A Monster in Paris

A Monster in Paris
French theatrical release poster
Directed by	Bibo Bergeron
Produced by	Luc Besson
Screenplay by	Stéphane Kazandjian
Story by	Bibo Bergeron
Based on	The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Starring	Matthieu Chedid Vanessa Paradis
Music by	Matthieu Chedid Sean Lennon Patrice Renson
Edited by	Pascal Chevé Nicolas Stretta
Production company	Bibo Films France 3 Cinéma Walking the Dog uFilm uFund Canal+ France Télévisions CinéCinéma Le Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral de Belgique
Distributed by	EuropaCorp Distribution
Release dates	12 October 2011 (2011-10-12)
Running time	90 minutes[1]
Country	France
Language	French English
Budget	€25,000,000
Box office	$162,942,837

A Monster in Paris (French: Un monstre à Paris) is a 2011 French 3D computer-animated musical comedy fantasy adventure film directed by Bibo Bergeron, produced by Luc Besson, written by Stéphane Kazandjian, distributed by EuropaCorp Distribution, features the voices of Sean Lennon, Vanessa Paradis, Adam Goldberg, Danny Huston, Madeline Zima, Matthew Géczy, Jay Harrington, Catherine O'Hara, and Bob Balaban and based on a story he wrote. Some aspects of the film are (very loosely) based on Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera. It was released on 12 October 2011. It was also produced by Bibo Films, France 3 Cinéma, Walking The Dog, uFilm, uFund, Canal+, France Télévisions, CinéCinéma, Le Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral de Belgique and Umedia. It was music composed by Matthieu Chedid, Sean Lennon and Patrice Renson. It was edited by Pascal Chevé and Nicolas Stretta.

Plot

The film is set in 1910. The story begins by documenting the flooding of the River Seine that year.

Shy projectionist Emile has a passion for film and is in love with his coworker at the cinema, Maud. His friend, an exuberant inventor and delivery driver, Raoul, picks him up from work to transport him in his bizarre vehicle (called "Catherine"), to obtain a new belt for his projector. In purchasing a new belt, Emile also buys himself a new camera, which is almost stolen by a thief. The story also introduces Lucille, Raoul's childhood friend: a cabaret singer at the club L'Oiseau Rare ("The Rare Bird"), whose aunt Carlotta tries to marry her to the wealthy Police commissioner, Victor Maynott. One evening, Raoul brings Emile to make a delivery to the Botanical Gardens. In the absence of the Professor who works there, the place is guarded by his assistant, a proboscis monkey named Charles. Here, Raoul experiments with an "Atomize-a-Tune" mixture which temporarily gives Charles the voice of an opera singer and an unstable "super fertilizer" which instantly grows a sunflower seed into a giant sunflower, which topples towards Raoul and Emile. In the ensuing disorder, an explosion occurs at the mixing of the two chemicals. Everyone is unscathed, but Emile is convinced he has glimpsed a monstrous creature, which later appears in the newspapers.

An investigation is made into the whereabouts of the creature by Maynott's second in command, Paté, but is fronted by Maynott, in the hope of popular support for his mayoral candidacy. At the same time, he tries unsuccessfully to seduce Lucille. Meanwhile, Lucille is trying to find a new musician for her show, and turns down the cabaret’s waiter, Albert. Trying to vacate the cabaret, Albert stumbles across the creature and flees terrified. Upon seeing the creature, Lucille is frightened, but hears it sing ("A Monster in Paris") and discovers it is not dangerous but has a lovely singing voice. She therefore welcomes it, under the name of Francœur (meaning "honest heart"). It is then revealed that the creature is a flea that the fertilizer, amidst all the other chemicals in laboratory explosion, enlarged to human scale. During the investigation, Emile and Raoul's rôle in the laboratory incident is discovered. For Maynott's interest in the creature, they receive the Medal of Honor. On a challenge set earlier by Lucille, Raoul uses this to get the best seats at Lucille's show at the 'Rare Bird', where Francœur and Lucille sing as a duet. After the show, Emile and Raoul congratulate Lucille on her show, but Lucille reveals the identity of Francœur, which Albert reports to the police. Emile, Raoul, and Francœur narrowly escape and Albert is arrested for lying to the police.

