The Twelve Tasks of Asterix (1976)
"Les douze travaux d'Astérix" (original title)

The Gauls have the chance to become the new masters of the Roman empire if they can solve twelve tasks set by Julius Cesar.

Directors:

René Goscinny, Henri Gruel,

Writers:

René Goscinny (story), Albert Uderzo (story),

Stars:

Roger Carel, Jacques Morel, Pierre Tornade

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roger Carel	...	Astérix / Les 2 sénateurs (voice)
Jacques Morel	...	Obélix (voice)
Pierre Tornade	...	Abraracourcix (voice)
Henri Labussière	...	Le réceptionniste (voice)
Jean Martinelli	...	César (voice)
Pascal Mazzotti	...	(voice)
Lawrence Riesner	...	(voice)
Claude Dasset	...	(voice)
Roger Lumont	...	Cylindrique le Germain, prof de karaté allemand (voice)
Gérard Hernandez	...	(voice)
Henri Virlojeux	...	(voice)
Nicole Vervil	...	(voice)
Jacques Hilling	...	(voice)
Henri Poirier	...	(voice)
Mary Mongourdin	...	(voice)

Storyline

When Julius Cesar fears, that he will probably never be able to defeat the gaulic village of Asterix and his friends, he has the idea of offering the Gauls a deal: if they are able to solve twelve tasks that he selected, he will hand over the Roman empire to them. If not, they have to submit.

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Plot Keywords:

roman empire | gaul | task | village | asterix | 

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Taglines:

Twelve mighty tasks to prove the Gauls are gods or mortals!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Animation | Comedy | Family | Fantasy

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

20 October 1976 (France)

Also Known As:

The Twelve Tasks of Asterix

Box Office

Gross:

SEK 2,073,342 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dargaud Films, Les Productions René Goscinny, Studios Idefix

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In contrast to the books Romans have no knowledge of the Gauls magic potion which brings them to the idea that the Gauls must be gods due to their super-human straight. The movie itself appears to be a different universe than the books since it contains more fantastic elements which the books avoided (most notably ghosts and gods) the style of the humor is much more absurd and unlike the books the plot doesn't stay true to the historical events.

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Quotes

Julius Caesar: Brutus, stop playing with that knife. You'll end up hurting someone.

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Connections

Featured in Special Collector's Edition: Pack Asterix (2010)

User Reviews

The 13th task: Find a fan who didn't like this one.

The best of the several movie adventures of Asterix, Obelix, Vitalstatistix and Co., our heroes are given a series of increasingly difficult tasks by Caesar, with the future of the village at stake - ranging from crossing a ravine by an invisible bridge ("Which you do not see over there") through avoiding the lures of the sirens, combating a champion javelin thrower and getting a permit for the next task (something that will strike a chord in anyone who's ever had to face red tape) to facing a celestial challenge by a god who asks them to... actually, that last one is so funny you have to see it for yourself.

There is a book out, but it's the adaptation of the movie, making "The Twelve Tasks Of Asterix" the only one to date actually written for the screen first. Perhaps the makers of the later animated movies and the live-action ones could take the hint? (Or is adapting them properly beyond 'em?) Sheer pleasure throughout, with moments that still make me laugh years after seeing it and some surprisingly strong satire, all the movies should have been like this. Right, let's tie up the bard and bring on the boar...