This is the most ridiculous and preposterous movie I have seen in a long time. The acting is awful, so over the top it is mostly laughable. The plot makes no sense (OK horror films tend not to but this one is under par). It's involuntarily funny up to a point but a deep sense of boredom settled in with me after half an hour or so and never left me until the end, which seemed very long to come. Some people go for special effects, which has never been sufficient for me to like a film, special effects without any other redeeming qualities is just total emptiness. Combining all the monsters that ever existed is pretty silly although it's been done before many times in equally forgettable old horror flicks. By the way, what is Dr. Jekill doing on the top of Notre-Dame de Paris since that's an English story? But why quibble with details in such a mess.
Reviews
4 Reviews
A great disappointment
27 September 2003
A great disappointment. Jacques Rivette has made some very interesting films in his long career, my favourite being Jeanne la Pucelle. Unfortunately, this effort has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The characters are not believable and hold no interest. The dialogue is incoherent and does not hold interest. This film is two and a half hour long and becomes quickly unbearable. I left at the halfway mark (I rarely leave before the end of a movie). Perhaps it might have improved later on but it seemed highly unlikely at the time.
a very bad Pierre Richard
21 April 2003
This is a most unfunny comedy. Pierre Richard can usually be relied upon for a laugh but here he bombs completely. The same two or three jokes are repeated over and over again. Richard Bohringer is at his most grating and Emmanuelle Beart is wasted. The only redeeming feature is that it only lasts about 80 minutes.
Les Misérables
(1958)
The best movie adaptation so far of this great story
11 November 2002
I have seen a number of film and TV adaptations of Les Miserables: this is by far the best. It has the required grandeur and outstanding performances by Jean Gabin (unbeatable as Jean Valjean), Bourvil (a very sly Thenardier) and Bernard Blier (a great Javert). Silvia Montfort is a striking Eponine. Quite long but doesn't feel it, it has enough scope to do justice to the story.
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