Directed by: Claude Zidi Produced by: Katharina, Renn Productions Genre: Fiction - Runtime: 1 h 45 min.
Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar | |
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Directed by | Claude Zidi |
Produced by | Vittorio Cecchi Gori Claude Berri |
Written by | René Goscinny Gérard Lauzier |
Starring | Christian Clavier Gérard Depardieu Roberto Benigni |
Music by | Jean-Jacques Goldman Roland Romanelli |
Cinematography | Tony Pierce-Roberts |
Edited by | Hervé de Luze Nicole Saunier |
Distributed by | Pathé Distribution |
Release date |
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109 min | |
Country | France Italy Germany |
Language | French |
Budget | $42 million |
Box office | $101.6 million[1] |
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.
- 1Plot
Plot[edit]
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 Caius Bonus (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[edit]
- It is revealed early in the film that the magic potion used by the Gauls only lasts for ten minutes. Such a short time limit is not implied in the original books, wherein the potion's effects can last for several hours, such as disguised legionary Caligula Minus holding a rock up for several hours in Asterix the Gaul or crooked adviser Codfix retaining superhuman strength until well into the daytime after drinking a ladleful of potion at night in Asterix and the Great Divide.
- In the book Asterix and the Roman Agent, a character named Detritus (in the original French version) was an agent of Caesar who was a master of manipulating people. In the movie Detritus appears to be more based on Crismus Bonus from Asterix the Gaul or Felonius Caucus from the book Asterix and the Big Fight.
- The fraudulent fortune-teller Prolix is based on the character of the same name in Asterix and the Soothsayer - like in the book Asterix is the only villager who doesn't believe his false prophecies. In the film, Prolix manages to escape with stolen gold (which he conned the villagers into stealing from the Romans) and is not seen again, whereas in the book Prolix was ultimately exposed as a phony when the Gauls managed to surprise him (thereby proving he couldn't really see the future).
- Getafix's grandfather, who appears in the movie, is not mentioned in any of the books.
- In the books, Obelix's affection for Panacea was mostly comedic. In the movie, the romance is played for dramatic effect and is taken much more seriously.
- The unnamed wife of village elder Geriatrix is depicted as intensely concerned about her husband getting hurt in the film (she runs after him desperately telling him to not join in when the villagers have a fish fight and later when they attack a Roman legion) - in the books Mrs Geriatrix seems to be casually dominant over her husband, who humbly does everything she tells him to.
- Dogmatix appears to be Asterix's dog in the movie, not Obelix's.
Cast[edit]
- Christian Clavier (English: Olaf Wijnants): Astérix
- Gérard Depardieu (English: Terry Jones): Obélix
- Roberto Benigni (English: Johnnie Lyne-Pirkis): Lucius Detritus (Tortuous Convolvulus / Tullius Destructivus)
- Michel Galabru (English: Douglas Blackwell): Abraracourcix (named 'Vitalstatistix' in English)
- Claude Piéplu (English: John Baddeley): Panoramix (Getafix)
- Daniel Prévost (English: Harry Barrowclough): Prolix
- Pierre Palmade (English: David Holt): Assurancetourix (Cacofonix)
- Laetitia Casta (English: Jessica Martin): Falbala (Panacea)
- Arielle Dombasle (English: Kate Harbour): Mme Agecanonix (Mrs Geriatrix)
- Sim (English: David Graham): Agecanonix (Geriatrix)
- Marianne Sägebrecht (English: Edita Brychta): Bonnemine (Impedimenta)
- Gottfried John (English: Peter Marinker): Jules César / Julius Caesar
- Jean-Pierre Castaldi (English: Rodney Beddal) : Caius Bonus
- Jean-Roger Milo (English: David Cocker): Cetautomatix (Fulliautomatix).
- Jean-Jacques Devaux [fr] (English: Kerry Shale): Ordralfabetix (Unhygenix)
- Hardy Krüger junior : Tragicomix
Soundtrack[edit]
Soundtrack by Jean-Jacques Goldman and Roland Romanelli
- 'Elle ne me voit pas' - 4:26
- 'Lei non vede me' - 4:26
- 'Asterix et Obelix contre César' - 2:20
- 'L'Embuscade' - 2:07
- 'L'Amour' - 3:52
- 'Le Cirque Encore' - 5:15
- 'La Serpe D'or' - 4:07
- 'Falbala' - 1:48
- 'Le Devin' - 2:43
- 'L'Amour Toujours' - 3:45
- 'Les Hallucinations D'Astérix' - 2:56
- 'La Potion Magique' - 3:14
- 'Bélenos' - 7:18
- 'Obélix' - 3:44
Video game[edit]
An action video game based on the film, developed by Tek 5 and published by Cryo Interactive, was released for the PlayStation and the PC.
Accolades[edit]
- Golden Screen (1999)
- Bogey Award in Silver (1999)
- Bavarian Film Award (2000)
References[edit]
- ^JP. 'Astérix et Obélix contre César (1999)'. JPBox-Office. Retrieved 2017-09-06.
External links[edit]
- Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar on IMDb
- Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar at Rotten Tomatoes
- Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar at Box Office Mojo
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asterix_%26_Obelix_Take_On_Caesar&oldid=930489647'
Astérix et la surprise de César | |
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Directed by | Gaëtan Brizzi Paul Brizzi |
Produced by | Yannik Piel |
Written by | Pierre Tchernia adapted from René Goscinny Albert Uderzo |
Music by | Vladimir Cosma |
| |
79 minutes | |
Country | France, Belgium |
Language | French / English |
Asterix Versus Caesar (also known in France as Astérix et la surprise de César) is a 1985 animated film that was written by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo and Pierre Tchernia, and directed by Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi, and is the fourth film adaptation of the Asterix comic book series. The story, an adaptation that combines the plots of Asterix the Legionary and Asterix the Gladiator, sees Asterix and his friend Obelix set off to rescue two lovers from their village that had been kidnapped by the Romans. The film's theme song, Astérix est là, was composed and performed by Plastic Bertrand.
