Le Parisien - 19/09/2014 (Translation)
His Louis XIV is going to rock
Filming – Jalil Lespert is directing ‘Versailles’, a series for Canal Plus, co-written with the author of ‘Criminal Minds’. The result is going to be explosive. « Come on, we finish it, there’s a game tonight! », shouts Jalil Lespert, electronic-cigarette in hand, white skin-tight tee-shirt, fitted jeans and vintage trainers. This Wednesday, it’s the beginning of the Champions League for the PSG team, in the studios of Bry-Sur-Marne (Val de Marne) the 38-year old director supervises the ceremony of Louis XIV’s lever, a scene from the first episode of ‘Versailles’, a super production in ten episodes for Canal Plus. Since August 18th, he is setting up the « aesthetic DNA » and is directing the first two episodes. « We don’t cut, we go on… » From the study nearby the king’s bedroom, richly reproduced, the director of ‘Yves Saint-Laurent’, released at the beginning of the year, multiplies the takes. « He does it a lot, he’s a film director, that’s why we have quality », whispers Philippe Alessandri, from Zodiak, co-productor with Capa Drama (‘Braquo’) and the Canadian company Incendo. A series filmed in English in order to promote international sales. « We are at the moment when Louis XIV decides to build Versailles, an architectural and political project: to extend definitely his absolute power, “he’s going to gradually transform it into a gilded prison for the gentry », explains Claude Chelli, co-productor for Capa. To tell this story, they have hired Simon Mirren – Helen Mirren's nephew, the Oscar-winning actress for her part in ‘The Queen’ - who is the producer and scriptwriter of ‘Criminal Minds’. For the Englishman, who is fascinated by the psychology of the character, « Louis XIV was probably a psychopath or at least a sociopath with a high tendency to paranoia ». With the help of the scriptwriter David Wolsencroft, author of a thesis about the sovereign, he has built-up a plot about the King, his relationships with Monsieur, his brother, and the construction of Versailles, a flamboyant self-portrait of the Sun King (Roi Soleil) to be. Long wavy brown hair, neatly trimmed moustache and sparkling blue eyes, it’s the Englishman George Blagden, seen as an Athelstan monk in ‘Vikings’, who plays “The King of the Sun”, as he says. A 28-year old sovereign is dressed out of bed, in a sort of ballet during which he meets the gaze of his mother, Anne of Austria, played by Dominique Blanc… the Queen has died a year ago. It's a ghost who is going to guide him through his choices. “We are doing fiction, we enter inside King’s head”, continues Chelli. It was important to show what is behind politics, to know why he behaves like that.” “Simon, the writer, asked me to do boxing to get close to the psychology of a psychopath”, explains George Blagden, who only knew that he has got the part three weeks before the beginning of the filming. “Jalil recommended me to watch La Reine Margot, by Patrice Chéreau, he continues. It made me understand that history is written by the powerful ones.” “When we were rehearsing la Reine Margot, Patrice Chéreau (Editor’s note : deceased in October 2013) talked about Shakespeare, he had worked in England before, and knowing that he has inspired this young and talented English generation moves me a lot, whispers Dominique Blanc during the lunch break. I hope that, from above, he follows everything.” Without “direct references” actually, Jalil Lespert intends to “forbid himself with nothing” and definitely is not “getting caught up in the magnificence of the scenery” which he wants to film as “a suburban police station”. In his “sensitive and absolutely Machiavellian” Louis XIV, he sees a brilliant man fitted with “a real inspiration”. “Like Jimi Hendrix”, he says with a smile. And Monsieur, his brother ? “It’s The Stooges (Editor’s note : Iggy Pop’s band) at the court.” No doubts, ‘Versailles’, that we will discover at the end of 2015, will be rock’n’roll.
Surprising means
With 27M€ for ten episodes of 52 minutes, the series ‘Versailles’ is one of Canal Plus most expensive production. The TV channel has regularly put the means of cinema at the service of TV fiction. ‘Versailles’ doesn’t break this rule with 13% of its budget, so 3,5 M€, devoted for the sceneries. Tapestries, fireplace in fake painted marble, panelling, gildings, furniture… On 1400m², the interiors of Versailles as they were at the beginning of the reign of Louis XIV, were recreated at Bry by the crew of Katia Wyszkop. The production designer never worked for the television, but mostly with Pialat, Ozon or Jacquot on “Farewell my Queen” for which she won a César in 2013. For the costumes, Canal Plus called Madeline Fontaine, who won two Césars for “Un Long Dimanche de Fiancailles” and “Séraphine”. Here, a dress can take a week of work for several persons. Between location and creation, the filming will require more than a thousand costumes. It represents 6% of the budget, 1,75 M€.
(with all the precious help of @Kestenn who checked and fixed my first translation)
