Vidocq (2001)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Pitof

Writers:

François-Eugène Vidocq (memoirs)
Pitof (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 September 2001 (Belgium)

Genre:

Crime | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The underworld has surfaced...

Plot:

Paris. 1830. In the heart of the town, Vidocq, a famous detective, disappeared as he fights the Alchemist...

Plot Keywords:

1830s | Detective | Alchemist | Investigation | Paris

Awards:

7 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Gérard Depardieu	...	Vidocq
Guillaume Canet	...	Etienne Boisset
Inés Sastre	...	Préah
André Dussollier	...	Lautrennes
Edith Scob	...	Sylvia
Moussa Maaskri	...	Nimier
Jean-Pierre Gos	...	Tauzet
Isabelle Renauld	...	Marine Lafitte
Jean-Pol Dubois	...	Belmont
André Penvern	...	Veraldi
Gilles Arbona	...	Lafitte
Jean-Marc Thibault	...	Leviner
François Chattot	...	Froissard
Elsa Kikoïne	...	La muette
Fred Ulysse	...	Le vieux souffleur

Also Known As:

Dark Portals: The Chronicles of Vidocq (USA) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, sexual content, nudity and some drug material.

Runtime:

100 min | Finland:98 min | Canada:93 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Colour:

Colour (Duboicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | USA:R | Australia:MA | South Korea:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Norway:15 | Czech Republic:12 | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Bordeaux, Gironde, France

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

Originally Daniel Auteuil was set to play Vidocq, but ran into a scheduling conflict when the movie's production was postponed.

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Soundtrack:

Hope Vol. 2

See ?...This is how you do an action movie ! Hollywood take notes.

This French film was much criticized for wasting it´s visuals in just an action adventure story wich i think its the most unffair thing it can be said on such a masterpiece like this. When an action movie has an empty plot, evcerybody complains, when it has a good plot everybody says it should have been better and not waste its potential. Are you critics nuts ?!! Some attack this movie claiming that its nothing like french a Matrix wannabe. Well i wish Matrix had been such a good movie and had such a good story as VIDOCQ has. And if this is just an imitation, i want a sequel ! As for the Sony Camera style, well it was filmed with one, what do you expect ?! Is that a bad thing ?! It made me want to go out and buy one just to try and make a movie like this. And those closeups look great and realy show how the personalities of some of the characters are distorted and nuts. Brilliant editing also.

I loved the story, the actors and graphicaly is one of the most inovative movies ive seen in recent years. It was not an expensive production, but looks better than most of Hollyood Blockbusters of the last 20 years at least. The genius of this movie is in actualy making us believe that much more money was spent on it than what actualy was. This is the proof you don´t need a big budget to make a big film. All it takes is imagination.

Visualy it couldn´t have been better. The settings are amazing, the computer graphics blend in and add to the visual feel and the atmosphere is incredible. Great action sequences, great mistery and great characters. Above all an original concept wich is something that Hollywood can´t say that it has nowadays.

I´ve loved this movie so much that i bought it from the French Amazon store just a couple of hours ago and i only saw it at the theater last night. It´s a double dvd edition and it has plenty of extra material and i can´t wait to get my hands on it.

One of the best European "fantasy" movies since La Citée des Enfants Perdus and another great french movie. French cinema nowadays has been a great alternative from Hollywood crap. Merci French guys ! :) After seeing such crap as the latest Arnie Shwarzenneger movie its great to have a REAL GOOD movie to watch and see how real cinema should be. Hollywood take notes. No, realy. Take notes, this is how you make a very interesting action movie with style but also with substance.

VIDOCQ is a true masterpiece. More please !