The 81st Venice Film Festival reached its zenith with the premiere of ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, the highly anticipated musical sequel to the 2019 Oscar-winning film ‘Joker’. The film, starring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn and Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, received an impressive 12-minute standing ovation from the audience. Director Todd Phillips expressed both excitement and nervousness about returning to Venice, stating, ‘It feels good, it feels right to be back in Venice. It felt like the logical takeoff point for us’.Lady Gaga made her debut public appearance with fiancé Michael Polansky at the event, stunning onlookers in a black Christian Dior Haute Couture dress paired with a unique lace hat designed by Philip Treacy. The pop star’s bold fashion choice drew praise from fans, who described her look as ‘incredible’ and ‘potentially monstrous’.The film’s musical elements have been a point of intrigue, with both Gaga and Phoenix performing live during filming. Lady Gaga emphasized that while the film incorporates music, it shouldn’t be classified as a traditional musical, stating, ‘We use music to let the characters really express themselves’. Phoenix added that singing live was ‘part of the joy’ and enjoyed ‘finding a way to make these classic songs specific to the characters’.Critical reception has been mixed, with some praising the ‘real spark’ between Phoenix and Gaga, while others found the film ‘excruciatingly boring’. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian noted that the film is ‘oppressively, claustrophobically and repetitively becalmed’ in its portrayal of Gotham City.’Joker: Folie à Deux’ is set for international release on October 2 and domestic release on October 4, 2024. The film’s premiere at Venice follows the success of its predecessor, which won the Golden Lion at the 2019 festival and went on to gross over $1 billion worldwide.
Key points
- ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ received a 12-minute standing ovation at its Venice Film Festival premiere.
- Lady Gaga made her first public appearance with fiancé Michael Polansky at the event.
- The film incorporates live musical performances by both Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix.
- Critical reception has been mixed, with praise for the leads’ chemistry but criticism of the film’s pacing.
Contradictions👾While some critics praised the ‘real spark’ between Phoenix and Gaga, others found the film ‘excruciatingly boring’, indicating a divide in critical opinion.
👾There are slight discrepancies in reported standing ovation times, with sources citing 11 minutes and 12 minutes.
