Professor Popinjay's Compendium of Perspicacity

A Non-review by Professor Popinjay

(1995)

Mon Dieu! This was a weird movie! I liked it though. The French film industry tends to eschew special effects, often considering it diluting the cinematic artform. City of the Lost Children directors Jean-Pierre Juenet and Marc Caro threw this predilection to the wind however and loaded this film with whatever effect they needed.

The atmosphere is probably the most prominent aspect. It takes place mostly in a port town with lots of docks and water ways. Very film noir and steampunk. It’s visually stunning. I’d watch it again just to see the setting and lighting. It’s all very deliberate and top notch.

There’s an orphanage run by a pair of conjoined twins whom the children refer to as “Le Pieuvre” or The Octopus in English. These elderly ladies are fascinating to watch. They move and do various tasks as one, almost like a single being with four hands. Other than running the orphanage rather strictly, I think they’re affiliated with some dubious organizations.

One of the orphans seeks assistance from a circus strong man played by Ron Perlman. I’m curious to know if he learned French for the film or if he speaks it normally. Either way, he did it with a Russian accent which was kind of amazing.

I also recall an organ grinder man with a flea instead of a monkey which seems less entertaining than a monkey especially since the flea would inject poison that would make people homicidal. The tune he plays with the organ grinder I whistle constantly to this day. I don’t know why. Just can’t get it out of my head.

Then there was the cult of people who alleviated themselves of the sense of sight only to replace it with technology hooked up to their brains which enabled them to see again. These guys were stealing orphans and sending them to the scientists.

Lastly, there was a scientist and some clones. There was also a little person and a brain in a jar that was alive. The brain seemed to be the one in charge I think. This group lived on an oil rig and were stealing dreams from the orphans… as one does.

It all culminated into a big hullabaloo on the oil rig. You know? I think I might know why the French are opposed to special effects in film. It’s because directors like these guys come along and lose their friggin minds with it! Not that the effects are bad. Like I said, this whole film is quite the spectacle.

It also seems a bit unfocused plot-wise. There’s more focus on lines supporting the symbolism and underlying philosophies than on the actual story. Again, not a bad thing unless you’re avidly trying to understand what is happening in the story.

They (gnomes) actually made a video game for the original PlayStation based on this film which hardly no one has heard of. The atmosphere achieved in the film crosses over into the game. It looks interesting but slow as heck.

Fun fact: Both Ron Perlman and Dominique Pinon (who plays the clones) both starred in Alien Resurrection.

Another Fun Fact: City of the Lost Children is a much better movie than Alien Resurrection.