7.5/10
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245 user 49 critic

The City of Lost Children (1995)

La cité des enfants perdus (original title)
Trailer
2:22 | Trailer
A scientist in a surrealist society kidnaps children to steal their dreams, hoping that they slow his aging process.
5 wins & 13 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ron Perlman ... One
Daniel Emilfork ... Krank
Judith Vittet Judith Vittet ... Miette
Dominique Pinon ... Le scaphandrier / Les clones
Jean-Claude Dreyfus ... Marcello
Geneviève Brunet Geneviève Brunet ... La Pieuvre (as Genevieve Brunet)
Odile Mallet Odile Mallet ... La Pieuvre
Mireille Mossé Mireille Mossé ... Mademoiselle Bismuth
Serge Merlin Serge Merlin ... Gabriel Marie (Cyclops Leader)
Rufus ... Peeler
Ticky Holgado ... Ex-Acrobat
Joseph Lucien Joseph Lucien ... Denree
Mapi Galán Mapi Galán ... Lune (as Mapi Galan)
Briac Barthélémy Briac Barthélémy ... Bottle (as Briac Barthelemy)
Pierre-Quentin Faesch Pierre-Quentin Faesch ... Pipo
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Storyline

Set in a dystopian society, someone is kidnapping the children. Krank and his band of clones are using the children to harvest their dreams. Then they kidnap Denree, the brother of One, a fairground strongman. One sets out to find his brother. Written by grantss

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Where happily ever after is just a dream. See more »

Genres:

Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing and grotesque images of violence and menace | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Ron Perlman doesn't speak French and was the only American on set. But he learned all of his lines, and delivered them without error. In commentaries and interviews, however, he insists his French was bad. See more »

Goofs

One female character is heard to say "sure" even though her mouth doesn't move. See more »

Quotes

L'oncle Irvin: [after Krank's latest failiure] Who stole the child's dreams? Krank, in his evil schemes. But the happy tale had a sting in it's tail. The genius has a fit of pique, hear the genius shriek, the 'genius' is up a creek.
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Alternate Versions

There are two different audio tracks for the film - one is the original French language version and another is an English language dub. See more »

Connections

References The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) See more »

Soundtracks

Petit Papa Noël
Music by Henri Martinet
Lyrics by Raymond Vincy
See more »

User Reviews

 
A dark beautiful fairy tale
19 December 2004 | by john-1769See all my reviews

As in Amelie and Delicatessen, Jeunet is interested in the complex connections between things, even as small as a flea. The film is not so much about a story as it is about illustrating how the characters got where they are, often with a fast- paced sequence of events like a Rube Goldberg device. Open up your eyes and mind to the world that is created here, leave behind expectations of how it should function or how the plot should advance. You will be richly rewarded. The sets and costumes are gorgeous, true enough, but the true beauty lies in the characters and their lives; the children that are too grown up, the hero who is more a child than they are, the imperfect creations of science, and the improbable leftovers of a circus freak show.


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Frequently Asked Questions

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Details

Country:

France | Germany | Spain | Belgium | USA

Language:

French | Cantonese

Release Date:

15 December 1995 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

The City of Lost Children See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$34,348, 17 December 1995

Gross USA:

$1,738,611

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,781,465
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »

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