The City of Lost Children (La Cité des Enfants Perdus) (1997)
Average Rating: 7.1/10
Reviews Counted: 41
Fresh: 32 | Rotten: 9
Not all of its many intriguing ideas are developed, but The City of Lost Children is an engrossing, disturbing, profoundly memorable experience.
Average Rating: 7.2/10
Critic Reviews: 11
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 3
Not all of its many intriguing ideas are developed, but The City of Lost Children is an engrossing, disturbing, profoundly memorable experience.
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Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 64,401
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Movie Info
This visually inventive French sci-fi/fantasy tale began winning a cult following practically from the moment it was released. Krank (Daniel Emilfork) is a foul, monstrous creature who lords over the inhabitants of a small island; Krank's emotional being is every bit as ugly as his physical personage, largely because he does not have the ability to dream. However, he has developed a machine that can drain the dreams of others from their heads, and he devotes himself to kidnapping children from a
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Cast
-
Ron Perlman
One -
Daniel Emilfork
Krank -
Judith Vittet
Miette -
Dominique Pinon
Clones, Diver -
Jean-Claude Dreyfus
Marcello the Flea-Tamer -
Genevieve Brunet
Octopus -
Lorella Cravotta
Woman at her Window -
Mapi Galán
Lune -
Nane Germon
Miette age 82 -
Ticky Holgado
Ex-acrobat -
Ham-Chau Luong
Tattoo Artist -
Serge Merlin
Cyclops' Leader -
Rufus
Peeler -
Jean-Louis Trintignant
Irvin -
Marc Caro
Brother Ange-Joseph -
Cris Huerta
Father Christmas -
Francois Hadji-Lazaro
Killer -
Briac Barthélémy
Bottle -
Joseph Lucien
Denree -
Hong-Mai Thomas
Tattoo Artist's Wife
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All Critics (41) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (34) | Rotten (9) | DVD (6)
Set in a wondrously seedy waterfront world populated with runaway children and grotesque, sinister adults, it glistens with dense fantasies, technological feats that make the catch-phrase "state of the art" seem antique.
Top CriticThe emotions seem almost as manufactured as the sets.
With each frame filled to bursting point with visual detail and multiplaned design, plus razor-sharp cutting that often eliminates transitions, it's not a movie you can afford to take your eyes off for a second.
Extraordinary.
Watching the film is like leafing through a giant sketchbook crammed with intriguing ideas that can't all be comfortably fitted into the same master plan.
The City of Lost Children is a stunningly surreal fantasy, a fable of longing and danger, of heroic deeds and bravery, set in a brilliantly realized world of its own. It is one of the most audacious, original films of the year.
This delirious film is overflowing with energy and effects, but it lacks the heart and soul that would have made it important as well as impressive.
Directors Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro have created a genuine phantasmagoria, and each of the film's stunning set pieces is more wildly imaginative than the last.
The City Of Lost Children is as great a film as you thought Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was when you were five years old.
Bizarre, beautiful French sci-fi with creepy images, themes.
A visually stunning and intensely bizarre fairy tale.
A freakish visual delight
Audience Reviews for The City of Lost Children (La Cité des Enfants Perdus)
Super Reviewer
A very strange but interesting watch. The performances are outstanding by both adults and children and what a weirdly but fantastic world. It was like a silver-screen flick with updated visual effects which made this film feel unusual and different. Wow.
The setting is art, I mean the ideas and the artistry compliments the story giving it depth and darkness. What had me drawn was the background, it was very darkly, futuristic for its time and Gothic yet the people were from the 1950's so it seemed, very cool indeed. It's probably not everyone's cup of tea but it's definitely the type of tea that has an unusual blend that one learns to enjoy.
The special effects were not overly done but it just had the right amount for taste and the clones just look so real, like they were real individuals rather than camera tricks, just so cool. It's definitely a strange one in my opinion but no doubt a watchable feature. I did notice that "Hell Boy" speaks in tongues? Did not know that.
Super Reviewer
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- Miette: When you're born in the gutter you end up in the port.
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Foreign Titles
- Die Stadt der verlorenen Kinder (DE)
- The City of Lost Children (La cite des enfants perdus) (UK)
