Le dernier combat (1983)

Director:

Luc Besson

Writers:

Luc Besson (writer)
Pierre Jolivet (writer)

Release Date:

12 June 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The sky is raining fish. Skyscrapers sit in mountains of sand. Bandits sleep in trunks of used cars. It's a world of the future. A world called Planet Earth. And he's one man just trying to survive.

Plot:

In the post-apocalyptic future, only a few humans are left. No one is able to speak; the film contains no dialogue...

Plot Keywords:

Post Apocalyptic | Avant Garde | Ultralight Aircraft | End Of Civilization

Awards:

7 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Pierre Jolivet	...	The Man
Jean Bouise	...	The Doctor
Fritz Wepper	...	Captain
Jean Reno	...	The Brute
Christiane Krüger	...	Captain's Concubine
Maurice Lamy	...	Dwarf
Pierre Carrive	...	Captain's Man
Jean-Michel Castanié	...	Captain's Man
Michel Doset	...	Captain's Man
Bernard Havet	...	Captain's Man
Marcel Berthomier	...	Captain's Man
Petra Müller	...	Woman in the Cell
Garry Jode	...	Captain's Man

Also Known As:

Le Dernier Combat (The Last Battle) (USA)
The Last Battle (UK)

Runtime:

Sweden:92 min | USA:90 min | France:90 min

Country:

France

Language:

None | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | France:U | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Dune du Pyla, Pyla-sur-Mer, Gironde, France

Company:

Les Films du Loup

Quotes:

[the film's only line of dialogue]
The Doctor: [whispering] Bon... jour...
The Man: [whispering] Bon... jour...

Movie Connections:

Remake of L'avant dernier (1981)

Soundtrack:

Ruines - Part 2

Fantastic film!

I thought Besson's film managed to do without words what few films have been able to do with them; Capture true human emotions. The main character's struggles, triumphs, set backs, hopes and desires are all so honestly shown that you wonder if he is acting at all. The film has a low budget and is obviously made without the glitz and glamour afforded to most Hollywood productions but that minimalism is what allows this film to transcend the stereotypical Sci-Fi labeling and become a true drama. However calling this film solely a drama would take away from the fantastic post-apocalyptic plot. True this type of movie has been done been before but I think this one captures the joys and sorrows of that type of world possibly better than any other one does.