Delicatessen
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Movie Reviews of Delicatessen
Movie Review: Delicatessen - French film
Summary: 5 Stars
Glad to find the movie. Quick shipping. All was just fine. Thanks!Movie Review: ABOUT TIME!!! A REVIEW OF THE DVD release...
Summary: 4 Stars
WOOHOO! I just finished watching this DVD. Wow...it's cool to finally have this come out in this format domestically. I'd caught this in the theater upon release then on funky VHS copies through the later years. First, I have to say, even when I first saw this film years ago, I had a mixed bag of feelings. I loved it for its surreal, wonderfully bleak atmosphere. The clausterphobia and lunacy work well in this movie. But always at some point I catch myself thinking "What the Hell is this crap?" Then I proceed to continue watching the film all wide eyed and enthralled in it's somewhat magical quality......well...then I start wondering "what the Hell is this crap?" again. I love it. It *is* an acquired taste...even when you think you like it.
So yea...anyway: The DVD.......the transfer is quite nice. If you've seen the film, it's bathed in this glowing post nuclear amberish glow throughout. Strangely, the colors come through vibrantly on this print, and seem even moreso than when I saw it at the theater...or at least what I remember it to look like. I have no complaints about the transfer. I'd just purchased my first 16:9 flat panel TV and it was a pleasure to watch this fill up the screen. The 1.85:1 ratio-thingy is exactly that, no black bars (for those who might be wondering how it will look on their screen). I'm beginning to understand all these ratio things, I've seen some other discs state said ratio, but still have them bars, this sucked up the entire screen. Anyhow.....there are english subtitles as one would expect. On the case it says for the special features there may be none . But actually on the two Special Features included, there are some english subtitles where applicable.
And speaking of Special Features: There are technically two. "FINE COOKED MEATS" which consists if memory serves right, approx. 13 minutes of behind the scenes, (I assume) outtakes, and a variety of scenes from the movie but they are shot from a different angle; someone's camera etc etc. All of these bits and pieces are basically edited together into this 'feature'. There's not any real commentary for this OR the other Extra. When a scene has talking, THAT is translated. "The Archives Of JPJ" consists mostly of rehearsals and such with some comparison shots from the movie as well as some rehearsals and actual movie scenes edited together to play off of each other for an interesting effect. These I don't think lasted 10 minutes. Then there's the trailers, which hardly count for much. I have not and probably won't watch the film for awhile with JPJ's commentary, so you're on your own on how that is (Though I'm interested to hear what he has to say about the film). I'd say if you were looking for lotsa Extras, you'll be disappointed. They definitely could have added some comments for the features given visually, some of the scenes looked deserving of some explanation. In fact, they could've edited BOTH SF's together into one long feature and been done with it as the 'Archives' don't look any more important than the 'Fine Cooked...' segments. I guess we should be happy this finally got to DVD here and take the little 'donations' towards our wait and run.....we coulda been stuck with just a trailer or two. But considering the new release price is pretty steep (near 30 bucks at its highest), they coulda fattened up the package a bit.
VERDICT: THE FILM--- 4...not perfect......but not 'just OK'...and DEFINITELY worth at least one viewing to judge for yourself.
THE DVD RELEASE: When all the dust settles from being happy to finally put this in the collection here settles....I can tell you, this will be one DVD package that will suck. Foreign films usually either get the bells & whistles treatment or they get *this*. A package where the designers/company spent so much time digging up old critics' acclaims/quotes to paste all over the box art that they forgot to focus on CONTENT (the little sheet of chapter selections on one side and an AD for JPJ's films on the other are a good example of lazy output). So...thanx Mirimax or whomever ....for the film....but work a little harder on your package offerings especially for the price that is asked.
Movie Review: "No-one is entirely evil. It's the circumstances. Or we don't know what we're doing."
Summary: 4 Stars
Set in a rotting wasteland where food and barter replace money, Dominque Pinon's unemployed clown (a gentle-natured cross between Popeye and Klaus Kinski) takes a job as handyman-cum-dinner in a rundown apartment owned by a butcher who hacks up the hired help to feed his other, not too morally particular residents. Complications ensue when he falls in love with the butcher's daughter and she enlists the aid of an underground group of vegetarian terrorists to help her save him. The butcher himself is beginning to feel remorse ("No-one is entirely evil. It's the circumstances, or we don't know what we're doing") but that doesn't stop him trying to make mincemeat out of his prospective son-in-law. There's more, but you probably won't believe me.
What starts out as just your average cannibalism comedy gradually wins you over, drawing you into the damaged lives of the block's credibly eccentric inhabitants, and even comes up with an entirely new way to get out of a trapped bathroom, but not one I'd recommend trying at home (unless you're being pursued by a cannibalistic butcher, of course). Nice little touches abound, such as the butcher's clumsy short-sighted daughter buying two of everything in case she breaks them or the granny who has tin cans tied to her so that her family can find her if she gets lost (no prizes for guessing what happens to her). You may not think you'll like it, but you probably will in spite of yourself...
The muted sepia tones are well captured, and there's an excellent extras package as well, including a genuinely informative audio commentary by Jean-Pierre Jeunet on a disc well worth buying - if it's to your taste.
Movie Review: Strange Yet Delightful Black Comedy
Summary: 4 Stars
Jeunet and Caro created one of the most memorable films of the early 1990's with Delicatessen. It blends the comic with the strange in ways that no other film has done before or since. It is one of those films that I know I enjoyed but I really can't say why.
The film takes place in post apocalyptic France where goods are bought and sold with grain and corn. Meat is nowhere to be found. Cannibalism seems to be the practiced norm. The tenants above the butcher shop of Clapet(Jean-Claude Dreyfus) have an arrangement in which they will not eat each other as long as the butcher supplies them with alternate sources of meat. This he does by hiring handymen to do odd jobs around the building who eventually turn up on the menu. His plan works fine until he hires the rubber faced ex-clown Louison (Dominique Pinon). Louison befriends Clapet's near sighted daughter Julie (Marie-Laure Dougnac)who spends the film trying to save him from her father's evil plan by joining an underground vegetarian resistance group trying to overthrow the government.
If all this sounds confusing rest assured it is. But there are enough comic moments to make the entire film worthwhile. The building is filled with an assortment of odd characters who are always amusing to watch. The photography and set design are great and the Chaplinesque slapstick and physical comedy are lots of fun.
The disc features a commentary track (subtitled) by Juenet and two making of features along with trailers and teasers. All in all this is a fun if strange viewing experience that reminds me of some of the classic work of Terry Gilliam.
Watch it.
Movie Review: If you love Sweeney Todd and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie....
Summary: 4 Stars
...then you'll love this movie.
A tad on the bizarre side for the type of French fare I tend toward, but still evocative and leaves an impression.
Flavors of Brazil in here too.
If you're looking for a real conversation starter (or stopper) at your next wine and cheese soiree, try this flick.
It features the ever entertaining Dominique Pinon (of Amelie fame...the OCD ex-boyfriend stalker at the diner).
Rather a charming film.