The Visitors (1993)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The visitor |
| Original title | Les Visiteurs |
| Country of production | France |
| original language | French |
| Publishing year | 1993 |
| length | 107 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Jean-Marie Poiré |
| script |
Christian Clavier Jean-Marie Poiré |
| production | Alain Terzian |
| music |
Éric Lévi Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy |
| camera | Jean-Yves Le Mener |
| cut | Catherine Kelber |
| occupation | |
| |
| chronology | |
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Successor → |
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The visitor is a fantasy - comedy by French director Jean-Marie Poiré from the year 1993 . The film grossed nearly $ 100 million worldwide, compared to just $ 600,000 in the US. The film opened in German cinemas on May 20, 1993.
action
In 1123, Louis VI, the Fat , and his loyal knights fight the English King Henry I. During a battle with the English troops, Godefroy de Montmirail saves Louis' life. In gratitude, King Godefroy allows the woman he loves to marry within eight days.
Godefroy and his entourage set off, crossing a bewitched forest and capturing the local witch . When he is getting changed for the wedding shortly before his arrival, the witch mixes a liquid in his drinking bottle that makes him hallucinate . Frénégonde, his fiancée, rushes to meet him, her father running after her to fetch her back (it is not fitting for a woman of class to run towards the man). Under the influence of the elixir, however, Godefroy sees a bear running behind his fiancée and shoots his future father-in-law. Because of this, Frénégonde refuses to marry and thus also to have offspring.
Godefroy seeks advice from his father's magician , Eusebius, who wants to send him back in time to correct the mistake made. But since the magician is forgetful, the potion is not mixed correctly. Godefroy and Jacquouille, who had to taste the potion, land in 1992, more precisely on October 27th.
There they are separated: Jacquouille is taken in by the tramp Ginette, while Godefroy, in his fear, asks for asylum in a church . His aggressive behavior led to his arrest and admission to the mental hospital . His descendant Béatrice is informed and takes Godefroy into her home. Jacquouille is also brought to Béatrice with Ginette's help. Both learn that Béatrice's father sold the castle and what has happened in France since the 12th century. Jacquouille realizes that servitude and bondage have been abolished.
Because Béatrice believes that Godefroy is her cousin Hubert , who suffers from amnesia, and that he stole Godefroy's seal, all three of them drive to the castle, which has been converted into a hotel, the next day and rent because Godefroy suspects Eusebius' book of magic in his dungeon . Instead of a book, however, he and Béatrice find a note from Eusebius' descendant, who prepared the return drink. Meanwhile, Jacquouille fetches the jewelry he stole and hid in 1123 and leaves the castle with Ginette, whom he wants to marry. When Godefroy asks him to return to the past with him, Jacquouille refuses and uses a trick to swap himself and his descendant Jacquard. When Godefroy shows Béatrice how he makes Jacquard (whom he takes for Jacquouille) disappear, she believes him, but he nevertheless returns to his time, where he can prevent the fatal shot at his father-in-law and marries his fiancée.
Jacquard, on the other hand, awoke with horror in the High Middle Ages and no longer understood the world. Thanks to this open end, a sequel could be filmed.
Go to content
Role hierarchy
Although Godefroy is Lord Jacquouilles, both share the role of hero. There is no classic antagonist in the film, but since the two main roles cannot or do not want to settle in in 1992 and constantly attract attention through their behavior and language, they regularly encounter resistance (police, psychiatrists, etc.).
The main female role is also a double role. Although Béatrice de Montmirail can be seen and heard longer in the film than her ancestor Frénégonde, Frénégonde plays a crucial role. Because of the broken wedding of Godefroy and Frénégonde, Godefroy tries to travel through time at all and ends up in 1992 due to a mishap.
Ginette plays a vital role in the end of the film as she takes on Jacquouilles and introduces him to the world of the late 20th century. In general, the offspring play an important role, but Béatrice's husband, Jean-Pierre, is also often present for a supporting role.
Relationship between indoor and outdoor space
The relationship between indoor and outdoor space can only be clearly recorded for the scenes that take place in the Middle Ages: almost everything happens outside. The only exceptions are the scenes in which Louis VI. Godefroy rewarded for his heroism (takes place in the king's tent), Godefroy and his followers watch the witch (the witch is in her house and the heroes look through a crack in the wall), Louis VI. meets with his lover in a barn, the dead Duke von Pouille is remembered and finally the magician is visited. Otherwise everything takes place outdoors. The festivities for the planned wedding of Godefroy and Frénégonde will also take place in the courtyard of the castle in the Duchy of Pouille. In the scenes of the 20th century, the interior and exterior spaces frequently alternate, as is the case with most films set in the modern era.
