Before Sunrise turns thirty, my theory about what happens

Showing all posts tagged: Julie Delpy

Before Sunrise turns thirty, my theory about what happens

20 June 2024

It’s a favourite around here. Because don’t we love meeting someone we connect with at first sight? But Sunday 16 June 2024, marked the thirtieth anniversary (Facebook link) of the premiere of Before Sunrise, directed by Richard Linklater, and starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. Another two films followed, with about nine years separating each of the three stories.

Obviously the thirty-year anniversary has intensified speculation about a fourth movie. But that remains up in the air, apparently. In 2018, speaking at the SXSW Film Festival, Hawke, who played Jesse, said he thought the film series “felt complete”. By earlier this year though, he seemed to have changed tack, and said there were “ideas” for another instalment.

Delpy — who portrayed Celine — however, has declined to reprise her role. But I think the scene where Celine and Jesse meet on the train, in Before Sunrise, maps out their life together, and points to what eventually happens. In their carriage, we see a young couple, a middle-aged couple who argue incessantly (ah, Before Midnight), and an elderly couple, sitting contentedly, together.

I think, if ever an instalment of Celine and Jesse in old age were made (would Before Twilight be an apt name?), that’s where the story might ultimately end. And there we have it, the conclusion of the Before film series, without the need to make any more (yes: parting is such sweet sorrow) titles that risk compromising the integrity of the earlier instalments.

The best big screen stories of star-crossed lovers

24 April 2024

From Letterboxd: definitely there was love, oh but the circumstances… try Carol, Never Let Me Go, Brokeback Mountain, and Ammonite, on for size. Even the not so well received One Day, recently adapted as a TV series, makes the grade.

Let’s not forget Portrait of a Lady on Fire either. But what puzzles me is the inclusion of Before Sunrise. After all, did we not eventually change our memory of that day? Unless we’re looking at the story in isolation, and ignoring the sequels, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight.

On the subject of Before Midnight, it has been eleven years since its release. The Before films were coming along every nine years, but the main players, namely Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, and series director Richard Linklater, were unsure whether to proceed with a fourth instalment.

Delpy declined to take part in another film when asked by Linklater, but a bit later Hawke said there were still “ideas” for another story.

Will they, or won’t they? This sounds like a great premise for a love story to me.

4k restoration of Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colors films

12 July 2022

Late Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colors trilogy of films, Blue, White, and Red, have been given the full 4k restoration treatment.

Released in quick succession between 1993 and 1994, and starring Juliette Binoche, Julie Delpy, and Irène Jacob, the trilogy became an arthouse sensation, with Red, the third and final film in the series, collecting a coveted Metascore of one hundred.

The trilogy looks absolutely stunning in 4k, if the trailer is anything to go by. This I’m looking out for.

Trailer for Before Midnight, by Richard Linklater, with Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke

9 April 2013

Richard Linklater, director of Dazed and Confused, A Scanner Darkly, and Bernie, collaborates once more with Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke to make Before Midnight, the third title in the Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, series of films.

No word of an Australian release as yet (I heard 13 June whispered as a suggestion), but in the meantime check out the trailer. I can’t say what piqued my interest in these films since first seeing them on DVD eight or nine years ago. Eurorail maybe? Peneda-Gerês? County Bondi?

It looks like he missed the flight…

Originally published Tuesday 9 April 2013.