DVD Review: Delicatessen (with lots of pics)

[KOTLP]

Delicatessen (Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 1991)



Delicatessen is a highly creative black comedy set in a post-apocalyptic France where food is so scarce corn seeds are used as money and meat in the form of human flesh is a delicacy. I watched this on my laptop and it was such a visual treat that I took a bunch of captures.

Clapet, played by Jean-Claude Dreyfus (The City of Lost Children), is a butcher and landlord of a dilapidated apartment building.



He can slice a standing match with his butcher knife.



Dominique Pinon (The City of Lost Children, Amelie) plays Louison, an out of work clown who responds to a classified ad offering room and board for a handyman job.





There are many fun, bizarre characters occupying the building, such as a man who lives in a flooded room full of frogs and snails.



Louison befriends Clapet's clumsy daughter Julie (Marie-Laure Dougnac). This tea scene was partially improvised, adding to Julie's awkwardness.



Louison can play a saw, and they make music together.



As they fall in love, Julie fears Louison's inevitable fate and attempts to save him with the help of an underground (literally) resistance - the vegetarian freedom fighting Troglodists. Hilarity ensues.



Delicatessen's originality and greatness come not only for the central plot, weird characters, homemade special effects, and distinctive cinematography, but from clever implements and toys along the way. This universe contains a "bullsh*t detector" (brilliantly introduced and reused long after you've forgotten about it), precisely tuned cow toys, and "The Australian", a weapon that is a sort of cross between a boomerang and ninja star.

A memorable scene involves Clapet and his wife having sex. Their box spring has a squeak, creating a rhythm the entire building falls into. The various tenants synchronize as they inflate a bicycle tire, play a cello, paint a ceiling, etc., faster and faster.

The film also features the greatest failed suicide attempt in the history of cinema!

Every performance is wonderful too. Jean-Claude Dreyfus just dominates every scene he is in, scaring the hell out of you, while Dominique Pinon charms you and makes you root for him. All supporting roles are well executed.

I love almost everything about this true one of a kind gem. Sure, there may not be any thematic depth greater than perhaps a Soylent Green type fear of food shortage, but I still give it a 4.5/5.

Amusing bit of IMDB trivia:

"Jean-Pierre Jeunet got the idea for the movie in 1988 while vacationing in America. He said after staying in America's hotels he felt the food was so bad that "it tasted like real humans". Then came the idea."

[Aloysius]

This is a great movie I haven't seen in a while, and now will watch again. Nice post OP.

Although... you do such a good job in your overview of the film, I would recommend people not read your OP until they've seen the movie.

-Al

[AllinDan]

I watched this in french class in 7th or 8th grade, the entire class really enjoyed it, the name seemed familiar but then I recognized it immediately from the screen caps

[KOTLP]

It's worth revisiting on DVD if you've only seen it on VHS. I rewatched some scenes with commentary, and Jeunet mentions that the ENR film processing effect wasn't added to the old US release (don't ask me what the heck that means, but apparently without it the film lacks the monochrome look. He thinks it looks ugly without it).

[Dominic]

same director as "Amelie."

Great film and a blast to watch.