Delicatessen

Stars: Dominique Pinon, Marie-Laure Dougnac, Jean-Claude Dreyfus. A big winner at the Chicago International Film Festival, Jeunet and Caro's Delicatessen is one of the most bizarre films of the year. Set in the future, the film is an eye-popping smorgasbord of visual delights, from the grandiose sets inspired by Terry Gilliam's Brazil to the wild camera that more often takes the pipes between floors rather than the stairs. Dominique Pinion stars as Louison, a wandering circus performer who answers a handyman ad for an inn/delicatessen. Once there, he meets "The Butcher" (Jean-Claude Dreyfus) and his daughter Julie (Marie-Laure Dougnac), as well as some other wacky residents (like the two guys who make the little cans that emit sheep noises when you turn them over, and the woman who devises ingenious ways to commit suicide). What Louison doesn't know--but the audience does from the get--is that he's slated for menu duty in the near future as the main course. But Julie wants this one for herself. Delicatessen is filled with wonderful moments: a lovely saw and cello duet, a comic testing of the bed for squeaky bedsprings, and the appearance of the underground "Troglos"--on a mission to collect some corn, scaling the walls with toilet plungers. Unlike Brazil, however, Delicatessen is just not a full meal deal: it lacks ideas and vision. It's a series of throwaways built around one central joke. Still, as a rich desert filled with sumptuous sights, it can't be beat. Audience: Fans of Brazil, film lovers, people who like offbeat films. (R. Pitman)[DVD Review—May 2, 2006—Miramax, 99 min., in French w/English subtitles, R, $29.99—Making its second appearance on DVD, 1991's Delicatessen features a nice transfer with DVD extras include audio commentary by director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the 14-minute behind-the-scenes featurette “Fine Cooked Meats: A Nod to Delicatessen,” “The Archives of Jean-Pierre Jeunet” rehearsal footage (9 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an uneven but often winning satire.][Blu-ray Review—Sept. 28, 2010—Lionsgate, 96 min., in French w/English subtitles, R, Blu-ray: $39.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1991's Delicatessen sports a nice transfer with a DTS-HD soundtrack. Extras include audio commentary by director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, a “Main Course Pieces” retrospective documentary (65 min.), the behind-the-scenes featurette “Fine Cooked Meats: A Nod to Delicatessen” (14 min.), “The Archives of Jean-Pierre Jeunet” rehearsal footage (9 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid Blu-ray debut for a foreign cult classic.]