In 1991, the creative team of Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro introduced
movie-goers to their nightmarish view of a post-apocalyptic world where
troglodytes inhabited the underground and a butcher relied on apartment tenants
to keep his meat cabinet full. Delicatessen, a bizarre black comedy,
became something of a cult hit -- certainly not everyone's fare, but those who
got it, loved it. Now, four years later, Jeunet and Caro are back, and, with
their latest film, The City of Lost Children, it's apparent that they
have neither moderated their approach nor mainstreamed their vision. The City
of Lost Children is as visually striking and daringly offbeat as its
predecessor.
In The City of Lost Children, Jeunet and Caro have presented another
gloomy world where "normal" life is no more. The film is saturated with
atmosphere and features some of the most imaginative set construction of the
year. The picture works in part because the film makers have taken the time and
effort to frame a strange land where all their quirky characters can live and
operate. Jeunet and Caro's movie is thematically and stylistically inspired by
such diverse sources as Frankenstein,
Dracula, Brazil, Time Bandits, and The Wizard of Oz. Like
Delicatessen, The City of Lost Children is characterized by dark, twisted
humor, yet this movie is more of a fantasy than a macabre comedy.
The City of Lost Children relates dreams to creativity, youth, and
wonder. The capacity to escape the rational world through imagination fuels not
only the desire to continue living, but the need to make something out of one's
life. In this film, we are introduced the brilliant-yet-warped mad scientist
Krank (Daniel Emilfork), who is aging prematurely because he cannot dream. In an
effort to stay alive, he has begun capturing children to steal their dreams. One
of the toddlers abducted by Krank is little Denree (Joseph Lucien), the brother
of a simpleminded circus strongman named One (Ron Perlman). One is joined in his
search for his brother by Miette (Judith Vittet), the nine-year old,
wise-beyond-her-years leader of an orphan gang. Together, One and Miette seek to
penetrate Krank's fortress; elude his six cloned henchmen (all played by
Dominque Pinon), the deadly Miss Bismuth (Mireille Mosse), Irvin the talking
brain (voice of Jean-Louis Trintignant), and the scientist himself; and rescue
Denree. It proves to be a difficult task.
While much of The City of Lost Children is surreal and strange, the
film's emotional center -- the relationship between One and Miette -- is
nurtured with care and genuine feeling. Miette sees in One and Denree the chance
for the family she has never known, although there are times when her intentions
towards the older, child-like man seem more romantic than sisterly. It's to
Jeunet and Caro's credit that they are able to present the ambiguities of this
relationship tenderly, without ever injecting a hint of the sordid or perverse.
Daniel Emilfork is wonderfully frightening as Krank. Bald-headed and
evil-looking, he evokes memories of Max Schreck's vampire in the classic silent
film Nosferatu. Dominique Pinon, who had the lead in Delicatessen,
uses his unusual face and goofy mannerisms to good comic effect in turning the
clones into the Six Stooges. Judith Vittet shows great promise from one so young
in her appealing portrayal of Miette, and Ron Perlman is effective as the
strong, silent One.
Like Delicatessen, The City of Lost Children won't be to everyone's
taste. In fact, even though I thoroughly enjoyed Jeunet and Caro's previous
film, it took a while for me to warm up to this effort. The first forty-five
minutes are poorly-paced and it's easy to get lost down one of the script's many
dark, maze-like alleyways. The film tends to lurch along in fits and starts
until Miette becomes established as a central character. From that point on,
improvement is immediate and consistent. For those who enjoy the offbeat, The
City of Lost Children is worth taking the time and effort to find.
From
movie-reviews.colossus.net
<
BACK