A book of the film was released containing the story and stills from the film. It was later re-printed when Orion Publishing re-released the entire series.
- 2Voice Cast
Plot[edit]
To honour Julius Caesar's successful campaigns of conquest, gifts are brought to Rome from across the Roman Empire. Seeking to cement the celebrations, Caesar orders Caius Fatuous, head of a prominent gladiator school, to provide him with a grand show, promising to make him the main attraction if he fails. In the small village in Gaul that opposes the Romans, Asterix notices his friend Obelix act strangely. Druid Getafix soon reveals that he is in love with Panacea, Chief Vitalstatistix's niece, who had recently returned. Attempting to win her affections, Obelix becomes distraught when she is reunited with Tragicomix, a much younger and handsome man who intends to marry her. Seeking to spend time together, the two lovers venture out into nearby woods, only to be ambushed by a group of Romans, led by a fresh recruit hoping to make a good impression with his Centurion at a nearby garrison.
When Asterix and Obelix discover what happened, they inform the village, who proceed to attack the garrison. In the aftermath, the Centurion is questioned. He reveals that he angrily ordered the recruit to take his prisoners away, knowing the consequences his actions would bring. Asterix and Obelix, joined by Dogmatix, proceed to the nearest Legion HQ for information on where the recruit went. Upon learning he was dispatched to a distant outpost in the Sahara with his prisoners, they join the army in order to follow after them. Arriving at the desert frontier, the pair learn that Panacea and Tragicomix escaped from the Romans and into the desert. Learning of this, Asterix and Obelix proceed in the direction they took. Eventually, they come across a band of slave traders, who reveal that they had sold the pair as slaves and sent them to Rome.
Securing passage to the Roman capital, Asterix and Obelix learn that Panacea and Tragicomix were bought by Caius. The pair attempt to meet with him at a bathhouse, causing Caius to witness them beating up his bodyguards easily. Impressed, he orders his men to capture them for his show. Following a small argument with his friend that causes him misplace his magic potion, Asterix is kidnapped by Caius' men. When Obelix discovers he is missing, he proceeds to seek him out, rescuing him from a flooded cell. However Dogmatix goes missing, after running off into the city's sewers to recover the magic potion. Without both, the pair continue to seek out Panacea and Tragicomix and quickly learn that, under Caesar's orders, Caius arranged for them to become the grand finale of the emperor's show at the Colosseum.
Seeking to gain entry, the pair go to Caius' school and secure places as gladiators the following day. The Gauls soon quickly make a mess of the show, winning a chariot race and easily beating down a number of gladiators. As lions are unleashed to attack them, alongside Tragicomix and Panacea, Dogmatix arrives with the magic potion. The group defeat the lions with the potion, while Obelix, distracted by Panacea, accidentally shatters a third of the Colosseum. Somewhat impressed with the show, Caesar grants the Gauls their freedom. Returning home, the group arrive to their village's trademark victory feast being held in their honour. As the villagers celebrate, Asterix sits alone in a tree, after having somewhat fallen for Panacea on his return.
Voice Cast[edit]
Character | Original | English |
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Astérix | Roger Carel | Jack Beaber |
Obélix | Pierre Tornade | Billy Kearns |
Caius | Pierre Mondy | Allan Wenger |
Caesar | Serge Sauvion | Gordon Heath |
Getafix | Henri Labussière | Robert Barr |
Dubious Status | Roger Lumont | Patrick Floersheim |
The Centurion Vapetimus | Michel Barbet | Unknown |
Unhygenix | Yves Barsacq | |
The Cook | Pierre Mirat | Arch Taylor |
Panacea | Séverine Morisot (speaking) and Danielle Licari (singing) | Patricia Kessler (speaking) and Danielle Licari (singing) |
The Leader of the Roman Camp | Henri Poirier | Unknown |
Superbus | Patrick Préjean | |
Vitalstatistix | Jean-Pierre Darras | Bertie Cortez |
Tragicomix | Thierry Ragueneau | Unknown |
The Presenter of Gifts | Nicolas Silberg | |
Farfelus, the Slave Trader | Philippe Dumat | |
Terminus | Pierre Tchernia | Sean O'Neil |
The Desert Bandit | Michel Gatineau | Unknown |
Geriatrix | Guy Piérauld |
Additional Voices[edit]
- Original: José Luccioni, Paul Mercey, Edmond Bernard, Paul Bisciglia, Gérard Croce, Alain Doutey, Peter Wollasch, Roger Barbet, Alain Coutey, Martin Lamotte
- English: Bill Dunn, James Shuman, Steve Gadler, Stuart Seide, Jerry Di Giacomo, Mike Marshall, Thomas M. Pollard, Bill Doherty, Christian Erickson, Paul Barrett, Norman Stockle, Derry Hall, Peter Semmler, Robert Ground, Raphael Rodriguez, Mostefa Stiti, Herbert Baskind, Ken Starcevic, Ed Marcus
VHS and DVD release[edit]
In 1990, the film was released on VHS by Celebrity Home Entertainment. In 2006, the film was released on Region 2 DVD as a part of a box set of animated Asterix films.
References[edit]
External links[edit]
- Asterix Versus Caesar on IMDb
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asterix_Versus_Caesar&oldid=933252826'