Mesrine: Killer Instinct (2008) L'instinct de mort (original title)

Director:

Jean-François Richet

Writers:

Jacques Mesrine (book)
Abdel Raouf Dafri (scenario)
(more)

Release Date:

22 October 2008 (Belgium)

Genre:

Action | Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

The story of french gangster Jacques Mesrine, before he was called Public Enemy N°1.

Plot Keywords:

Mesrine | Gangster | France | Prison Escape | Death

Awards:

6 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Vincent Cassel	...	Jacques Mesrine
Cécile De France	...	Jeanne Schneider
Gérard Depardieu	...	Guido
Gilles Lellouche	...	Paul
Roy Dupuis	...	Jean-Paul Mercier
Elena Anaya	...	Sofia
Florence Thomassin	...	Sarah
Michel Duchaussoy	...	Pierre André Mesrine - le père de Jacques Mesrine
Myriam Boyer	...	La mère de Jacques Mesrine
Abdelhafid Metalsi	...	Ahmed - le proxénète
Gilbert Sicotte	...	Le milliardaire
Deano Clavet	...	Roger André
Ludivine Sagnier	...	Sylvie Jeanjacquot
Mustapha Abourachid	...	Le harki
Sofiane Benrazzak	...	Le Fellagah #1 (as Sophiane Benrezzak)
Farid Fedjer	...	Le Fellagah #2
Gilles Geisweiller	...	L'officier français (as Gil Geisweiller)
Leïla Bekhti	...	La fille du Fellagah
Dorothée Brière	...	Suzon
Michelle Brûlé	...	La propriétaire cambriolage
Yves Marc Gilbert	...	Le propriétaire cambriolage (as Yves-Marc Gilbert)
Maria Ibars Valverde	...	La jeune fille brune du dancing
Mercè Llorens	...	La jeune fille blonde du dancing
Sabri Lahmer	...	Gégé
Manuela Gourary	...	Mado
Affif Ben Badra	...	Le client énervé (as Ben Badra)
Frankie Pain	...	Lulu
Emmanuelle Carlier	...	La sage-femme
François Hauteserre	...	Le complice du Neubourg (as François Hautesserre)
Jean-Claude Leguay	...	Tabacoff
Louison Blivet	...	Sabrina à 5 ans
Guilhem Pellegrin	...	Le notaire
Caroline Ferrus	...	Maggy
Arnaud Henriet	...	Le portier du cercle de jeux
Angelo Aybar	...	Le patron du cercle de jeux
Jeff Boudreault	...	L'officier de l'immigration
Benoît Théberge	...	Le valet du milliardaire
Sylvain Savard	...	Le jardinier du milliardaire
Dominique Loiseau	...	Le tueur
William Anderson Jr.	...	Le policier de l'Arizona (as Bill Anderson)
Christian Bordeleau	...	Le journaliste de l'aéroport
Christine Bellier	...	Le Journaliste de l'Aéroport
Benoît Lavoisier	...	Le journaliste de l'aéroport
Guy Thauvette	...	Le directeur de l'USC
Jean-Loup Yale	...	Thibaut Mailloche
Christine Beaulieu	...	Lizon
Luc-Martial Dagenais	...	Le directeur de banque
Danielle Lepine	...	L'avocate
Monique Gosselin	...	La gardienne de prison
Laurent Imbault	...	Garde forestier
Paul Stewart	...	Garde forestier
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mathieu Amalric	...	François Besse
Anne Consigny	...	L'avocate de Jacques Mesrine
Olivier Gourmet	...	Le commissaire Broussard
Samuel Le Bihan	...	Michel Ardouin
Eddy Saccomani
Clément Sageste	...	Proche
Kevin Cormier	...	Highway Patrol Officer (uncredited)
Tomas Johansson	...	AZ State Trooper (uncredited)
Tanya Katchouni	...	Belle Femme (uncredited)
Mike Pastore	...	AZ State Trooper (uncredited)
Jean-Pierre Pivolot	...	Le gardien qui range la pince coupante (uncredited)
Tom Sponberg	...	AZ State Trooper (uncredited)
James Stickel	...	AZ State Trooper (uncredited)
Angelo Vettese	...	Police officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean-François Richet

Writing credits
Jacques Mesrine		(book "L'instinct de mort")
Abdel Raouf Dafri		(scenario)
Abdel Raouf Dafri		(adaptation and dialogue) and
Jean-François Richet		(adaptation and dialogue)

