White Skin (2004) La peau blanche (original title)

Director:

Daniel Roby

Writers:

Joël Champetier (novel)
Joël Champetier (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

17 March 2005 (Singapore)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

She's Dying To Eat You

Plot:

Two roommates discover that the family of one of their girlfriends is populated with vampires.

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | University | Succubus | Female Vampire | Metro

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Marc Paquet	...	Thierry Richard
Marianne Farley	...	Claire Lefrançois
Frédéric Pierre	...	Henri Dieudonné
Jessica Malka	...	Marquise Lefrançois
Julie LeBreton	...	Isabel Lefrançois
Lise Roy	...	Diane Lefrançois
Joujou Turenne	...	Janvier, Marie-Pierre
Raymond Cloutier	...	Professeur Théorêt
Marcel Sabourin	...	Dr. Paul-Émile Gagnon
Jude-Antoine Jarda	...	Eddy
Anna Beaupré Moulounda	...	Sandra
Isabelle Guérard	...	Manon la prostituée
Fayolle Jean	...	Porte Parole Haïtien
Chantal Baril	...	Infirmière en chef
Mireille Metellus	...	Mère d'Henri
Benoît Ouimet	...	Serveur du bistro
Friman Amadeus Jean	...	Petit cousin d'Henri
Pierre-Étienne Rouillard	...	Julien, technicien du labo
Alain Richard	...	Garagiste
Denis Houle	...	Préposé à l'hôpital
Félix-Guy Lajeunesse	...	Ado vendeur de fusil
Ghyslaine Côté	...	Administratrice de l'université
Richard Robitaille	...	Obstétricien
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Any A. Perini	...	Mère de l.adolescent

Directed by
Daniel Roby

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Joël Champetier		novel
Joël Champetier		screenplay
Daniel Roby		screenplay

Produced by
Daniel Roby	....	producer

Original Music by
René Dupéré
Martin Lord Ferguson
Martin Lord

Cinematography by
Eric Cayla

Film Editing by
François Bégin
Daniel Roby
Yvann Thibaudeau

Production Design by
Christian Légaré

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sébastien Pelland	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Gregory Bolduc	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Serge Bouvier	....	sound
Simon Brien	....	sound
Anton Fischlin	....	sound editor
Clovis Gouaillier	....	sound
Hans Laitres	....	sound re-recording mix assistant
Martin Pinsonnault	....	sound re-recording mixer
Martin Pinsonnault	....	sound

Stunts
Jean Frenette	....	stunt coordinator

Other crew
Fanny Bellavance	....	continuity
Claude Girard	....	legal services

Production Companies

• Zone Films

Distributors

• Cathay-Keris Films (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Seville Pictures (Canada) (theatrical)
• Aya Pro Company (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Cinema First (2007) (Japan) (DVD) (rental)
• Geneon Entertainment (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Mr. Horror Presents #12)
• Seville Distribution
• Snp
• Sunfilm Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

"La peau blanche" - Canada (original title)
"Cannibal" - USA (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for perverse violence and sexuality/nudity, and for some language

Runtime:

92 min | Canada:89 min | Canada:90 min | 90 min | Argentina:92 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

Canada

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Argentina:16 | Canada:14A | Germany:16 | USA:R | Canada:13+ (Québec)

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Zone Films

Trivia:

Selected as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's second annual showcase of Canadian cinema - Canadian Front: New Films 2005.

Movie Connections:

Features Rabid (1977)

A Nutshell Review: La Peau Blanche aka White Skin

The title of this film doesn't give you a clue as to what it wants to tell. "White Skin" opens with a conversation between two friends, Thierry and Henri (yeah, those of you who know me will know that I am grinning at this - Arsenal's star player is called Thierry Henry, but no, it doesn't make any inference here), they're talking about being coloured (Henri is black, Theirry is white), and touch on racism.

This film doesn't pretend that it's not preaching about this topic, but at times when they talk about it, you can't seem to help but think the filmmakers are trying, though without success, to deliver some kind of message across. Peppered throughout the show are conversations that touch upon skin colour, race, "The Original Man", etc.

But looking at the theatrical poster, one might be fooled into thinking it's an out and out horror film about new vampires. It isn't.

For those who dove head-on into this film, it'll be kinda confusing at first, as the narrative at times doesn't seem to lead anywhere. The first 5 minutes shows the chums engaging with hookers, and all hell breaks loose when Henri is stabbed with a knife by one of the prostitutes. It is also within this 5 minutes that we learn of Thierry's dislike for brunettes (again, not that it is a major plot point or adds to the narrative). However, he finds himself being drawn towards a brunette called Claire in his University, whom he fist laid eyes on when she was busking at the underground metro.

They become bed buddies, and although Thierry wants more than sex in a relationship, Claire seemed to be satisfied with the state of things - kind of a role reversal here. She's hiding something from him, and it's not until the last third of the film that we realize what it is, and it's not cancer as originally thought. Sticking to my concept of reviewing, I shall not dwell into the plot from this point on, as it'll lead to major spoilers.

This show positions itself more as a thriller and not your outright horror show with ugly monsters, musical crescendos, loud bangs at right moments and blood splattering all over. We are left with wondering what the big secret is, but the slow pace of the film makes it quite a stretch in a theatre seat. Many subplots go undeveloped, or gets lagged as a red herring. Things go full circle when the chums get figuratively haunted by the prostitute who stabbed Henri.

This is recommended for one of those lazy weekends when you really got nothing else better to do. So set your expectations right, and don't expect too many memorable scenes from this movie, though it is compensated by a relatively good looking cast.