MovieChat Forums > Girl with a Pearl Earring (2004) Discussion > Why did they set this film in Italy? -;

Why did they set this film in Italy? -;

posted 14 years ago by bminney
11 replies | jump to latest

I hadn't read the book so knew nothing about the story. I assumed at first that there must have been a lot of Dutch people in Venice and Griet went there because pay was better to support her family. This idea supported by her mother refering to the other religion she will encounter. But then she and Peter managed a trip back to her church just like that and I've never seen canals like that in Venice!!!!

Ok this is tongue in cheek but those sets were so realistic and so obviously meant to be Venice (I read here after that they were built for another Venice based film) that it distracted me.

Obsessional point over!!

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bminney 14 years ago

I know its set in Holland. I was just making the point that using sets meant for a Venice film is very distracting.

[–] DaveLebowski 14 years ago

Why dont they just shoot this in Delft, or another Dutch city, instead of using sets at all? It was very obvious the sets were actually sets, making it look like a school play at times.

[–] jeronavdg 14 years ago

Have you been to Delft lately?
Things have changed.

So i'm guessing it would cost more to magically delete all modern elements from the landscape than to build a whole set.

[–] chas437 12 years ago

Well there is no place on Earth that even remotely looks like 17th Century Holland, so sets are needed. The sets were perfect, hence the film was nominated for an Oscar for best set design. As a matter of fact, I would say the set design in this film is as good as I've seen in any film, and is one of the main reasons this is such a beautiful, stylish film.

[–] thevoid99 14 years ago

Actually, it was shot in Luxembourg because they couldn't find the locations to match what was needed for the film.

[–] Darwinskid 14 years ago

Thevoid99 I sent you a private message, check your in box.

Do IMDb a favor and ignore Frantique_Fromage

[–] Rayek_ 12 years ago

Seventeenth century Holland is painstakingly brought to life. There is no detail that is left to chance in the exquisite re-creation of the environs and material goods of the characters. Much effort is devoted to authenticity of detail. The sheer beauty of the cinematography alone makes this film worth seeing.

And FURTHERMORE, this is my signature! SERIOUSLY! Did you think I was still talking about my point?

[–] Oake 11 years ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blaeu_1652_-_Delft.jpg

Delft in 1642, more canals than Venice.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[–] Prismark10 11 years ago

The credits state that the film was shot in Luxembourg.

Its that man again!!

[–] astockton_uk 10 years ago

Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg are called the Low Countries for a reason. It stands to reason they'd have canals.