REVIEW: DVD Release: The City Of Lost Children

Film: The City Of Lost Children
Release date: 30th April 2007
Certificate: 15
Running time: 108 mins
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Marc Caro
Starring: Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Daniel Emilfork, Judith Vittet
Genre: Adventure/Comedy/Drama/Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: France/Germany/Spain

Belgian directing duo Caro and Jeunet made a dramatic entry into French cinema with the highly acclaimed cult movie Delicatessen, yet their follow-up movie, and their final collaboration, is rarely mentioned in comparison. Does it deserve to be heralded as a beguiling fantasy, or will it forever remain a curio just too bizarre to be truly recognised on its own merits?

Set in a dark, dystopic naval village, the narrative follows circus strongman One (Perlman) who’s little brother is kidnapped by evil scientist Krank (Emilfork). Krank is in the process of stealing children’s dreams in the hope that they will slow down his rapid aging process, as he is himself unable to dream. Assisting Krank in this diabolical scheme is an assortment of strange characters, including Uncle Irvin, a talking brain located in a tank, and six clones who all suffer from falling asleep at inappropriate times (Pinon).

As One desperately attempts to find his brother, he falls in with a group of street urchins working as thieves and pickpockets. However, they are being controlled by conjoined twins known as the Octopus, who are given all the jewels and money at the end of the day by the frightened children. The smartest and most mature of the urchins, Miette (Vittet) takes a shine to One and runs away with him to assist in his mission. The Octopus is not prepared to let one of their best thieves just walk away, however, and hires the Cyclops gang to track her down...


The opening two scenes in The City Of Lost Children efficiently establish the tone of the film straight away. From the surreal opening dream sequence, where a visit from a sweet and gentle Santa, one of the iconic images of childhood, is gradually distorted and twisted until it ends with a child crying and a old man screaming, we cut straight to our protagonist working at his job – in the circus. This would be a suitable permanent location, as the film is constantly populated by unforgettable characters that would not be out of place in a carnival of freaks.

Caro and Jeunet are not the only ones responsible for such memorable and extraordinary imagery: assisting them is a truly heavyweight production crew, which includes costumes by Jean-Paul Gaultier, who provides far more striking and less silly garments than those that he did for The Fifth Element a couple of years later. Darius Khondji’s camera swoops and glides through shots effortlessly, while regular Lynch collaborator Angelo Badalamenti’s score is perfect for creating the dark tone and atmosphere prevalent throughout.

The blend of a directing team on top form and the available quality in the crew combine to conjure up ideas and images that have rarely been seen in cinema. A virtuoso sequence which starts by following a flea on its journey and ends in a Rube Goldberg-esque large scale disaster; a visually stunning meeting-room of monstrous businessmen; and almost any scene involving Uncle Irvin – dripping with flamboyance and panache. The film is one of the most expensive in French cinema history, and it shows. In fact, it is a testament to the work done by Caro and Jeunet that the film looks even more expensive than its actual impressive budget.

It would have been understandable if the actors would have been reduced to mere line recitations while the viewers’ eyes boggle at the scenery around them. Thankfully, the actors rise to the challenge and actually enrich the experience. Perlman didn’t speak French at the time of filming, yet learned all his lines in the language specifically for the film. This actually aids his performance, as his halting, almost monosyllabic delivery gives One a childlike quality in stark contrast to his hulking physicality. Perlman’s early roles in small foreign films such as this and Cronos were interesting career choices, and appropriate for his unusual appearance.

Judith Vittet is luminous as little Miette, and gives one of the finest child performances in recent times. Indeed, a suitable comparison is Natalie Portman in Leon, a film that shares similarities with The City Of Lost Children in terms of the moral ambiguity of its central relationship. Miette and One are diametrically opposed in terms of appearance and age, yet their mental connection becomes increasingly close until it almost becomes romantic. Wisely, Caro and Jeunet do not concentrate on this aspect of the film, instead leaving it open to interpretation.

The central, constant location of the film, Krank’s laboratory, is where the real off-the-wall character acting is to be found. Emilfork plays Krank wonderfully, emphasising his disgusting physical aspects at first, then slowly revealing more subtle details about himself as an individual until our loathing is mixed slightly with pity. Pinon shoulders most of the slapstick responsibility in the film, and it is to his credit that he also adds layers of emotional depth to the clones while channelling elements of Jerry Lewis and Jacques Tati so effectively. Pinon followed Jeunet to his next production, Alien: Resurrection, yet his career never soared as majestically as it should have, judging by his superb work here.

Yet the film is not without its weaknesses. The plot is not as focused as Delicatessen, and gets confusingly convoluted in the middle. However, once the central quest is re-established, and we race towards the climax, the film builds towards a satisfying, if slightly rushed denouement.


A dark and twisted fantasy that is vividly brought to life by both cast and crew, The City Of Lost Children combines elements of the work of Terry Gilliam and Tim Burton with a Gallic sensibility that sets it apart from other films in the fantasy genre. It may not always be the most coherent movie you will ever see; yet there is always a visual or acting delight to keep the eye occupied. Hopefully, the film will one day be reappraised and applauded for its ambition, and, above all, the directors’ commitment to ideas.