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Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart

Original title: Jack et la mécanique du coeur
  • 2013
  • PG
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
7.9K
YOUR RATING
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart (2013)
Trailer for Jack and the Cuckoo- Clock Heart
Play trailer2:30
4 Videos
99+ Photos
AdventureAnimationDramaFamilyFantasyMusicalRomance

A 19th-century drama about a man whose heart was replaced with a clock when he was born. The situation dictates that he should avoid feeling strong emotions -- love, most of all -- but he ju... Read allA 19th-century drama about a man whose heart was replaced with a clock when he was born. The situation dictates that he should avoid feeling strong emotions -- love, most of all -- but he just can't keep his feelings under wraps.A 19th-century drama about a man whose heart was replaced with a clock when he was born. The situation dictates that he should avoid feeling strong emotions -- love, most of all -- but he just can't keep his feelings under wraps.

  • Directors
    • Stéphane Berla
    • Mathias Malzieu
  • Writer
    • Mathias Malzieu
  • Stars
    • Mathias Malzieu
    • Olivia Ruiz
    • Grand Corps Malade
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    7.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Stéphane Berla
      • Mathias Malzieu
    • Writer
      • Mathias Malzieu
    • Stars
      • Mathias Malzieu
      • Olivia Ruiz
      • Grand Corps Malade
    • 75User reviews
    • 57Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations total

    Videos4

    Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart
    Trailer 2:30
    Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart
    Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart: Jack And Acacia Duet
    Clip 2:38
    Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart: Jack And Acacia Duet
    Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart: Jack And Acacia Duet
    Clip 2:38
    Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart: Jack And Acacia Duet
    Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart: Jack And Melies Travel To Ghost Train
    Clip 2:14
    Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart: Jack And Melies Travel To Ghost Train
    Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart: Melies And Jack
    Clip 1:12
    Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart: Melies And Jack

    Photos121

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    + 116
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    Top cast29

    Edit
    Mathias Malzieu
    Mathias Malzieu
    • Jack
    • (voice)
    Olivia Ruiz
    Olivia Ruiz
    • Miss Acacia
    • (voice)
    Grand Corps Malade
    Grand Corps Malade
    • Joe
    • (voice)
    Jean Rochefort
    Jean Rochefort
    • Méliès
    • (voice)
    Rossy de Palma
    Rossy de Palma
    • Luna
    • (voice)
    Babet
    • Anna
    • (voice)
    Marie Vincent
    • Madeleine #1
    • (voice)
    Emily Loizeau
    • Madeleine #2
    • (voice)
    Arthur H.
    Arthur H.
    • Arthur
    • (voice)
    Dani
    Dani
    • Brigitte Helm
    • (voice)
    Alain Bashung
    Alain Bashung
    • Jack l'éventreur
    • (voice)
    Cali
    • L'homme qui pleure
    • (voice)
    • …
    Chloé Renaud
    • La jeune mère
    • (voice)
    Moon Dailly
    Moon Dailly
    • La petite fille blonde
    • (voice)
    Samantha Barks
    Samantha Barks
    • Miss Acacia
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Jessie Buckley
    Jessie Buckley
    • Luna
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Stephane Cornicard
    Stephane Cornicard
    • Georges Méliès
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Janet Dibley
    • Young Mother
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    • Directors
      • Stéphane Berla
      • Mathias Malzieu
    • Writer
      • Mathias Malzieu
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews75

    6.97.9K
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    Featured reviews

    7peggytoes

    Artistic Gem

    This animation is definitely unique and different from any other animation I've seen! It is an artistic masterpiece, has a very clever story, unique music that I totally did not expect, and of course just absolutely wonderful animation! I do highly recommend this movie for the age group of 13 on up. I don't believe younger children will understand the story line.

    I'm an artist and LOVE to see different types of animation as it helps me to sculpt and create differences.

    Jack and The Cuckoo Clock Heart isn't as "dark" as some of Tim Burton's works, but still has a little gloomy feel to it. At first I wasn't sure I liked it, but seeing it through ... I LOVE IT!
    9CubsandCulture

    A very odd film

    I saw this in English. I suspect that a fair amount of nuance of the script, lyrics is lost in translation. Much of the film is incoherent if you think about, even more so than other fantasias. I am still not entirely sure what happened in the end. This largely works in the film's favor because the oddness of the text fits the visually whimsy. This feels very much like an early Burton film and it has same sense otherworldly quality.

