Man Bites Dog (1992) C'est arrivé près de chez vous (original title)

Directors:

Rémy Belvaux
André Bonzel
(more)

Writers:

Rémy Belvaux (story)
Rémy Belvaux (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 January 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

A Killer Comedy

Plot:

In this dark satire, a film crew follows a ruthless thief and heartless killer as he goes about his daily routines. But complications set in when the film crew loses their abjectness and begin lending a hand.

Plot Keywords:

Film Crew | Satire | Grandmother Grandson Relationship | Hungarian | Eating

Awards:

6 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Benoît Poelvoorde	...	Ben
Jacqueline Poelvoorde-Pappaert	...	Ben's Mother (as Jacqueline Poelvoorde Pappaert)
Nelly Pappaert	...	Ben's Grandmother
Hector Pappaert	...	Ben's Grandfather
Jenny Drye	...	Jenny
Malou Madou	...	Malou
Willy Vandenbroeck	...	Boby
Rachel Deman	...	Mamie Tromblon
André Laime	...	Bed-ridden Old Man
Édith Le Merdy	...	Nurse (as Edith Lemerdy)
Sylviane Godé	...	Rape Victim (Martine)
Zoltan Tobolik	...	Rape Victim's Husband
Valérie Parent	...	Valerie
Alexandra Fandango	...	Kalifa
Olivier Cotica	...	Benichou
Rémy Belvaux	...	Remy (Reporter)
André Bonzel	...	Andre (Cameraman)
Jean-Marc Chenut	...	Patrick (Sound Man #1)
Alain Oppezzi	...	Franco (Sound Man #2)
Vincent Tavier	...	Vincent (Sound Man #3)
Gina Cotica	...	Mother
Ricardo Cotica	...	Child
Pierre Vanbraekel	...	Father / Journalist
Marcel Engels	...	Cameraman
Franco Piscopo	...	Sound Recordist
Alain François	...	Video Reporter
Venelin Proikov	...	First Postman
Fernard Dubois	...	Postman
Antoine Chapelot	...	Wine Waiter
Hughes Tavier	...	Buffet Waiter (as Hugues Tavier)
Pol Vanderwarren	...	Ben's Lawyer
Anne LaGrange	...	Journalist
Paul Bottemanne	...	Taxi Driver
Vincent Merveille	...	Boxer / Broken Neck
Irene Gilissen	...	Lady on Train (as Irène Gilissen)
Sabine Tavier	...	Madame Pipi
Annamaria Szomolanyiova	...	Violinist
Carlos Campo Miranda	...	Night Watchman
Pascal Lebrun	...	Shot in the Shoulder Blade
Stephanie Aubier	...	Shot in the Eye
Alain Hologne	...	Shot in the Chest
Micheline Hologne	...	Shot in the Temple
Philippe Blasband	...	Shot in the Bath
Aldo Fostier	...	Shot in the Left Groin
Jean-Pol Cavillot	...	Shot in the Right Groin
Anny Hologne	...	Shot in the Bag
Elaine Leonard	...	Shot in the Yaw (as Elaine Léonard)
Marie Tavier	...	Strangled
Bruno Belvaux	...	Featured Victim
Lucien Belvaux	...	Shot in the Back
Jean-Claude Moschetti	...	Featured Victim
Laurence D'Hondt	...	Journalist
Daniel Tursh	...	Journalist
Benoît Mariage	...	Journalist
Emmanuelle Bada	...	Journalist
Stéphane Aubier	...	Journalist
Jean-Paul Geets	...	Malou's Customer
Clotilde Francois	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted) (as Clotilde François)
Steven Artels	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)
Bertrand Tavier	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)
Bob Lens	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)
Joseph Craeynest	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)
Willy Van De Waele	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)
Andre Kuys	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted) (as André Kuys)
Patrick Goisse	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)

Directed by
Rémy Belvaux
André Bonzel
Benoît Poelvoorde

Writing credits
Rémy Belvaux		(story)
Rémy Belvaux		(screenplay) &
André Bonzel		(screenplay) &
Benoît Poelvoorde		(screenplay) &
Vincent Tavier		(screenplay)

Produced by
Rémy Belvaux	....	producer
André Bonzel	....	producer
Benoît Poelvoorde	....	producer

Original Music by
Jean-Marc Chenut
Laurence Dufrene
Philippe Malempré

Cinematography by
André Bonzel

Film Editing by
Rémy Belvaux
Eric Dardill

Makeup Department
Bénédicte Lescalier	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Vincent Tavier	....	production manager

Sound Department
Bertrand Boudaud	....	sound effects
Clotilde Francois	....	sound recordist
Alain Oppezzi	....	sound director
Franco Piscopo	....	sound editor
Franco Piscopo	....	sound mixer
Franco Piscopo	....	sound recordist
Vincent Tavier	....	sound director

Special Effects by
Olivier de Laveleye	....	special effects
Florence Thonet	....	special effects assistant

Other crew
Valérie Parent	....	script supervisor
Annamaria Szomolanyiova	....	production assistant

Thanks
Bruno Belvaux	....	special thanks
Patrick Grandperret	....	special thanks
Didier Retalleau	....	special thanks (as Didier Retailleau)

Production Companies

• Les Artistes Anonymes

Distributors

• Acteurs Auteurs Associés (AAA) (1992) (France) (theatrical)
• Roxie Releasing (1993) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Tartan Video (1993) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Criterion Collection, The (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Tartan Video (1996) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Criterion Collection, The (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Siren Visual Entertainment (2001-????) (Australia) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Cinema Mondo (1993) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Oro Films S.A. (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Arthaus Filmverleih (2013) (Germany) (DVD)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (UK) (all media)

Other Companies

• Dada Studios  music
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production

Also Known As:

"C'est arrivé près de chez vous" - Belgium (original title)
"It Happened in Your Neighborhood" - Belgium (English title)
"Man Bites Dog: It Happened in Your Neighborhood" - International (English title) (informal title)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for strong graphic violence

Runtime:

95 min | USA:92 min (edited version)

Country:

Belgium

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

France:12 | Germany:18 | Ireland:(Banned) (original rating) | Ireland:18 (re-rating) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:(Banned) | UK:18 | USA:Unrated (cut) | Finland:K-18 | USA:NC-17 | Iceland:16 | Australia:R | Argentina:18 | Singapore:R21 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (Original rating) | Portugal:M/18

Filming Locations:

Brussels, Brussels-Capital, Belgium

Company:

Les Artistes Anonymes

Trivia:

The filmmakers were very nervous while shooting the rape scene. The actress who played the rape victim was very supportive of cause of the film, however, and let the filmmakers do their thing. This gave comfort to the crew; especially Rémy Belvaux, who was very shy about his nude scene.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Ben plays the piano, his hands play out of sync with the music.

Quotes:

Ben:*Bingo*!

Movie Connections:

References "Knights of the Zodiac" (1986)

Cinema

Cinema! The documentary of a sadistic killer trying out new methods, sharing his secrets with the camera crew and then going to celebrate by the seaside with a plate mussels. Our killer's absolute disregard for human life, other than a thick crew of visually stunning characters, is nothing short of a masterpiece. Just be warned that it is the most violent movies of all time and you will be fine. You won't believe our killers reaction when you find out that someone had the gall to attempt a similar project. "First you need a tear, just a tear of gin......and then a river of tonic". The mock camera crew show a great deal of patience putting up with this guy, but they probably hadn't figured on what they were getting themselves into.