By Rich Cross
This captivating and visually dazzling fantasy from acclaimed French directors Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro is enjoying a deserved re-release on disc. It’s a sumptuous-looking movie in which a truly disturbing premise (the abduction of young children for laboratory experimentation) is brought to life through stunning design and irresistibly clever storytelling. An extraordinary and twisted fairytale, it’s a film overdue for reappraisal.
Krank is a disturbed and dysfunctional inventor who discovers a means to arrest the ageing process by distilling the dreams of young boys and girls in his nightmarish steam-punk laboratory. Krank’s henchmen are sent out to seize more local youngsters for experimentation. But when they grab his adopted brother Denree, local fisherman and retired circus strongman One sets out to free his sibling from Krank’s lair, accompanied by orphan Miette. So begins a freakish and thoroughly unexpected chain of events, which unfold on screen through dizzying visuals and saturated colours.
Released four years after Jeunet’s and Caro’s sublime debut feature Delicatessen, a film with which this follow-up shares much of its tonal palette and surreal temperament, The City of Lost Children cemented the pair’s status as the most inventive genre filmmakers working in European cinema. As with Delicatessen, the narrative here is shared out amongst an ensemble of oddball characters, all of whom are given a chance to shine. This restored version is packaged with a mix of previously-released and new special features. A contemporary making-of featurette, and rare behind-the-scenes footage, is backed by an interview with costume designer Jean Paul Gaultier and an audio commentary by Jeunet. Fans will be delighted by the inclusion of a new and revealing interview with both directors.
The City of Lost Children is available now on 4k Ultra HD, standard Blu-ray and DVD
