Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Premieres to Standing Ovation at Cannes Film Festival

Martin Scorsese's highly anticipated film “Killers of the Flower Moon” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2023, to a nine-minute standing ovation.[0] The film, which is based on the best-selling non-fiction book by David Grann, features a star-studded cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone. The story revolves around a series of murders in 1920s Oklahoma, committed after oil was discovered on tribal land.[1]

Scorsese and his co-writer Eric Roth have adapted Grann’s book, but instead of focusing on the FBI investigation, they go for the jugular and soul of a moment in time where greed and money drove white men to unspeakable acts.[2] Scorsese and his team have created a work that firmly holds its ground, with an intricate romantic plot at its core.[2] DiCaprio's performance in the film has been hailed as the best of his career, as he portrays the character of Ernest Burkhart with nuance and subtlety.[3]

The film will be released in cinemas on October 6, 2023, and will be available for streaming on Apple TV+.[4] It will first be released in the UK and US on October 6 (limited) and October 20 (wide).[5] The official synopsis of the film reads: ‘At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight.[6] The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder.'[7]

Scorsese's ability to tell any story rubs up against his ultimate admission that this might not be his story to tell.[3] Regardless of how one may perceive it, Scorsese transforms “Killers of the Flower Moon” into the type of narrative that he excels at crafting more than any other – a tale of avarice, deceit, and the flawed essence of a nation founded on the notion that it was up for grabs by anyone unscrupulous enough to seize it.[3]

Overall, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is a staggering and brilliant crime epic from Martin Scorsese that explores a dark and largely unexplored chapter of American history.[8] The film's multi-faceted character study about the men behind the massacre, and its shift into historical Americana, breathes a soulfulness into the material that feels distinct from most of the director’s output.[9] It is a film that stands firmly on its own and will undoubtedly be remembered as a classic.[2]

0. “‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Is Martin Scorsese’s Great American Tragedy” Rolling Stone, 20 May. 2023, https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/killers-of-the-flower-moon-review-martin-scorsese-leonardo-dicaprio-robert-deniro-cannes-masterpiece-osage-lily-gladstone-1234735375

1. “Izabel Goulard commands attention in sexy sheer red gown at Killers of the Flower Moon premiere” Daily Mail, 20 May. 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12106225/Izabel-Goulard-commands-attention-sexy-sheer-red-gown-Killers-Flower-Moon-premiere.html

2. “‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ Review: Scorsese, De Niro, DiCaprio Take On Powerful And Dark Epic Of Love, Deception, Murder And Greed Set Against The Osage Nation – Cannes Film Festival” Deadline, 20 May. 2023, https://deadline.com/2023/05/killers-of-the-flower-moon-review-martin-scorsese-leonardo-dicaprio-robert-de-niro-1235374049/

3. “Killers of the Flower Moon gets first reviews” Digital Spy, 20 May. 2023, https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a43949516/killers-of-the-flower-moon-review-round-up/

4. “Killers of the Flower Moon at Cannes: Scorsese has made a masterpiece” Evening Standard, 20 May. 2023, https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/killers-of-the-flower-moon-movie-review-scorsese-dicaprio-de-niro-b1082051.html

5. “Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ Receives Nine-Minute Standing Ovation At Cannes World Premiere” Deadline, 20 May. 2023, https://deadline.com/2023/05/killers-of-the-flower-moon-cannes-standing-ovation-world-premiere-1235374111

6. “Killers of the Flower Moon – first-look review” Little White Lies, 20 May. 2023, https://lwlies.com/festivals/killers-of-the-flower-moon-first-look-review/

7. “Dapper Leonardo DiCaprio reunites with Martin Scorsese at Killers of the Flower Moon premiere” Daily Mail, 20 May. 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/leonardo_dicaprio/article-12106331/Dapper-Leonardo-DiCaprio-reunites-Martin-Scorsese-Killers-Flower-Moon-premiere.html

8. “Killers of the Flower Moon is another Martin Scorsese masterpiece – review” The Independent, 20 May. 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/killers-of-the-flower-moon-review-scorsese-release-date-b2342248.html

9. “First Killers Of The Flower Moon Reactions Praise Scorcese's Thriller As “Epic” Masterpiece” Screen Rant, 20 May. 2023, https://screenrant.com/killers-of-the-flower-moon-movie-reaction-reviews

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 0 comments