jack_o_hasanov

Before watching this film, I had no information about Vidocq. After a bit of research, I learned that he was a real person, a criminologist and a major inspiration for many writers and characters. You could even say he helped establish the foundations of modern detective work.

I liked the steampunk atmosphere of the film and the performances of the actors. But I did not like the film itself. The biggest issue is that the movie is called Vidocq. It is marketed as if it is about him, yet Vidocq appears very little and we never really get to know who he is. That part was disappointing. I don't mind adding a mystical, unreal character. That is fine. But the movie builds up as if there is some scientific explanation behind everything, and Vidocq will eventually uncover it. Instead, it turns into something purely fantastical. In that case, my friend, name the film "The Man With the Mirror Mask," not Vidocq.

So overall, the film was a disappointment for me. But I must admit, the steampunk atmosphere was excellent.

I watched this after "Naked Lunch". This one was also a very strange film. It is based on real events experienced under the influence of substances I do not even want to mention and then turned into a book. Hunter S. Thompson was a very unusual person. The film was a bit boring, but also entertaining at the same time. Seeing what they went through was funny but also disturbing. It feels like a dark comedy. The cast did a great job. Johnny Depp was really good and so was Benicio Del Toro. The director of the film is Terry Gilliam. I think the movie had the potential to be a better film, but the hallucinatory scenes were given too much focus. Toward the end I got sleepy and it felt like I was watching it under some kind of influence myself. But later when I was awake I watched the ending again. It is not a very good film and definitely not for everyone. It is average but interesting.

Strange writer. Strange book. Strange movie.

If someone asked me to briefly describe this film, that's what I would say.

First, I looked up some information about the writer, and it turns out he was pretty much exactly like in the film living in that kind of mindset. He was very rich, spent his money on these things, caused some terrible events, and wrote strange novels. For a person like that, this is probably the best possible film that could be made.

David Cronenberg actually did a good job. But since the book itself is very irrelevant and chaotic, the movie also ends up feeling the same. Sometimes you get bored, sometimes you don't, but you keep wondering, "What is even happening here?" Eh, ehh. It was a very weird film.

Oh, by the way, the practical effects were great.