Vidocq (2001)

Director:

Pitof

Writers:

François-Eugène Vidocq (memoirs)
Pitof (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 September 2001 (Belgium)

Genre:

Crime | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The underworld has surfaced...

Plot:

Paris. 1830. In the heart of the town, Vidocq, a famous detective, disappeared as he fights the Alchemist...

Plot Keywords:

1830s | Alchemist | Detective | Investigation | Lightning

Awards:

7 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Gérard Depardieu	...	Vidocq
Guillaume Canet	...	Etienne Boisset
Inés Sastre	...	Préah
André Dussollier	...	Lautrennes
Edith Scob	...	Sylvia
Moussa Maaskri	...	Nimier
Jean-Pierre Gos	...	Tauzet
Isabelle Renauld	...	Marine Lafitte
Jean-Pol Dubois	...	Belmont
André Penvern	...	Veraldi
Gilles Arbona	...	Lafitte
Jean-Marc Thibault	...	Leviner
François Chattot	...	Froissard
Elsa Kikoïne	...	La muette
Fred Ulysse	...	Le vieux souffleur

Also Known As:

Dark Portals: The Chronicles of Vidocq (USA) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, sexual content, nudity and some drug material.

Runtime:

100 min | Finland:98 min | Canada:93 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Duboicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | USA:R | Australia:MA | South Korea:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Norway:15 | Czech Republic:12 | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Bordeaux, Gironde, France

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

The original on-spec screenplay by David Fakrikian featured Vidocq origin, adapted from the 1967 TV series by Georges Neveux and Marcel Bluwal. In the same manner as Batman Begins (2005), it showed how Vidocq became a cop, but was rejected when the producers failed to obtain the TV series rights.

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Soundtrack:

Symphony No. 29 KV 201

Magnifique.

Pitof's style and design comes blazing through, in a kind of high-octane version of the work he did for Jeunet & Caro - a mixture of French garishness and Tim-Burton-esque gothic fantasy and detail. Also reminded me a bit of Alex Proyas' design on Dark City.

The plot gallops along, with Depardieu appearing in flashback scenes throughout while his biographer, the police, a decadent journalist and his sidekick all try to re-trace his steps, solve the bizarre murders and capture the Alchemist (if he or she even exists)!

There's so much going on on-screen that it's a complete feast for the eyes, especially once femme fatale Preah gets mixed up in the mystery.

I also thought it was so refreshing to see the investigative duo of Vidocq and Nimier, because they are both coarse, brainy & brawny (like two bears in top hats), whereas any Hollywood film would surely add numerous physical & character defects. You'd also lose the wonderful surreal Frenchness of the setting, and almost grotesque supporting characters.

The Alchemist is a great baddie - not superhuman, but you're not quite sure (for a long time anyway) if he/she is really supernatural or not - or of his/her motivation, and by the last half hour you think it could be virtually any of the main characters under the mask, which sets you up for a really good revelation or two & a battle at the end.

An exciting movie (complex, but not difficult), and not one dull moment. I'm not sure what some of the negative reviewers were watching, because if you liked Sleepy Hollow or From Hell, you'll adore this.