The following day, Maynott opens the Montmartre Funicular, which serves Montmartre and the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur. The trio, along with Francœur and Charles, decide to feign the death of the creature. When Maynott discovers the creature hiding under the stage, Francœur and his friends are chased through the streets of Paris by Maynott. The chase concludes at the tip of the Eiffel Tower. After a battle to protect Francœur from Maynott, a gunshot from Maynott and Francœur's disappearance leads everyone to believe he is dead. Maynott is then arrested by Paté on the basis that Francœur is innocent, while Emile and Maud fall into each other's arms. Later that evening Lucille is distraught by the "death" of Francœur; but Raoul convinces her to sing anyway. Whilst struggling to begin, she hears Francœur, restored to his native size, sing in her ear ("Just a Little Kiss will Do"). Some time later, the absent Professor returns from his trip; and when the three friends explain the situation, he permanently returns Francœur to human size. Francœur receives second billing on the posters advertising Lucille's show. Lucille and Raoul later share their first kiss in Lucille's dressing room.

In a post-credits scene, Raoul, Lucille, Francœur, Maud, Emile, Charles, Carlotta, and Paté scatter super-fertilized sunflower seeds to drain the flooded Seine. In a second scene, Maynott is shown in the same cell as Albert and the camera thief from the movie's beginning, to endure their appalling singing.

Cast

Release

The film was released on 2011 in France, Canada, Belgium, South Korea, Russia and Ukraine, released on 2012 in Croatia, Kuwait, Hungary, the UK, Ireland, the USA, Malta, Israel, Estonia, Germany, Turkey, Sweden, Portugal, Netherlands, Lithuania, Taiwan, Mexico, Italy and Japan and released on 2013 in Peru.

The Domestic release earned a total of $56,816,664 in the Boxoffice, and internationally $106,126,173. Total home video sales are $23,145,963.(Via The-Numbers.com)

Reception

The film received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it received an aggregate score of 85% based on 20 reviews (17 "fresh" and 3 "rotten").^[2]

Awards

Annie Awards 2014

• Annie Award - Outstanding Achievement in Character Design in an Animated Feature Production - Christophe Lourdelet - Nominated

César Awards, France 2012

• César Award - Best Animated Film (Meilleur film d'animation) - Bibo Bergeron (director), Luc Besson (producer) - Nominated
• César Award - Best Original Music (Meilleure musique originale) - Matthieu Chedid, Patrice Renson - Nominated

Soundtrack

The soundtrack includes both songs and short clips from the film, in both French and English. The soundtrack was released in Britain a few days after the film's release either on CD or digital download. The album is credit to Vanessa Paradis & (-M-)

Tracklist (French version)

1. "Les actualités (Interlude)" (0:27)
2. "La valse de Paris" (0:43)
3. "La Seine - Cabaret" (Vanessa Paradis -) (1:17)
4. "Emile et Raoul" (2:00)
5. "Sur les toits" (1:28)
6. "Maynott" (1:05)
7. "La rencontre" (1:45)
8. "Un monstre à Paris" (-M-) (2:18)
9. "Le baptëme" (Interlude) (Lucille) (0:11)
10. "Francoeur" / Lucille (2:13)
11. "Brume à Paname" (1:01)
12. "Cabaret" (1:02)
13. "La Seine" (Vanessa Paradis & -M-) (2:48)
14. "Perquisition" (0:59)
15. "Sacré coeur" (0:56)
16. "Papa Paname" (Vanessa Paradis) (2:23)
17. "Sue le fleuve" / "Tournesol" (1:15)
18. "Tour Eiffel infernale" (2:29)
19. "L'amour dans l'âme" (-M-) (1:30)
20. "Flashback" (1:39)
21. "U p'tit baiser" (Vanessa Paradis & -M-) (2:24)
22. "Funky baiser" (5:13)

Tracklist (English version)

1. "Interlude - the News" (0:27)
2. "La Valse de Paris" (0:43)
3. "La Seine and I Cabaret" (Vanessa Paradis -) (1:17)
4. "Emile Et Raoul" (2:00)
5. "Sur Les Toits" (1:28)
6. "Maynott" (1:05)
7. "La Rencontre" (1:45)
8. "A Monster In Paris" (Sean Lennon) (2:18)
9. "Interlude - Lucille 'The Baptism' (0:11)
10. "Francoeur - Lucille" (2:13)
11. "Brume a Paname" (1:01)
12. "Cabaret" (1:02)
13. "La Seine and I" (Vanessa Paradis & Sean Lennon) (2:48)
14. "Perquisition" (0:59)
15. "Sacré Coeur" (0:56)
16. "Papa Paris" (Vanessa Paradis) (2:23)
17. "Sue Le Fleuve - Tournesol" (1:15)
18. "Tour Eiffel Infernale" (2:29)
19. "Love Is in My Soul" (Sean Lennon) (1:30)
20. "Flashback" (1:39)
21. "Just a Little Kiss" (Vanessa Paradis & Sean Lennon) (2:24)
22. "Funky Baiser" (5:13)

References

External links

• Official website
• A Monster in Paris at the Internet Movie Database