Oct. 12, 2011|France|90 Min.|PG
Genre: Adventure;Animation;Comedy;Family;Fantasy;Kids
Description: Set in 1910 during the flood of the River Seine, *A Monster in Paris* follows the story of Emile Petit, a shy projectionist with a passion for film and a secret love for his co-worker, Maud. His eccentric friend Raoul, an inventor and delivery driver, takes him on an adventure in his unusual vehicle, Catherine, to acquire a new belt for his projector. Along the way, Emile purchases a camera, narrowly avoiding theft thanks to Catherine’s unpredictable behavior.
The plot also introduces Lucille, a talented cabaret singer at L’Oiseau Rare and Raoul’s childhood friend, with whom he has a strained relationship. Lucille’s aunt, Carlotta, pressures her to marry Victor Maynott, a wealthy Police Commissioner and mayoral candidate. One evening, Raoul and Emile venture to the Botanical Gardens to make a delivery. In the absence of the Professor, his assistant, a proboscis monkey named Charles, guards the premises. Raoul experiments with a concoction called Atomize-a-Tune, which briefly gives Charles an operatic voice, and a super fertilizer that causes a sunflower to grow instantaneously and topple over. Chaos ensues when the chemicals mix, resulting in an explosion. Though unharmed, Emile believes he has seen a monstrous creature, a claim later supported by a photograph in the newspapers.
Maynott seizes the opportunity to investigate the creature’s existence, hoping to gain public favor for his mayoral campaign. Meanwhile, Lucille searches for a new musician for her cabaret show, rejecting the advances of Albert, the club’s waiter. As the story unfolds, the characters’ lives intertwine in this charming and fantastical tale set against the backdrop of Paris’s flooded streets.
Cast director: Bibo Bergeron
Cast actor: Vanessa Paradis, Matthieu Chedid, Gad Elmaleh, François Cluzet, Ludivine Sagnier, Julie Ferrier, Bruno Salomone, Sébastien Desjours, Philippe Peythieu, Mirabelle Kirkland
Original name: Un monstre à Paris