Conflict situations
- Knight - servant
- Middle Ages - Modern (constitutive)
- uncivilized - civilized (constitutive)
- Man Woman
Motifs
- Suppression of the "normal" medieval population
- Honor, fame, loyalty (knightly virtues)
- education
- Rights or justice vs. injustice
- civilized modernity vs. uncivilized Middle Ages
Social order and representation
The action that takes place in the Middle Ages is heavily influenced by feudal society . Jacquouille has no rights and is forced by his master Godefroy to perform dangerous and menial tasks (leading in the enchanted forest, tasting the magic potion). The fact that Frénégonde Godefroy is only allowed to marry at the behest of the king shows the understanding of society: women do not have the right to freely choose their husbands; and a pointed remark by her father shows that marriages were preferred to love weddings for political reasons. The oppression of women and the understanding of the role of women is also reflected in the rest of the film. Although Godefroy is polite to his descendant, he doesn't care much about the opinions of the women around him.
In 1992 we find the social order we are familiar with: equality of men and women, equality of all people. Modern society forms a stark contrast to the behavior of Godefroy (and also Jacquouille), who does not want to break out of his medieval idea of society. Jacquouille, on the other hand, recognized the advantages very quickly and therefore decided not to go back to the 12th century.
Historical background
Language and gestures
Les Visiteurs mainly works with the language difference between the 12th and 20th centuries. Even in the Middle Ages there was a sequence in which the subtitles were even in French, because it was actually Old French . In the 20th century the contrast is noticeable due to the sometimes very vulgar choice of words (e.g. "mortecouilles"), the imitation of animal sounds and the strange-looking (pseudo-old French) verb forms (e.g. "Vous me reconnaissoit!" Instead of " Vous me reconnaissez! ”;“ Je m'esquive ”instead of“ Je m'en vais ”). In general, Godefroy speaks a little more upscale than his servant. The language in the 12th century is interspersed with Latin words or phrases. A saying made up of Visigoth and Latin words is found at the witch's house. The magician's spell is not really Latin either, even if it sounds like it when you first hear it.
Godefroy is very violent towards anyone who stands in the way of his plan to go home. Jacquouille in particular felt these outbursts of violence, and even five strong sleeping pills let Godefroy sleep for only two hours. The violence results not only from resistance, but also from impending dangers such as an alleged threat from a “ Saracen ” (Jacquouille's encounter with a colored postman).
Godefroy's behavior towards Béatrice is in most cases very polite, almost courteous, respectful and loving. Otherwise, however, the behavior of both protagonists towards women is rather harsh, and they like to refer to disturbing women as "vilaine" (ugly, nasty), which repeatedly causes shock moments.
Medieval images and clichés
Les Visiteurs works primarily with images and clichés that appear to be medieval and represent a stark contrast to society and the people of the 1990s.
The following clichés and special images are used in the Middle Ages sequences:
- Chivalry : A knight includes his squire, armor, sword and of course a horse (Jacquouille goes on foot).
- Loyalty to the king: Godefroy risks his life for his king.
- Marriage policy: Godefroy is only allowed to marry his love at all out of gratitude to the king.
- Witches : The witch from the forest is taken prisoner, but Godefroy is gracious and does not want to torture her, but to have her executed immediately (one does not torture women on his lands). This attitude is still rather anachronistic for the 12th century .
In modern times the medieval is particularly noticeable through the following:
- Stink : The two protagonists apparently stink quite a bit and don't wash themselves often.
- Clothing: Godefroy always wears his chain mail with a leather doublet over it. At the beginning and on festive occasions he wears his full outfit. Jacquouille wears only slightly worn and not very finely or particularly beautifully made clothes.
- Coat of arms : Godefroy and Béatrice recognize each other and identify themselves through their family coat of arms.
- Piety : Godefroy and Jacquouille pray twice in a short time. First after the fight with the “Saracen” and then before going to bed, which horrifies Jean-Pierre. In addition, Godefroy believes he can claim church asylum.
the atmosphere
The film works a lot with light and music.
Although the time travelers arrive in the fall of 1992, there are no signs of fall. The trees are green, the weather is nice, the daylight is not typically autumnal (softer), and people from 1992 also walk through the scenes in T-shirts, shorts and skirts. A thunderstorm only occurs once, namely when Godefroy with his seal (the one from 1123) approaches the castle with the seal from 1992, which brings with it a temporal-logical problem. The sky then darkens rapidly and massively, and it begins to rain and hail. The secret dungeon in the castle (still intact in 1992) is gloomy.
Except for the scenes that have to do with magic (the witcher and Eusebius), the Middle Ages are also depicted in light colors. It never looks threatening or particularly gloomy.