Produced by
Manon Baudoin	....	assistant producer
Daniel Delume	....	executive producer
Thomas Langmann	....	producer
Emmanuel Montamat	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Marco Beltrami		(original music by)
Marcus Trumpp		(original music by)

Cinematography by
Robert Gantz		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Hervé Schneid

Casting by
Antoinette Boulat
Patrice Farner

Production Design by
Emile Ghigo

Set Decoration by
Philippe Cord'homme		(set decoration)

Costume Design by
Virginie Montel

Makeup Department
Avril Carpentier	....	additional makeup artist
Catherine Duplan	....	key hair stylist
Sandrine Gonzales	....	makeup artist
Thi Thanh Tu Nguyen	....	key makeup artist
Patricia Planche	....	makeup artist additional
Alice Robert	....	makeup artist
Jean-Christophe Roger	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Adrien Adriaco	....	assistant unit manager
Miambanzila Charles	....	assistant unit manager trainee
Pierre-Olivier Daudens	....	assistant unit manager
Thibaud Garron	....	assistant unit manager
Olivier Gravenhorst	....	post production manager
Varujan Gumusel	....	post-production manager
Frank Mettre	....	post-production supervisor
Vincent Piant	....	assistant unit manager
François Pulliat	....	unit manager
Laurent Sivot	....	production manager
Baptiste Souyri	....	assistant unit manager
Gregory Valmir	....	assistant unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sophie Berger Forestier	....	second assistant director
Ludovic Bernard	....	first assistant director
Delphine Corrard	....	second assistant director
Marine Franssen	....	second assistant director
Stéphane Malhuret	....	additional first assistant director
Julie-Anne Simon	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Claire Amoureux-Nicole	....	first assistant art director
Marianne Arsa	....	assistant art director
Christophe Ballu	....	constructor
Lilith Bekmezian	....	assistant art director
Dominique Brunel	....	property master
Alexandre Chauvet	....	art department accountant
Arnaud Chauvin	....	props
Philippe Cord'homme	....	set dresser
Gerard Drolon	....	first assistant art director (2007)
Joseph Gagné	....	assistant art director
Hugues Gaudreault	....	swing
Tristan Girault	....	property master
Paulo Gonçalves	....	props
Sévérine Guilbaud	....	assistant set dresser
Jean-Manuel Martinez	....	plasterer
Cédric Maserati	....	set dresser
Maurice Roy	....	graphic artist
Patricia Ruelle	....	assistant art director
Bernadette Saint Loubert	....	set dresser
Asuka Sugiyama	....	art department coordinator