    The animation is gloriously expressive. They really push the style into some surreal and dream like images. It is a lot more striking then the generic photoreal stuff that you get in a ton of American animation. I might not understood what was happening at all times but I did understand the emotion-a rich melancholy-because the animation and the music let me know.

    This was a very good film.
    6ken558

    Superb Visuals, Plot Faltered

    The visual animation of this movie is notches above the average Pixar and Disney fare, especially in its attention to details and inventiveness, framed from interesting perspectives with captivating clarity.

    It started of with enough heart ('cuckoo' no-doubt) and sufficient bizarre to draw you in. Unfortunately, about a quarter of the way through the plot starts to falter with too many unnecessary songs that doesn't add to the story but only detracts from it - songs that are averagely catchy but tend to be repetitive and too pop-oriented to capture the essence of the movie.

    The reason for all the intrusive songs is as follows from Wikipedia: "Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart is based on the concept album by the French rock band Dionysos, and on the illustrated novel La Mécanique du cœur written by the band's lead singer Mathias Malzieu. The music of the film was entirely composed by Dionysos"

    May have worked as an audio album, but for this movie, Luc Besson (one of two producers) should have instructed that the visuals and the story alone be allowed to do the "singing", backed by good inspiring theme music.

    The English dubbing (from the original French) is definitely one of the better done ones - I suspect many (but not all) of the original French actors, also did the voice-over in English, including most (but not all) the songs.

    Overall, would still strongly recommend this animation, if but for the visual feast alone!
    9mkleffke

    Moulin Rouge + Hugo + Frozen= This amazing film

    While the dialogue is a little muddled due to its French and English combination, that seems to be the only flaw of "Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart." The animation is simply incredible. As George Melies, a character in the story, would put it: "A labor of love down to the last detail!" The characters themselves look like porcelain dolls, and the story is so captivating with its stunning visual effects and dream-like sequences. You are immediately drawn in by the active imagination of the hopeless romantic protagonist, and the struggle he faces while living with a mechanical heart. This film touches upon the same kind of romance as "Moulin Rouge," the stunning aesthetic of "Hugo," and the complexity of ice and love in "Frozen." At first glance it may look silly, but after giving it a chance, I was not disappointed. If you love musicals, animation, and a story that is heartwarming as well as heart wrenching, then you will absolutely love "Jack and the Cuckoo Clock Heart."
    jades_21

    Beautiful

    I love this movie. The music. The way the story is told. The characters.

    A few nights ago my 5-year-old daughter and I sat down for movie night. We chose this. Of course she asked so many questions the whole way through, but she sat through the whole movie and talked about it for days. We sat down again and watched it the whole way through. She is a lover of music and of course wanted to hear the songs, sadly we could only find on YouTube in English. Anyway, the movie was simply beautiful. Tim Burton is one of my absolute favorite directors and this movie had a similar feel to it. I would definitely recommend this movie, and I have.

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    Related interests

    Still frame
    Adventure
    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family
    Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
    Fantasy
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    Musical
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    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The original French language version, which translates literally as Jack and the Mechanics of the Heart, was released in October 2013, with English-, German-, Finnish- and Spanish-language versions following in 2014.
    • Quotes

      Jack: The moment I saw her, I felt a rumbling like an earthquake devastating my clock. My gears started creaking, my tick-tock racing... I was gasping for breath, my head was spinning, my hands were whirring...

      Méliès: How did that feel?

      Jack: Wonderful.

      Méliès: Well, there you go.

    • Crazy credits
      The last thing you hear in the film is a voice saying, "And now, enjoy the film," although this should more properly be at the beginning, rather than the end of a movie.
    • Connections
      Featured in Troldspejlet: Episode #50.14 (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      Jack et la Mécanique du Coeur
      Performed by Arthur H., Jean Rochefort, Olivia Ruiz

      Backing Vocals by Babet (aka Élisabeth Maistre), Johanna Hilaire, Mike Ponton, Olivier Daviaud

      Composed by Dionysos

      © 2014 Barclay, un label Universal Music France

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    FAQ17

    • How long is Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart?Powered by Alexa
    • Why can't Jack fall in love or get angry?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 5, 2014 (Belgium)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Belgium
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • French
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart
    • Production companies
      • EuropaCorp
      • Duran
      • France 3 Cinéma
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $33,746,302 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,489,902
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 34m(94 min)
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White

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