The French New Age music project Era was engaged for the music in order to create a particularly medieval-sounding atmosphere; so the text sounds like Latin, but it isn't. The music at the end comes from the Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1st movement: Allegro molto appasionato). In principle, only era or classical music is used, which should create an old-looking atmosphere. Music is only used in special scenes (escape in 1992, ride through the enchanted forest, etc.).
Medieval elements not taken into account
Basically, Les Visiteurs deals with a period of the Middle Ages that was never considered in film. As for the medieval background and scenes, it was around Louis VI. never a role, as it probably doesn't offer any material suitable for film. The unimportance of this time is made clear in the film itself. Godefroy cannot understand why there was only a very short article on Louis VI in Larousse . and nobody stands above him. Béatrice makes it clear to him that nobody cares.
synchronization
| role | actor | 1st voice actor (cinema) | 2nd voice actor (TV) |
| Godefroy | Jean Reno | Hubertus Bengsch | Peer Augustinski |
| Jacquouille la Fripouille | Christian Clavier | Tobias Master | Michael Schernthaner |
| Jacquard | Hans-Jürgen Wolf | Peter Fricke | |
| Frénégonde de Pouille / Béatrich de Montmirail | Valérie Lemercier | Evelyn Marron | Irina Wanka |
criticism
With 13.78 million admissions in France, the film is the fourth most successful film in the history of French cinema. Although it received little recognition outside of France, it received good reviews.
"Barely tolerable slapstick, which bores with incessant (also caused by the synchronization) stupidity."
Trivia
The Château d ' Ermenonville in Picardy served as the backdrop for the modern Montmirail Castle , while Beynac Castle represented medieval Montmirail. Some scenes of medieval Montmirail were also filmed at the Porte de l'Aude in Carcassonne (see picture). This is also evident from the number plates of the cars, which sometimes show the badges of the Oise department and those of the Aude department in other places . However, the two departments are very far apart.
The house that Béatrice de Montmirail lives in in the film is located in the municipality of Thoiry in the Yvelines department . The small chapel in which the dead Duke of Pouille is laid out and Jacquouille hides the jewelry belongs to the royal abbey of Chaalis in Fontaine-Chaalis , on the edge of the forest of Ermenonville . The Château de Pierrefonds was added as the castle of the Duke of Pouille .
In the synchronization of the German theatrical version, knight Godefroy de Papincourt is referred to as "Sir Güllefrosche, der Verpetzt" and his squire as "Jung Winkelried"; But there is also a more recent (blunted) TV dubbed version in which all names have been retained in the original. The visitor is one of the few films that has been dubbed twice for the German market. Both audio tracks and the French original can be found on the DVD.
The full title of Godefroys in the original is: Godefroy Amaury de Malfête, Comte de Montmirail , d ' Apremont et de Popincourt . In addition, Godefroy's honorable nickname "le hardi" (French: the bold / daring) is mentioned several times in the film. The addition of "la fripouille" to his squire, Jacquouille, appropriately means "the rascal". The title of nobility "de Pouille" of Frénégonde indicates that their ancestors come from the Italian region of Apulia (French Pouille, Italian Puglia).
The magic formula for traveling through time is in the French original: "Per horus, et per ra et per solem invictus ducere." (To lead invincibly through Horus , and through Ra and through the sun.)
The credo of the Counts of Montmirail is: "Que je trépasse, si je faiblis." (I base it when I give way. / That I die if I falter.) Godefroy gives him the battle cry of the French knights of the 11th and 12th centuries Century "Montjoie Saint-Denis!"
In the French original, Ginette sings a song known in France that comes from Patrick Bruel , in a very idiosyncratic interpretation: "Casser la voix".
At the beginning of the film, the King of England and his daughter, beloved by Louis VI the Fat , speak English. At that time (1122), however, both the English royal family and the entire English nobility only spoke French, which was introduced at court in 1066 by William the Conqueror, who was born in Normandy .
Sequels
- In 1998 Jean-Marie Poiré shot the sequel entitled The Knights of Time - In Search of the Sacred Tooth , which, however, could no longer match the level of the first part.
- In 2001 an American remake of the first film was released under the title Just Visiting - Full Throttle Into the Future . Reno and Clavier played the lead roles again alongside Christina Applegate .
- In 2016, the film The Visitors - Storming of the Bastille ( Les Visiteurs - La Revolution ) was released, which directly follows the plot of the time knights from 1998.
Web links
- Visitors to the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Visitors at Rotten Tomatoes (English)
- The visitors in the online film database
- The visitors - 1. Synchro (cinema) in the German dubbing index
- The visitors - 2nd synchro (TV) in the German dubbing index
Individual evidence
- ^ 1. Synchro (cinema) in the German dubbing index
- ↑ 2. Synchro (TV) in the German dubbing index
- ^ Classement des plus grands succès du cinéma français.
- ↑ The visitors. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
- ↑ The Visitors - Part 3 (French)