress Arlana Rivoire have been casted to play the untamed and unpolished Deaf-blind.

Reviews from movie critics :

Critic reviews
  1. A deaf and blind girl is saved by a consumptive nun in Marie’s Story, a saccharine sister to Arthur Penn’s The Miracle Worker.
    Jeannette Catsoulis·New York Times
    The film will feel familiar, which is mostly a tribute to the enduring power of Helen Keller’s biography.
    Sara Stewart·New York Post 
    The movie by Jean-Pierre Améris milks the tears in the home stretch, making little effort to hold the melodrama at bay.
    Michael O'Sullivan·Washington Post

This film have been limited released in 2014 around the world. It is currently screened @ the movie theater @ the Uniin Market commercial venue next to Gallaudet University's Kendall Green campus this week.

http://www.imdb.com/showtimes/title/tt3132714?date=2015-05-22&ref_=tt_wbr_sh

One audience / user reviews within the IMBD of "Marie's Story" :

User Reviews

Haven't I seen this before?
7 February 2015 | by  (United States) – See all my reviews
Of course, "The Miracle Worker". There is the same disease, same physical struggle with a stubborn teen to force her to learn, but in French not English.

I appreciated the photography and the location but I continually had to resist the temptation to check my watch. It might be just over 90 minutes but at times it seemed like hours. It would drag and drag and then suddenly leap forward after she learns the sign for one object. The next thing we know is she is showing off how she can spell her name and understanding abstract concepts like 'patience'. There was also the monologue at the end which seemed especially message-y.

I liked the acting by Isabelle Carré and Brigitte Catillon but Ariana Rivoire as the deaf/blind girl didn't impress. Possibly it was just because she had so little to work with.

To sum up, see "The Miracle Worker" instead.
"Marie's Story" film is also available for home viewing upon individual purchase -

ASLize yours,
Robert L. Mason
RLMDEAF blog