Amazon (2000) Amazone (original title)

Director:

Philippe de Broca

Writers:

Philippe de Broca
Serge Frydman (dialogue)

Release Date:

21 June 2000 (Belgium)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Plot:

On an observatory set high on a mountain, astronomers make a stunning discovery somewhere out in the galaxy. A flying object in the depths of the cosmos is showing signs of life, emitting an intelligent signal. The UFO has just landed on Earth somewhere in the midst of a rainforest. Margot, the enthusiastic young woman heading up the research team, decides to go to the spot and check out this phenomenon. Meanwhile Edouard, our hero, studies the flora and fauna of the tree tops in the rainforest. He perches on an enormous net that stretches over the still pure, unadulterated forest that spreads out beneath him. He discovers a naked little twelve-year old girl seated on the net. He covers her with a broad banana leaf and asks where she comes from. She quickly replies, in perfect French 'from another world'.

Plot Keywords:

Girl | Astronomer | Husband Wife Relationship | Tree House | Vine

Cast

Jean-Paul Belmondo	...	Edouard
Arielle Dombasle	...	Margot
Patrick Bouchitey	...	Jeff Benard
Thylda Barès	...	Lulu
André Penvern	...	Colonel de Villeneuve
Jackie De la Nuez	...	Old chief
Ronny Bandomo Casanova	...	Little boy
Carlos Padrón	...	Lab doctor
Fernando Echevarría	...	Chinese
Daniel Hernandez	...	Cab driver
Héctor Echemendia	...	Scientist 1
Salvador Palomino	...	Scientist 2
Alberto Noel Pena	...	Scientist 3
Óscar Bringas	...	Train engineer
Carlos Manssola	...	Rambo 1
Leonardo Darias	...	Rambo 2
Ernesto Queral	...	Rambo 3
Alberto Reytor	...	Rambo 4
Ismael Morales	...	Indian warrior

Directed by
Philippe de Broca

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Philippe de Broca
Serge Frydman		dialogue

Produced by
Christine Gozlan	....	executive producer
Alain Sarde	....	delegate producer

Original Music by
Alexandre Desplat

Cinematography by
Jean-François Robin

Film Editing by
Henri Lanoë

Casting by
Dan Berthier

Production Design by
Carlos Urdavinia Hurtado
Aramís Balebona Recio

Costume Design by
Paulette Breil
Liz Álvarez		(as Liz Álvarez Marti)

Makeup Department
Charly Koubesserian	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Alain Centonze	....	production manager
Martin Coiffier	....	unit manager
Karine Raphaël	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Denis Bergonhe	....	first assistant director
Marianne Capian	....	second assistant director

Sound Department
Jean-François Auger	....	sound mixer
Henri Morelle	....	sound
Laurent Quaglio	....	sound mixer
Pierre Tucat	....	boom operator

Visual Effects by
Christian Guillon	....	visual effects producer
Sergeï Lourié	....	digital compositor

Camera and Electrical Department
Emilie de la Hosseraye	....	still photographer

Other crew
Laurent Cavalier	....	executive producer: Venezuela
Corinne Devaux	....	choreographer
Yann Nerot	....	administrator

Production Companies

• Les Films Alain Sarde
• PHF Films S.L.
• TF1 Films Production

Distributors

• Bac Films (France)

Special Effects

• L'Etude et la Supervision des Trucages (L'E.S.T.) (visual effects)

Also Known As:

"Amazone" - France (original title)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

France | Spain

Language:

French | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

France:U | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Cuba

Company:

Les Films Alain Sarde

plain awful

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

This French film should go straight to the guillotine! It's an insult to the French film industry. But as I am a generous person I'll give it 4/10. Now don't go racing off to collect a DVD just to see why I am making such a fuss. Take my word for it.

The film opens with a stupendous waterfall. Magnificent. Just take in the sight and sound! Is this a promise of what is to follow? Sadly no. What follows is a disaster.

The film has little or no story. What action there is revolves around three people, a retired dentist seeking solitude in the jungle, a twelve year old who happened to drop in from a far away planet and an excitable woman astronomer seeking out the site where a UFO had apparently hit the earth. In the film the characters are wet most of the time due to the frequent showers or falling into the river. As a consequence the man reluctantly gives them shelter This knits together what story there is. There are frequent arguments and the women keep running away and have to be saved from the dangers of the jungle.

Nearby there is a depression in the earth no bigger than a preserving pan which attracts the attention of the astronomer who whereupon quizzes one of the local natives (who cannot understand a word of French)about the indentation in the earth. Stranger still is the fact that the girl from the distant planet speaks French fluently.

There is a band of kidnappers combing the river to see where they can make a buck or two. Eventually they kidnap the little girl and make off with her.

Belmondo in excellent bewhiskered make-up as the elderly man has not much to do and one wonders why he accepted the part in the first place. On the other hand the incidental music is very good and worthy of a much better production. The same can be said of the photography. The main fault is the choice of material. Some scenarios are best left untouched on the shelf.

You won't find many reviews of this one. I think I've told you why..