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| A stripped-down version of the poster for Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Delicatessen |
QUICK REVIEW:
A former clown moves into a building owned by a butcher as its new janitor. He falls in love with the butcher's wide-eyed daughter and learns that the widespread hunger in the war-torn town that the building is situated in is fought in the building by acts of cannibalism.
Delicatessen is the feature debut of French co-writer/co-director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Alien: Resurrection (1997)), who co-wrote with Marc Caro (The City of Lost Children (1995)) and Gilles Adrien (La Reine Soleil (2007)) and co-directed with Caro.
My fascination with the production's initially impressive span was short-lived, whereupon I yawned myself through Delicatessen's countless unpleasant scenes, most of which are held in off-putting brown and yellowish hues. The film creates a strange, nightmarish atmosphere, which isn't in its own favor, because it is a supposedly funny comedy. The relentless quirkiness that permeates every aspect of Delicatessen gets strenuous fast. Jeunet and his co-creators have here created a universe entirely without consequences for its audience.
Full disclosure: One of my all-time least-liked filmmakers here debut with what is in my mind a terrible film that is obsessed with its own infantile brand of creativity.
Related review:
Jean-Pierre Jeunet: Amélie/Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001) - Pretentious French fluffy-puff poop
Alien: Resurrection (1997) or, Queen of the Goo Massacre!
In lieu of a trailer for the film, not currently on Youtube, here's a 2-minute clip from it, which gives you a sense of its distinct, brown-yellowish, highly irksome visual design
Cost: Reportedly approximately 4.25 mil. $
Box office: Reportedly approximately 15.34 mil. $
= Big hit
[Delicatessen was released April 17 (France) and runs 99 minutes. The film was reportedly devised as an homage to Terry Gilliam by Jeunet as he vacationed in the US in 1988 and was appalled with the food he was served in the American hotels. The film made 1.7 mil. $ (11 % of the total gross) in North America, where it was released one year after its French premiere. It likely made most of its gross in France and Italy. It was well-received critically and won a slew of awards, including 4 César awards (France's Oscar), out of unbelievable 10 nominations. Delicatessen is certified fresh at 88 % with a 7.7 critical average on Rotten Tomatoes.]
What do you think of Delicatessen?
What critical and commercial hit movies get severely on your nerves?
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