Tulse Luper Suitcases 2: From vaux to the sea
by Peter Greenaway
This second film in the Tulse Luper Suitcases series, deals with the life and times of Luper and his friends, lovers, jailers and enemies, during the Second World War, in three bizarre prisons, in a chateau at Vaux in Northern France, in a cinema in Strasbourg, and in a collaborationist household on the French coast at Dinard.
Taken by his jailers at the outbreak of war to the German-occupied chateau of Vaux, north of Paris, Luper becomes involved in the lives of three Fascist-loving women, and a German officer, General Foestling, who has grand designs on reversing the history of Fouquet and Louis XIV, and his prisoner Charlotte des Arbres, a great teller of unrequited love stories. Drawn against his better judgement into adventures of art-theft and the murder of his jailer, Figura, Luper is driven away from Vaux to be imprisoned in the Arc en Ciel Cinema in Strasbourg where he packs a suitcase full of film-clips of prison-escape-movies, survives Allied bombing and is befriended by two French children who spirit him mysteriously away to Dinard on the French coast to the bourgeois household of the Moitessiers, a china-dog loving mother who impersonates Ingres heroines, and an anatomist father who is obsessed with his Jewish lover exiled in a concentration camp and persecuted by a sexually ambiguous housemaid. In this treacherous household Luper is obliged to dress as a female servant to avoid conscription, to pose as a life model, and to teach children politically-inspired English, before seizing an opportunity to escape as the house floods with Gestapo police investigating the murder of Madam Moitessier.
Chateau, cinema and bourgeois household, Vaux, Strasbourg, Dinard, three prisons in Northern France, physical enough, but more importantly metaphorical, the prisons of classic literary history, of cinematic dreams and of stifling bourgeois claustrophobia.
2004, 121 mins.
World Premiere: Berlin / Berlinale Special, Germany
Festivals & Markets 2004
American Film Market, USA
Baltic Pearl, Latvia
Berlin / EFM, Germany
Black Nights Film Festival, Estonia
Facets – Chicago, USA
Haifa International Film Festival, Israel
New Horizons, Poland
Seattle International Film Festival, USA
Seoul Net & Film Festival, Korea
Skopje Film Festival, Macedonia
Tapei Golden Horse Film Festival, Taiwan
Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Greece
Festivals & Markets 2005
Cambridge Film Festival
European Media Art Festival Osnabrück, Germany
Istanbul International Film Festival, Turkey
Mexico Contemporary International Film Festival, Mexico
Tribeca Film Festival New York, USA
Credits
Directed by
Peter Greenaway
Writing Credits
Peter Greenaway
Cast (in credits order)
JJ FeildTulse Luper
Raymond J. BarryStephan Figura
Valentina CerviCissie Colpitts
Marcel IuresGeneral Foestling
Steven MackintoshGünther Zeloty
Jordi Mollà Jan Palmerion
Drew MulliganMartino Knockavelli
Ornella MutiMathilde Figura
Anna GalienaMadame Plens
Ronald PickupMonsieur Moitessier
Franka PotenteTrixie Boudain
Isabella RosselliniMme. Moitessier
Maria SchraderFelicite
Francesco SalviPaul / Pierre
Ana TorrentCharlotte des Arbres
Gaspard UllielLeon
Andrea BruschiKarl Heinz
Keram Malicki-SánchezVirgil de Selincourt
Scot WilliamsPercy Hockmeister
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Benjamin DaviesPip
Massimiliano DavoliFranz
Diana Dell'ErbaWaitress
Francesca FaiellaFiglia Conte K.
Porgy FranssenOfficer Harpsch
Vincent GrassMrs. Moitessier's Father
Scott HandyWolfgang Speckler
Claude LebasRuppert
Francesco MartinoPeter Greenaway
Richard McCabeHorace
Ceri MearsMarion Arbutus
Roger Rees
David VinauSoldier in overalls
Andre SchneiderMan in Red (uncredited)
Produced by
Eva Baró co-producer
Jet Christiaanseline producer
Carlo Dusiexecutive producer
Antoni Solé co-producer
Sándor Söthco-producer
Esther Thedingaassistant line producer
Music by
Architorti
Borut Krzisnik
Eduardo Polonio
Cinematography by
Reinier van Brummelen
Film Editing by
Elmer Leupen
Jaap Praamstra
Casting By
Pep Armengol
Peter Wooldridge
Production Design by
Pirra Jesús Lorenzo
Art Direction by
Keith Maxwell
Diana van de Vossenberg
Costume Design by
Andrea Flesch
Marrit van der Burgt
Makeup Department
Sara Meermanhair stylist / key makeup artist
Production Management
Teo Casaniline production manager
Lionel Struttpost-production supervisor
Jochem van Rijspost-production supervisor
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Simona Cagnassosecond assistant director: Turin
Ralph Eisenmannfirst assistant director
Dylan Grayfirst assistant director
Bea Morillasapprentice assistant director
Stojan Petrovsecond assistant director
Giorgia Priolothird assistant director
Art Department
M.A. Fauraart department coordinator / property master
Gyula Herjeczkiconstruction coordinator
Edouard Pallardyscenic painter
Queralt Antú Serranocalligrapher / props
Rosie Stapelprops
Sound Department
Ranko Paukovicsound designer
James Seddondolby consultant
Peter Suyderhoudsound effects editor
Aad Wirtzsound re-recording mixer
Tomas Arwesupervising sound editor (uncredited)
Jules Woodssound technician (uncredited)
Special Effects by
Ferenc Deákspecial effects supervisor
Sara Meermanspecial effects makeup
Visual Effects by
Francesco Pagliadigital compositor
Mauro Vicentinidigital compositor
Raymond Viveendigital compositor
Camera and Electrical Department
Ruzbeh Babolcamera operator
Mathias Beierelectrician
Daan de Boerchief gaffer
Joseph Culleré video assist operator
Pierre Dermienceelectrician
Sven O. Heinzeelectrician
Laura Martínezgrip
Casting Department
Simona Cagnassocasting: Turin
Krassimir Ivanovcasting assistant
Johanna Ragwitzextras casting
Paola Rotacasting: Turin
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Imre Bérescostume assistant: military supervisor
Veronica Lopezassistant costume designer
Editorial Department
Mauro Vicentinion-line editor
Music Department
Sandra Chechikcomposer: additional music
Other crew
Deborah Abesserproduction assistant
Adriano Bassilocation manager
Pauline Burtrisk manager
Almudena Cormenzanaproduction coordinator: Spain
Susanne Fischerassistant to line producer: Italy
Zoltán A. Kerényimanaging director: Focusfilm Kft.
Otfried Suppinlocation assistant
Hoite Vellemaproduction assistant
Elly Verduycktcontinuity
Allard van der Werffassistant: Peter Greenaway