Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet deftly combines horror, sci-fi, and humor in Delicatessen, a morbid comedy set in a visually ravishing futuristic dystopia.
Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet deftly combines horror, sci-fi, and humor in Delicatessen, a morbid comedy set in a visually ravishing futuristic dystopia.
A post-apocalyptic future becomes the setting for pitch black humor in this visually intricate French comedy. The action takes place within a single apartment complex, which is owned by the same man that operates the downstairs butcher shop. It's a particularly popular place to live, thanks to the butcher's uncanny ability to find excellent cuts of meat despite the horrible living conditions outside. The newest building superintendent, a former circus clown, thinks he has found an ideal living
situation. All that changes, however, when he discovers the true source of the butcher's meat, and that he may be the next main course. This dark tale is played out in a brilliantly designed, glorious surreal alternate world reminiscent of the works of director Terry Gilliam, who co-presented the film's American release. Like Gilliam, co-directors Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro hail from an animation background, and have a fondness for extravagant visuals, absurdist plot twists, and a sense of humor that combines sharp satire with broad slapstick and gross-out imagery. This mixture may displease the weak of stomach, but those attuned to the film's sensibility will be delighted by the obvious technical virtuosity and wicked sense of humor. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
There are no characters to care about or remember afterward -- just a lot of flashy technique involving decor, some glib allegorical flourishes, and the obligatory studied film-school weirdness.
Like a light-hearted Brazil it conjures up imagery of such impact, and such resonant subject matter that it will (...) affect audiences for generations to come.
Part macabre horror, part romantic drama, part childlike fable, this ingeniously original French film defies categorization, but is successful on all of these levels, which may explain why it has become an international cult classic.
Delicatessen tends to get a bit too slapstick and harebrained...especially toward the end. I preferred the more subtle black humor of the movie's surreal first half.
05/01/2011 (DVD) Quite good! An unusual setting with unusual characters which made this an unusually good movie. It is a flick with deception as it seemed to be a friendly comedy, but it's really smothered with darkness!Strangely, there's romance and it's the cutest kind that lightens up the rather darkly theme,
very enjoyable to sit through. It's funny which was weird for me cause its just so heavy with evilness, I was so concerned and yet I couldn't stop laughing. Its so playful and yet so evil, what a stir.Definitely a strange one for me but a very manageable sitting. I must say that I liked this a little more than "The City of Lost Children" but anyway it's probably not one for everybody, but it was a good watch for me. I do hope to find more like this, I'm enjoying the seriously weird and strange films that exist, sweet.
France in a not-too-distant, post-apocalyptic future. A grim and filthy existence, where the shortage of food have turned some into desperate acts of cannibalism. Not exactly the sort of things we associate this otherwise-beautiful country with. In the visual sense, this film is both creative and repugnant
simultaneously. The brown-and-yellow color filter really invades the eyes, and brings your thoughts to the dirty restrooms found commonly in local bars. I really enjoyed the ingenuity of the camera shots though. As we know from his other work, such as Amelie from Montmartre, Jean-Pierre Jeunet has an indesputable knack for thinking outside the box. However, due to its unappealing settings and nauseating colors, this unfortunately boils down to my least favourite film by him. On the whole it's still good though and certainly worth the time invested.
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