Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar

Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar

Theatrical poster
Directed by Claude Zidi
Produced by Vittorio Cecchi Gori
Claude Berri
Written by René Goscinny
Gérard Lauzier
Starring Christian Clavier
Gérard Depardieu
Roberto Benigni
Laetitia Casta
Music by Jean-Jacques Goldman
Roland Romanelli
Cinematography Tony Pierce-Roberts
Edited by Hervé de Luze
Nicole Saunier
Distributed by Pathé (UK/France)
Miramax films (USA)
Release dates
  • 3 February 1999 (France)
  • 14 April 2000 (United Kingdom)
Running time
 109 min
Country France
Italy
Germany
Language French
Budget $48 million (274 mil. francs)
Box office $73.2 million

Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar (French: Astérix & Obélix contre César, Asterix & Obelix vs. Caesar in some regions) is a 1999 feature film directed by Claude Zidi, the first of what went on to become a series of live-action films based on Goscinny and Uderzo's Astérix comics. The film combines plots of several Astérix stories, mostly Asterix the Gaul (Getafix's abduction), Asterix and the Soothsayer, Asterix and the Goths (the Druid conference), Asterix the Legionary (Obelix becoming smitten with Panacea) and Asterix the Gladiator (the characters fighting in the circus) but jokes and references from many other albums abound, including a humorous exchange between Caesar and Brutus taken from Asterix and Cleopatra, and the villain Lucius Detritus is based on Tullius Detritus, the main antagonist of Asterix and the Roman Agent (known as Tortuous Convolvulus in the English translation of the comic).

At the time of its release, the film was the most expensive production in French cinema of all time, making it the most expensive production in France for the twentieth century. It was surpassed by the sequel, Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, in 2002.

Plot

Julius Caesar is celebrating his victory over all of Gaul, but Lucius Detritus has kept from him that one village has managed to resist them. Detritus travels to the garrison near the village where Crismus Bonus, the garrison's commanding Centurion, explains that the Gauls have a magic potion, which makes them invincible. Detritus decides to capture the potion for himself, and hearing that the clever Asterix and permanently invincible Obelix are the backbone of the Gaulish forces, attempts and fails to eliminate them.

A false soothsayer arrives at the village and predicts the arrival of Romans and treasure; despite Asterix's protests, the village believe him, wherefore when a Roman tax collector arrives, they drive off his forces and take the gold. The "soothsayer" later drugs and hypnotises Asterix to create a diversion while he recaptures the tax money; but news of the theft reaches Caesar, who comes to the garrison himself, demanding the legion attack. Upon witnessing the defeat of his army, he demands Detritus subdue the village or be fed to the lions.

Detritus disguises himself and some men as Druids and kidnaps Panoramix (Getafix) at a Druid conference. Asterix disguises Obelix as a legionary, and they enter the garrison to rescue the Druid, but are separated. Asterix joins Getafix in the dungeon, where the pair resist Detritus' demands to make the magic potion, until he tortures Idefix (Dogmatix). Detritus uses the potion to throw Caesar into a cell (locked in an iron mask), and takes command with an oblivious Obelix as his bodyguard. Obelix later helps Asterix, Getafix, Dogmatix, and Caesar escape.

Caesar co-operates with the Gauls to defeat Detritus, who mounts an attack on the villagers using his own magic potion. To defeat him, Panoramix brews a special version of the potion which creates dozens of duplicates of Asterix and Obelix. Caesar is returned to power, and grants the village its freedom.

Differences from the books

Cast

Soundtrack

Soundtrack by Jean-Jacques Goldman and Roland Romanelli

Accolades

References

    External links