Island of Lost Children

[cellar door]

Has anyone ever heard of this film? It is French, and all I know about it is that it is about a man who can't dream so he steals the dreams of children, and a circus strong man and a homeless girl team up to free the children...

I think the translation might be City O Amazon?

[Deckard]

The film you refer to is CITY OF LOST CHILDREN. Directed by Juenet & Caro (Delicattesen, Amelie, Alien 4) and stars Ron Pearlman as a strongman who joins the children in this amazing adult fairytale.

This is one of the most imaginitive films ever committed to celluloid. Perfect cinematography creates a brilliant atmosphere and mood. A truly original idea is scripted to intrigue and inspire and the performances form the cast are without fault.

Down right bizzare in parts this film could be compared with Terry Gilliam's Brazil and is just as satisfying.

This is my undisputed favourite film from this French filmmaking team and well worth repeat viewings.


Grab yourself a copy ASAP, you wont be disappointed.

[Fisting Ackbar]

It was a little too over the top and bizarre for my taste, but I'll recommend it to any cinephile/filmlover, just due to it's visual style and imagination.

[Damned Martian]

This was a very disappointing film. Narratively it's mess, and the script doesn't explore well the huge possibilities of the amazing idea. Its imaginativeness gets tiring when you notice that it's the only substain of the movie. And the humour was cheesy and completely unnecesary. A wasting. 4/10:(

[James Logan]

Originally posted by Fisting Ackbar
It was a little too over the top and bizarre for my taste, but I'll recommend it to any cinephile/filmlover, just due to it's visual style and imagination.

Exactly what I thought, except that the over the top and bizarre worked wonders for me. A poetic must-see in my humble and uninmportant opinion. :)

[edonline]

One of my favorite films of all time (see Fav Film on the left). Very fantastic in story, design and cinematography. Two of the best scenes I've seen in modern cinema in a very long time: the teardrop sequence and the Krank/Miette waltzing dream.

[willem84]

Definately one of the most exuberating fantasies I've ever seen. City of the Lost Children was, at first, hard for me to understand, considering I first viewed the movie at age 11. But, recently, decided to give it another shot. I loved it and understood it completely. I actually like the bizzar approach Jaunet and Caro have taken towards this film. It was definately a bit ahead of it's time as far as the outlandish visuals we were given...not really the plot...b/c if you just basically 'told' the story...it wouldn't seem so odd. This is definately, by far, my favorite foreign film and favorite film of 1995!

9/10

[cellar door]

Hey guys!

Thanks SO much for all your comments...I got the movie, and I LOVED it. It was weird and bizarre but the cinemetography was gorgeous, the whole idea amazing-I loved it!

Although the whole thing with Miette and One was weird...was it just me or was there sexual tension there? Ew.

[Psychocandy]

I haven't seen this yet. It's only available in a dubbed version on DVD in the UK and much as i'm dying to see it I refuse to watch a dubbed version. I'll hold out for a subtitled release. I don't understand why they didn't include subtitles and a French audio track on the DVD. Makes fuck all sense to me.