Belphegor: Phantom of the Louvre (2001)

At the Louvre museum in Paris, the phantom Belphegor wakes up and causes electrical havoc. Night guards at the museum start dying and Lisa gets possessed. Martin tries to help the cute Lisa.

Director:

Jean-Paul Salomé

Writers:

Arthur Bernède (novel), Jean-Paul Salomé

Stars:

Sophie Marceau, Michel Serrault, Frédéric Diefenthal

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sophie Marceau	...	Lisa / Belphégor
Michel Serrault	...	Verlac
Frédéric Diefenthal	...	Martin
Julie Christie	...	Glenda Spender
Jean-François Balmer	...	Bertrand Faussier
Patachou	...	Geneviève
Lionel Abelanski	...	Simonnet
Françoise Lépine	...	Suzanne Dupré
François Levantal	...	Mangin
Jacques Martial	...	Félix
Philippe Maymat	...	Bob
Pierre Aussedat	...	Pierre Desfontaines
Matteo Vallon	...	Cemetary employee
Jean-Claude Bolle-Reddat	...	Cemetary warden
Juliette Gréco	...	Woman in the cemetary

Storyline

A collection of artifacts from an archeological dig in Egypt are brought to the famous Louvre museum in Paris, and while experts are using a laser scanning device to determine the age of a sarcophagus, a ghostly spirit escapes and makes its way into the museum's electrical system. Museum curator Faussier (Jean-Francois Balmer) brings in a noted Egyptologist, Glenda Spencer, to examine the findings, and she announces that the mummy inside the coffin was actually the evil spirit Belphegor. Lisa, who lives across the street from the museum, follows her runaway cat into the museum after closing time, where she is accidentally given a shock that sends the stray spirit into her body. Soon, Lisa is disguising herself as Belphegor and making off with the rare Egyptian treasures on display at the museum, convinced that they are rightfully hers. When "Belphegor" proves more than a match for the Louvre's security forces, renowned detective Verlac is brought out of retirement to find out why the ...

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Plot Keywords:

museum | egyptian | evil spirit | louvre museum | sarcophagus | 

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Genres:

Mystery | Fantasy | Horror

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

4 April 2001 (France)

Also Known As:

Belphegor: Phantom of the Louvre

Filming Locations:

Metro Vaneau, Paris 7, Paris, France

Box Office

Budget:

FRF105,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,863,896

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films Alain Sarde, TF1 Films Production, Canal+

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Juliette Gréco's appearance is a nod to her leading role in the popular 1965 television adaptation of Arthur Bernède's novel, Belphegor (1965).

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Crazy Credits

After the music credits: "This music participates to the endangered pharaonic instrument: EL ARGHOULE." The credits acknowledge an "el arghoule" player.

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Connections

References Men in Black (1997)

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Soundtracks

California Dreamin'
Written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips
Performed by The Mamas and the Papas

User Reviews

Better than I had imagined

I went to this one to please my wife who being French knew "Belphégor", from her youth, but half expected to sleep through part of it ! It seems that Belphégor was the subject of a supposedlly frightening 1960's TV serial starring Juliette Greco ( by the way in this film we see a glimpse of J G floating around the Père Lachaise - shades of Robert Mitchum in the remake of Cape Fear !! ). I have no idea what the 1960's serial was like but this film was quite entertaining, with good special effects and an American quality rather than a French Quality script, i.e. more entertaining, though the actors were all French with the exeption of Julie Christie who is English. Picture quality is good and the lighting effects of the Pyramide du Louvre were put to good use. The music and general sound effects are not bad either though a bit noisy for me at times. The film is therefore quite entertaining but with no special surprises. Sophie Marceau was better than usual, less haughty and I absolutely loved Mr Balmer as the museum curator. On the other had, allergic though I am to Michel Serrault, I found that in this film his performance was more subdued, less theatrical and therefore more bearable than in other films he has made, for example " Le Viager ". He even managed to come up with some genuinely humorous lines ! I think, as an Englishman, that this film should globally please international audiences without nevertheless leaving an indelible impression in their cinematic memories !!