Le Petomane: Parti avec le vent

This sweet, funny, true story of "Le Petomane" the man who played music out of his derrière was well worth seeing and hopefully owning as a DVD. "Parti" is the perfect flick to bust out at parties while you pass the bean dip & chili.

This film presents a unique form of comedy that is reminiscent of Chaplin in its silliness and heart & soul. You get to see the "human side" of an odd man with an odd ambition.

The story of Le Petomane takes you back to when you were a kid, and you had your first big burst of laughter over your first big blast of gas, then seamlessly fast forwards you to the adult life of uncertainty, and struggle. In the end, gas & love save the day. When life gets serious and significant and we find ourselves alone, that silly blast of gas is a reminder that if you can parlay it into a career--you can triumph over anything!

Full of glorious bombast, outrageous French accents, and probably as much accuracy as one can expect from even a serious Hollywood biopic, Le Petomane: Parti avec le vent is brilliant. The score is too big, the shots are too lush, the whole tone is perfect. I've been waiting for a while for someone to find the right way to capture this (true) story. My only complaint is that I would've gladly sat through the full two-hour treatment. Kudos! IMDb has now informed me that a comment must a minimum of 10 lines. So much for Strunk & White and years of studying concise writing. I therefore repeat, see Le Petomane at your earliest convenience. I don't know what the release deal is, but find it or ask your neighborhood cable operator or petition The Academy. It's a mighty fine short film.

It's ironic that this film is about a man who is able to manipulate his flatulence. Because when it comes to farts and this film, despite the talent and effort involved, the end result is still a bunch of crap.

The other reviewers are either high, paid shills, friends and family of the filmmaker, or quite possibly all of the above.

It's clear that a considerable amount of creative effort and professional craft went into the production value of this film as the lighting, cinematography, costume design, etc are very impressive for such a small film. But that is where its value comes to a screeching halt. The story itself is neither funny nor compelling. The character of Le Petomane is worthy of perhaps a footnote or a minor story point in other films about the glory days of the Moulin Rouge but nothing more. He's just not that interesting or at least not in this film. The characters are caricatures, the dialogue is forced and the acting is amateurish; although the blame doesn't fall on the actors as much as it does the poor writing. The story about a man who farts on command and is able to make various animal noises and do tricks with his ass is really just a sophomoric joke that goes on for 29 minutes too long.

This is a delightful and informative movie about a talented man woefully overlooked by history. It's beautifully filmed and well acted and scripted. If you like your humor on the sly side, then this is for you. I only had 2 disappointments with this film: #1 - not nearly long enough. I would've LOVED to have had this film follow this fascinating man (and his family & friends) for a much longer period of time. #2 - there were times that, because of the softness of the voices and the heavy french accents, that I missed some of the dialog. Subtitles would've helped. All in all, an entertaining, informative short and a nice way to spend your time.

This short film is truly a spectacle from start to finish. Deftly handled by first-time Director Steve Ochs, cast and crew present an absurd story in such a straight-faced manner I was left scratching my head while roaring with laughter.

For a "small film" this had a huge feel with costumes and performances worthy of a full-length epic. The majestic score fit perfectly with the pseudo seriousness of the film.

I wish the story spent more time with Le Petomaine's early club experiences, but perhaps a longer version may go deeper into this dark and dank area.

I give this movie a big latex covered thumbs up!