The Crimson Rivers (2000)

A murder detective must follow the footsteps of a brutal killer within the secrets of a classist college.

Director:

Mathieu Kassovitz

Writers:

Jean-Christophe Grangé (novel), Jean-Christophe Grangé (screenplay)

Stars:

Jean Reno, Vincent Cassel, Nadia Farès

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Reno	...	Pierre Niemans
Vincent Cassel	...	Max Kerkerian
Nadia Farès	...	Fanny Ferreira / Judith Herault (as Nadia Fares)
Dominique Sanda	...	Sister Andrée
Karim Belkhadra	...	Captain Dahmane
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Dr. Bernard Chernezé
Didier Flamand	...	The Dean
François Levantal	...	Pathologist
Francine Bergé	...	Headmistress
Philippe Nahon	...	Man at Petrol Station
Laurent Lafitte	...	Hubert, the Dean's Son
Robert Gendreu	...	Cemetery Warden
Christophe Bernard	...	Skinhead #1
Nicky Naudé	...	Skinhead #2 (as Nicky Naude)
Tonio Descanvelle	...	Sarzac Policeman #1

Storyline

Parisian murder detective commissioner Pierre Niemans is called to Gueron, a self-sufficient, prestigious university in a mountain valley, to investigate the murder on 32-year old professor and librarian Rémy Caillois, whose corpse was found 50 meters high on a steep mountain side, naked, horribly covered in bruises and bleeding wounds, the result of some five hours of bestial torture including quasi-surgical amputation of hands cauterized to prevent bleeding to death- and eyes. Guernon is a closed society of virtually incestuous scientists, de facto succeeding to their parents' posts; the eye-doctor, formerly on the staff, says hereditary genetic diseases are the price of such elitism, but in recent years spread to the simple farming families. Inspector Max Kerkerian examines two crimes in the town: a school break-in with theft of old photos and archive papers as well as a graveyard desecration of Judith Herault, the daughter of local nun Andrée, who lives in a dark cell since 15 ...

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Plot Keywords:

murder | secret | mountain | corpse | detective | 

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Taglines:

Evil rises to new heights.

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence/grisly images and language

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

27 September 2000 (France)

Also Known As:

The Crimson Rivers

Filming Locations:

Albertville, Savoie, France

Box Office

Budget:

FRF 95,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$286,495, 9 February 2001

Gross USA:

$632,548

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$60,132,548

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont, Légende Films, TF1 Films Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Vincent Cassel broke his nose while filming the fight scene with the skinheads.

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Goofs

The shadow of the camera can be seen on the dead body in the morgue.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Captain Dahmane: We'll touch base in two hours.
Policeman: Which way do we go?
Captain Dahmane: There. Okay? See you later, guys.
[looks at Niemans]
Captain Dahmane: Can I help you?
Pierre Niemans: Got a light?
Captain Dahmane: Who let you through?
Pierre Niemans: Your men. Commissioner Pierre Niemans.

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Crazy Credits

Gaumont's logo is surrounded by rivers of crimson at the start of the film.

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Connections

Followed by Les rivières pourpres 2 - Les anges de l'apocalypse (2004)

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Soundtracks

Virtual Skinfighters
Composed and Performed by David Salsedo, Stéphane Daurs (as Stephane Daurs)
[Performed by] Silmarils
(c) 2000 Editions Musicales Editions La Marguerite - Legende Enterprises
(p) 2000 Production Legende Enterprises - Gaumont

User Reviews

Great Movie, But With a Deceptive Conclusion

In Guernon, an isolated mountain area where the local University rules the town, the Chief Inspector Pierre Niemans (Jean Reno) arrives from Paris to investigate a hideous crime, when the victim was tortured and mutilated before dying. Meanwhile, Detective Max Kerkerian (Vincent Cassel) comes to the same place, following the investigation of a profaned tomb of a young girl. They join forces and find a plot of eugenics in the University, with abductions, murders and revenge.

Yesterday I saw this great movie again, trying to find some answers to questions I raised the first time I saw it four years ago. Unfortunately, they have no explanations along the story. "Les Rivières Pourpres" has magnificent locations, maybe the most beautiful landscapes I have seen in a crime movie. The cast is outstanding, highlighting the charismatic Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel. However, the screenplay has flaws and presents a deceptive conclusion. My questions are: (1) If Judith was kidnapped in the nursery of the hospital, exchanged by the daughter of another person, what happened to the other child? (2) Who raised Judith, if her mother got crazy and went to a dark cell in a convent? (3) If her mother knew where her other daughter was, why didn't she go to the French justice and fight to retrieve the child? (4) How Judith found and approached Fanny? Anyway, usually worths watching serial killer stories and this one is very above the average. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Rio Vermelhos" ("Red Rivers")