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IMDbPro

City of Pirates

Original title: La ville des pirates
  • 19831983
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
989
YOUR RATING
City of Pirates (1983)
AdventureDramaFantasy
A surreal odyssey in which a melancholic maidservant crosses paths with a homicidal little boy, travels to a tiny island and encounters a man with multiple personalities.A surreal odyssey in which a melancholic maidservant crosses paths with a homicidal little boy, travels to a tiny island and encounters a man with multiple personalities.A surreal odyssey in which a melancholic maidservant crosses paths with a homicidal little boy, travels to a tiny island and encounters a man with multiple personalities.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
989
YOUR RATING
    • Raúl Ruiz
    • Raúl Ruiz
  • Stars
    • Hugues Quester
    • Anne Alvaro
    • Melvil Poupaud
    • Raúl Ruiz
    • Raúl Ruiz
  • Stars
    • Hugues Quester
    • Anne Alvaro
    • Melvil Poupaud
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 5User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos8

    City of Pirates (1983)
    Anne Alvaro and Melvil Poupaud in City of Pirates (1983)
    Melvil Poupaud in City of Pirates (1983)
    Anne Alvaro and Melvil Poupaud in City of Pirates (1983)
    Anne Alvaro and Melvil Poupaud in City of Pirates (1983)
    Melvil Poupaud in City of Pirates (1983)
    City of Pirates (1983)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Hugues Quester
    Hugues Quester
    • Toby
    Anne Alvaro
    • Isidore
    Melvil Poupaud
    Melvil Poupaud
    • Malo, the boy
    André Engel
    • Fisherman
    João Bénard da Costa
    • 'Father'
    • (as Duarte de Almeida)
    Clarisse Daull
    • 'Mother'
    • (as Clarisse Dole)
    André Gomes
    • Police lieutenant
    Luis Gaspar da Silva
    • Police corporal
    • (uncredited)
    Vasco Pimentel
    • Prison guard
    • (uncredited)
      • Raúl Ruiz
      • Raúl Ruiz
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Film debut of 10-year-old Melvil Poupaud.
    • Connections
      Edited into Catalogue of Ships (2008)

    User reviews5

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    An Underseen Masterpiece
    It's a shame that Raoul Ruix's film is currently unavailable on DVD or Blu Ray. City of Pirates is a beautiful and simultaneously unsettling film that is quite unlike anything I've ever seen before.

    The film works on different levels. It works as a childlike adventure as well as a surrealist horror film. City of Pirates feels like a dream both in terms of plot and visuals. As a result the film casts a hypnotic spell on the viewer.

    There is an underlying sense of loss and tragedy to the main character which I found added a layer of sadness to the whole film. One of the best aspects of City of Pirates is the visuals. I can't think of any other films that look like it. There are many striking shots that linger in your memory long after the film is over.

    In conclusion, I'd highly recommend City of Pirates. It's a film deserving of far more attention than it earns. The film is free on YouTube with English Subtitles.
    helpful•6
    0
    • kevinwhelan-61003
    • Mar 18, 2020

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 1989 (United States)
      • France
      • Portugal
      • French
      • Spanish
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Baleal, Peniche, Portugal
    • Production companies
      • Metro Filmes
      • Les Films du Passage
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 51 minutes
      • Black and White
      • Color
      • Mono

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