Sound Department
Alexandre Andrillon	....	boom operator
Yohann Angelvy	....	adr foley editor
Mélanie Blouin	....	foley editor
Hervé Buirette	....	foley recordist: sound mixer
Hervé Buirette	....	sound re-recording mixer
Pascal Chauvin	....	foley artist
Edouard d'Heucqueville	....	sound mix technician
Jon Goc	....	sound editor (as Jonathan Goc)
Carl Goetgheluck	....	sound re-recording mixer
François Groult	....	sound mixer
Gérard Hardy	....	sound editor
Sébastien Jeannot	....	sound editor
Jean-Christophe Julé	....	foley recordist
Jean Minondo	....	sound
Loïc Prian	....	sound editor
Franck Tassel	....	assistant foley artist
Alexandre Widmer	....	supervising sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Carmelle Beaudoin	....	special effects technician
Georges Demétrau	....	special effects supervisor
Max Garnier	....	special effects technician
Jacques Godbout	....	special effects
François Philippi	....	special effects coordinator
Charles-Axel Vollard	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Jerome Auliac	....	digital compositor
Anais Bertrand	....	visual effects coordinator
Jerome Billet	....	digital matte painter
Alain Carsoux	....	visual effects supervisor
Anthony Charbonnier	....	digital compositor
Florian Chauvet	....	visual effects producer assistant
Jean-Nicolas Costa	....	digital compositor
Nicolas Daniel	....	data manager
Natalène Darfeuille	....	visual effects production assistant
Séverine De Wever	....	visual effects coordinator
Christophe Dehaene	....	digital compositor
Stephane Dittoo	....	digital compositor
Vincent Frei	....	digital compositor
David Gourmaud	....	visual effects editor
Aurélien Grand	....	retouch and restoration
Jeremy Guetta	....	scanner operator
Pacini Kevin	....	visual effects editor
Guillaume Le Gouez	....	digital compositor
Jeremie Leroux	....	visual effects supervisor
Fredrik Monteil	....	digital compositor
Joel Pinto	....	digital compositor
Elisa Pretta	....	digital compositor
Olivier Puechberty	....	matte painter
Siddharthan Raman	....	roto/prep artist
Christian Simon	....	digital compositor
Jeremy Séguin	....	digital compositor
Georges Tornero	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Francis Bataille	....	stunt driver
Christian Bergner	....	stunts
Vincent Bersoulle	....	stunts
Michel Bouis	....	stunts
Gabriel Chatelain	....	stunts (as Vincent Chatelain)
Gilles Conseil	....	stunts
Cyrille Dufaut	....	stunt driver
David Forax	....	stunts
Philippe Guégan	....	stunt coordinator
Christian Hening	....	stunts
Jean-Francois Lachapelle	....	stunt rigger
Jean-Claude Lagniez	....	stunts
Sébastien Lagniez	....	stunt driver
Christophe Marsaud	....	stunts
Franck Merenda	....	stunts (as Francesco Merenda)
Laurent Mulot	....	stunt driver
Patrick Médioni	....	stunt coordinator
Julien Piguet	....	stunt driver
Alexandre Rambure	....	stunt driver
Patrick Ronchin	....	stunt coordinator
Jean-Paul Ropars	....	stunt driver
Thierry Saelens	....	stunts
Sébastien Seveau	....	stunt driver
Sebastien Vandenberghe	....	stunts
José Gómez Rebolo	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Stéphane Afchain	....	grip
Katherine Allard	....	camera trainee
Roger Arpajou	....	still photographer
Jimmy Bourcier	....	additional second assistant camera
Faith Brewer	....	assistant camera
Gaspard Cresp	....	film loader
Mario d'Orio	....	grip
Marie-Sophie Daniel	....	second assistant camera
Grégoire de Calignon	....	second assistant camera
Emmanuel de Fleury	....	first assistant camera
Benoit Dentan	....	aerial operator
Jean-Pierre Deschamps	....	key grip
Isabelle Duquesnoy	....	trainee assistant camera
Gilles Floquet	....	grip
David Foquin	....	second assistant camera
Olivier Fortin	....	focus puller
Julien Gallois	....	additional gaffer
Pierric Gantelmi d'Ille	....	camera operator: second unit
Cédric Guerby	....	electrician
Gayle Hilary	....	assistant camera
Hans Krumenacker	....	electrician
Kevin Laot	....	video assist
Hervé Le Berrigaud	....	additional grip
Nicolas Le Gal	....	first assistant camera
Ludwig Manahan	....	electrician: Quebec
Pierre Mazard	....	focus puller
Cedric Meyrand	....	electrician
Sophie Moulin	....	additional grip
Benoît Pain	....	second assistant camera
Pierre Rouger	....	director of photography: additional
Eric Thurot	....	electrician
Jean-Francois Tousignant	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Laurent Couraud	....	extras casting
Kasia Krynska	....	casting assistant
Stephanie Patrick	....	extras casting
Debbie Santelli	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gina G. Aller	....	costumer
Elfie Carlier	....	costumer
Ariane Daurat	....	wardrobe assistant
Olivia Lahougue	....	wardrobe supervisor
Valérie Le Hello	....	wardrobe
Michèle Pezzin	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Anne-Sophie Bion	....	first assistant editor
Sophie Chatin	....	additional assistant editor
Jimmy Christophe	....	color timer
Thibaut Damade	....	assistant editor
Charlotte Lamy Le Loet	....	assistant color timer
Fabien Pascal	....	colorist

Music Department
Marco Beltrami	....	executive music director
William Boston	....	orchestrator
Tim Davies	....	orchestrator
Bastide Donny	....	composer: additional music
Rossano Galante	....	orchestrator
John Kurlander	....	music recording engineer
John Kurlander	....	scoring mixer
Dana Niu	....	composer: additional music
Josh Sarles	....	music engineer
Mehdi Sayah	....	assistant music supervisor

Transportation Department
Wesley S. Bloom	....	driver

Other crew
Dominique Bandet	....	production secretary
Anthony Cauchy	....	business affairs manager: M6 Films
Maximilien Dion	....	set runner
Marie-Christine Février	....	production accountant
Marc Leroyer	....	weapons coordinator
Gianni Manno	....	titles and credits designer
Frederic Moreau	....	production assistant
Delphine Prothais	....	production secretary
Isabelle Querrioux	....	script supervisor
Nicolas Quéré	....	location assistant
Lisa-Nina Rives	....	assistant script supervisor
Kevin Van Der Meiren	....	production lawyer

