Synopsis: The year is 1912. Adèle Blanc-Sec, an intrepid young reporter, will go to any lengths to achieve her aims, including sailing to Egypt to tackle mummies of all shapes and sizes.
Meanwhile, in Paris, it's panic stations! A 136 million-year old pterodactyl egg on a shelf in the natural history museum has mysteriously hatched, and the bird subjects the city to a reign of terror from the skies.
But nothing fazes Adèle Blanc-Sec, whose adventures reveal many more extraordinary surprises...
Review: I was interested to see how Miss Grace would take to this movie, as it isn't exactly a kid's movie per se. She actually sat through the whole movie, laughing a lot and asking a how LOT of questions! We actually had some great discussions during the movie-which surprised me! But you have to love a movie that entertains and helps you teach!
I LOVED that Adele is not only smart, she is resourceful and not afraid to take charge in a man's world (the movie is set in the Victorian era, when women did NOT have the rights we have now). And as Miss Grace said, "she is very beautiful too! (and yes Louise
Bourgoin is gorgeous, this film may be her breakout film for American audiences!). The film is based on the cartoon series by Tardi (adapted from 2 of the 9 book series: Adèle
et la Bête and Momies en folie) , which apparently has a huge Frech following (who knew?), and the editing was great, you didn't realize much that it was originally filmed in French, and then translated.
I did have to explain some of the 'in' jokes, like building a pyramid at the Louve courtyard, but over all Miss Grace enjoyed this movie, much like she did Jumanji or any of the Harry Potter movies. In fact, when I went to take it upstairs to my dvd bookcase, she begged me to leave it downstairs with HER movies! Always a great sign that it will get viewed over and over!
You may remember the director's name from Nikita, The Fifth Element, and Joan of Arc- he has a deft touch and an attention to details that truly make this movie come alive, from Egypt to Paris, you feel like you are there. This is an enjoyable film and I recommend it for Family Night viewing, as everyone should enjoy it!
Here is bit from an interview from the writer of the comic book, Tardi, that the movie was based on:
Where
did you get the idea for the character of Adèle-Blanc-Sec?
The
Casterman comic book publishing house saw my early work and commissioned me to
make a series. I needed a main character to drive it. To be honest, I didn't
have many ideas. It was in the 1970s and back then I leaned more towards
stand-alone albums. Despite that, the concept was attractive, so I began to
check out various comic book heroes, who were mostly male characters—racing
drivers, aviators, soldiers, cowboys and cops—with very few female characters
except for Bécassine, a provincial maid who didn't even have a mouth, and
Barbarella, in a more erotic register. That's where I got the idea for a female
character who'd be the equal of all these male heroes.
I
have always been interested in the serial novels that were very popular in the
late 19th and early 20th centuries. One of the most
famous in France was Arsène Lupin, who made his first appearance in 1910. As a
result, I decided that my heroine would be a contemporary of his.
There
was also the question of what she could possibly do as a job because, when you
take a closer look, most comic book heroes except soldiers don't have a clearly
defined profession. You never see them at work, you don't know how they earn a
living or how they actually live. Of course, my heroine wasn't going to run a
building contractor's, but she could do the same job as me and, transposed back
to 1910, that meant she'd be a writer of serial novels.
We
see her at her typewriter from time to time or with her publisher, and she
talks about her work. Even if we don't see her working very often, it gives us
an indication of her lifestyle and standard of living. She's not from a wealthy
family, she's an independent woman who works for a living and is resolutely
modern, not at all in the mindset of women of the period.
Finally,
I needed a setting. I use locations in Paris because I enjoy drawing them. I
like museums a lot because they inspire me and, in particular, the botanical
gardens with its glass roof, the display cases and all the scientific
paraphernalia they contain.
So,
I had my character and the starting point of a story, the botanical gardens
and—long before Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones, I'd like to point out—a
136 million-year-old pterodactyl egg that would hatch and spread terror over
Paris in the 1900s.
Where
does the fantasy dimension in Adèle Blanc-Sec come from?
Fritz
Lang, for the fantasy aspect, and Jules Verne, for the "inventing things
out of nothing" aspect, which makes for quite a poetic-scientific
combination of breathtaking situations and off-the-wall stories that don't
quite add up but you let yourself be whisked along in an almost childlike way.
Do
the sets have particular importance for you?
The
sets and locations are essential. The
Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec take place just before the
First World War in very loaded settings, in apartments where there isn't a
single square inch of free space. I like locations that are brimming over
because it's always
more interesting to draw an old chair or an old bistro table with very ornate
legs rather than a formica table. I prefer to draw 19th century
buildings rather than modern constructions, for which I have to work out the
geometry—that annoys me. In my stories,
the decoration is also an element that adds to the narrative, like the mummy
that is part of the décor and becomes a character in the story. I also need
objects that represent the action I'm describing. I don't have the same
flexibility as a writer. Actually, I face the same problems as a movie set
designer.
Do
you think the series has a political message?
No,
it's just what you read every day in the newspapers—rotten police officers,
corrupt politicians—a truly frightening list. Adèle is an anarchist—she has no
God and no master. She's incredibly suspicious of the institutions of power.
But Adèle is definitely not a
political comic book. That really isn't the point of it.
You'll
soon be releasing the tenth Adèle album (cartoon book). Can you tell us about it?
Yes,
I'm going to release the tenth and last album because I think the series needs
a conclusion. I feel a need to round it off.
What
were your feelings on set (about the movie bringing the characters to life)?
Great
admiration for Luc Besson and the strong sense that it's much easier to bring
characters to life on paper!
And now now for a related recipe, perfect for that family night viewing, from the Goodcookery blog
(she's got some great Victorian era recipes there is you want to make more than these simple cookies!!
Victorian Tea Cookies
Ingredients:
2 sticks butter1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 egg
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, lay parchment paper on cookie sheet.
2. Mix together sugar, butter, the 3 eggs, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.
3. In separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder.
4. Slowly blend flour mixture and sugar mixture. Knead together. If sticky, add more flour and let sit a minute.
5. Roll into balls and then into cocktail wiener shape cookies, place on parchment paper on cookie sheet.
6. Beat the last egg by itself, and use and brush cookie tops.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
You can also dip these in melted chocolate for extra bonus!
Thansk for reading our review and checking out the recipe!
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