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 | Beach | Chicken Feces | Bird

Awards:

6 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Benoît Poelvoorde	...	Ben
Jacqueline Poelvoorde-Pappaert	...	Ben's Mother
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
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
Marcel Engels	...	Cameraman
Franco Piscopo	...	Sound Recordist
Venelin Poikov	...	First Postman
Alain François	...	Video Reporter
Fernaud Dubois	...	Postman
Antoine Chapelot	...	Wine Waiter
Hughes Tavier	...	Buffet Waiter
Pol Vanderwarren	...	Ben's Lawyer
Anne LaGrange	...	Journalist
Paul Bottemanne	...	Taxi Driver
Vincent Merveille	...	Boxer
Irene Gilissen	...	Lady on Train
Sabine Tavier	...	Madame Pipi
Annamaria Szomolanyiova	...	Violinist
Carlos Campo Miranda	...	Night Watchman
Pascal Lebrun	...	Featured Victim
Stephanie Aubier	...	Featured Victim
Alain Hologne	...	Featured Victim
Micheline Hologne	...	Featured Victim
Philippe Blasband	...	Featured Victim
Aldo Fostier	...	Featured Victim
Jean-Pol Cavillot	...	Featured Victim
Anny Nologne	...	Featured Victim
Elaine Leonard	...	Featured Victim
Marie Travier	...	Featured Victim
Bruno Belvaux	...	Featured Victim
Lucien Belvaux	...	Featured Victim
Jean-Claude Maschetti	...	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)
Steven Artels	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)
Bertrand Tavier	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)
Bob Lens	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)
Josephs Craeynest	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)
Willy Van De Waele	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)
Andre Kuys	...	Victim in Montage (scenes deleted)
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

Sound Department
Alain Oppezzi	....	sound recordist
Franco Piscopo	....	sound re-recording mixer

Other crew
Valérie Parent	....	script supervisor

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)
• Oro Films S.A. (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• 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:

Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1993) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1997) | USA:NC-17 | Iceland:16 | Australia:R | Argentina:18 | Singapore:R21 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (Original rating) | Portugal:M/18 | 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)

Filming Locations:

Brussels, Brussels-Capital, Belgium

Company:

Les Artistes Anonymes

Trivia:

The literal English translation for this movie is: "It took place close to your home."

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): At the beginning, Benoît says that four times a child's body weight is needed to sink a dead child. However, at the bar where they drink Dead Baby Boys, Benoît asks René for the weight ratio needed to sink a child, to which René replies "Twice," and Benoit says, "Right!"

Quotes:

Ben:You can tan while you make love. When you're through you've got a brown ass.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Génération Raymond (1990)

Pure genius

One of the nastiest and most notoriously evil dark comedies ever is actually filmed in Belgium. Belgium that is, not France like some people seem to think. It's (at least what I know of) the only Belgian film I've ever seen, but it's also just happens to be one of the best films I've seen from any country.

Benoît Poelvoorde is fantastic as the totally mad and nihilistic serial killer Ben, his mere presence makes this movie stand out. The shootings in black and white makes this movie feel like a real documentary. And the humor is darker than a black steer's tookus on a moonless prairie night. It's fantastically funny, if you can stomach it, that is.

Many scenes of grisly violence against kids, bystanders, elders and various others will probably disgust a whole lot of people, but if you can handle it then you've got yourself a film you'll remember for a long time.

I really wonder what happened to those who made this. They should have been stars by now. This probably just proves that life simply isn't fair.

Genius doesn't come along often. Do yourself a favour and watch this.

10/10