Production Companies

• La Petite Reine
• Remstar Productions (co-production) (as Remstar)
• Novo RPI (co-production)
• M6 Films (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• TPS Star (participation)
• 120 Films (participation)
• Région Haute-Normandie (support)
• Procirep (support)
• Angoa-Agicoa (support)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (support)
• Téléfilm Canada (support)
• Société de Développement des Entreprises Culturelles (SODEC) (support)
• Uni Etoile 4 (in association with)
• Uni Étoile 5 (in association with)
• Banque Populaire Images 8 (in association with)
• Cinémage 2 (in association with)

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Hexagon Pictures (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Hollywood Classic Entertainment (2008) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• MEED Films (2008) (Baltic States) (theatrical)
• Momentum Pictures (2009) (UK) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Music Box Films (2010) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• New American Vision (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pathé (2008) (France) (theatrical)
• Senator Film (2009) (Germany) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• California Filmes (2009) (Brazil) (all media)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2009) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2010) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Madman Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (all media)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (UK) (DVD)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Movie Bank (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Music Box Films
• Nordisk Film (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Nordisk Film (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Remstar Films (2008) (Canada) (all media)
• Top Film (2008) (Russia) (all media)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2009) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Other Companies

• Aerial Camera Systems (ACS)  helicopter gyrostabilized camera system
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Cinecascade  vehicle stunts
• Cinésyl  grip and lighting equipment
• Montreal Casting  extras casting
• Pictorvision  aerial camera system

Also Known As:

"L'instinct de mort" - France (original title)
"Mesrine: Part 1 - Killer Instinct" - International (English title) (imdb display title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong brutal violence, some sexual content and language

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

France | Canada | Italy

Language:

French | English | Arabic | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Australia:MA | Norway:15 | Germany:18 | Ireland:16 | France:U (with warning) | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R15+ | Denmark:15 | Netherlands:16 | Austria:16 | Ireland:15 (DVD rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Sweden:15 (DVD rating) | USA:R (certificate #46248) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia) | Canada:18A (Alberta/Ontario) | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France

Company:

La Petite Reine

Trivia:

Jean-Pierre Cassel was originally set for the role of Jacques Mesrine's father (ultimately held by Michel Duchaussoy) in this and Mesrine: Killer Instinct (2008).

Goofs:

Factual errors: The Canadian prison tower guards are armed with Ruger Mini-14s, which weren't introduced until 1973, though the escape occurred in 1972.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Gangstars (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Want to Go Back There Again

The French Clyde Barrow

It is true that Jacques Mesrine (Vincent Cassel) was France's public enemy number one during the 60s and 70s. It is also true that he murdered several people, robbed banks, repeatedly escaped from prison, and basically did all the things that legendary criminals aspire to do. But to think of him as just another criminal would be an unreasonable caricature.

In this first half of the notorious gangster's life, director Jean-Francois Richet evinces the louche charm of the French criminal underworld in an effort to depict Jacques in a sympathetic light.

After a troubling time soldiering in the Algerian War, Jacques returns to Paris, where before long his sense of dissatisfaction takes charge of him and he accepts a friend's offer of 'off-the-book work', i.e. crime.

He is introduced to Guido (Gerard Depardieu), the head of a right-wing terrorist group operating in France's underworld. Guido recruits him, but warns that 'In our business, you don't win'. Depardieu plays his role with quiet brilliance. His acting is understated, yet he manages to be eerily menacing.

While on holiday Jacques, in a manner that would rival a James Bond-style seduction, beguiles then later marries his Spanish wife, Sofia (Elena Anaya). His sojourn is curtailed, however, when he goes back to Paris to murder the Arab pimp of a former lover.

That Jacques is a ruthless, relentless recidivist is never for one moment hidden. He may be a gangster, who violently casts aside his wife for his friends, but this is a man of principle, albeit criminal principle. He steals only from banks because, in his words, they have enough money to allow it; he never kills a person if they are unarmed; and he fulfills his promise to liberate his ex-prison inmates once he has successfully escaped himself. It is precisely these paradoxes which never quite allow you to feel that he is completely worthless.

He is finally jailed (on the first of several occasions) for a botched bank robbery. When he is released, he makes an attempt to 'go straight'. However, he is easily lured back and teams up with a new muse, Jeanne (Cecile De France), who displays a similar adroitness for crime. Jacques is now a celebrity, admired by the press, but demonised by the authorities.

The film's director claimed that only Cassel could have embodied this role. It is indeed the sheer magnetism of Cassel's portrayal that compels you to watch the second instalment.

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