Delicatessen

I have been following the reviews of Brandt Sponseller for some time, which has inspired me to participate to a lesser degree in this review process. There are several other reviewers that I follow but Brandt seems to have more fun with it than other serious movie buffs. So a tip of the hat to Brandt for introducing me to dozens of movies that I normally would not have seen, his review of Delicatessen persuaded me to watch what is now my very most favorite movie of all time. Sorry Mister Gilliam, but Brazil has now slipped to number two. Aside from being the most well constructed movie I've ever seen, the subtext of the character types runs so strongly throughout the central theme that this could easily be one of the ten best movies of all time. So well done that I wish that there were more starts to rate it with.

This is an innovative, unique and very different film. In fact, demented might be best for lack of a more appropriate word. This certainly is an acquired taste. It blends humor and horror, as well as romance, almost to perfection, and the film has its share of suspense and even some action sequences complete with rooftop fighting scenes, a rescue mission, interesting gadgets, and a great 'flooding' scene. Despite all these elements, the film was just a tad too weird for my taste, but I can still appreciate it. It had some moments I really loved. The 'sex scene' was probably the film's funniest moment - loved that! This is a highly original film and so well made, one could classify this an art film. The visual style if also very unique.

Surreal, mordantly and morbidly hilarious, understated yet over the top, there simply are not words in the English dictionary to describe the effect this movie had on me. From the opening scenes of a crazed man wrapping himself in paper and hiding in the trash can to escape from the insane butcher through to the utterly crazed finale this is a movie like no other. Every part of the movie shines brighter than anything Hollywood has to offer. Cinematography, acting, direction are so perfect that I always forget that I'm watching a foreign language film and just get swept along with the delightful comic-book lunacy of it all - and I've watched this one so many times I know the script in French. Just read through all the reviews and see how often the word 'sublime' has been used. Then ask yourself how many other foreign language films people rave about to this extent. Whatever you may be expecting Delicatessen to be, it's all that and more. Watch this movie!

Crazy experience. A war and his food crisis. A butcher like master of a quarter and his strange raw material. At final, a touching new Charlot who moves rules and lives. It is a comedy, a game, a joke-film, an experiment. New "Brazil" with others colors, homage for expressionist art and fears of Mitteleuropa, different Amelie Poulain's tale, slice of surrealism or dreaming trip. The limits are chimera for director and the acting projection of glamors images. Nothing is not real, every nook is shadow of first movies, a drop of French cinema lives in every gesture and the characters are puppets of a hare-brained puppeteer. Briefly, acid sarcasm, mannerism traces and strange characters. At final, the love-story who saves the world.