Malpertuis (1971)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Harry Kümel

Writers:

Jean Ferry (writer)
Jean Ray (novel)

Release Date:

28 June 1974 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Malpertuis is a labyrinth where characters issued from the Greek mythology are made prisoners by Cassavius...

Plot Keywords:

Mythology | Greek Mythology | Alternative Reality | Prometheus | Dream

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Orson Welles	...	Cassavius
Susan Hampshire	...	Nancy / Euryale / Alice / Nurse
Michel Bouquet	...	Dideloo
Mathieu Carrière	...	Jan
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Lampernisse
Daniel Pilon	...	Mathias Crook
Walter Rilla	...	Eigengott
Dora van der Groen	...	Sylvie Dideloo
Charles Janssens	...	Philarette
Sylvie Vartan	...	Bets
Jet Naessens	...	Eleonora
Cara Van Wersch	...	Rosalie
Jenny Van Santvoort	...	Elodie
Fanny Winkler	...	Mother Griboin
Robert Lussac	...	Griboin (as Bob Storm)

Also Known As:

Malpertuis: Histoire d'une maison maudite (Belgium: French title)
Malpertuis: The Legend of Doom House
The Legend of Doom House (USA)

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

France | Belgium | West Germany

Language:

Dutch

Color:

Color (Gevacolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | UK:18

Company:

Artémis Productions

Trivia:

This film was Harry Kümel's favorite project for a long time but it was not until his previous film Les lèvres rouges (1971) succeeded at the box office (most notably in the US) that he managed to raise funding for it. Unfortunately, "Malpertuis" did poorly in most countries, though it was even nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Fascinating and tiresome, could be shorter

My hopes were high for this film. I'd seen Kumel's Le Rouge aux levres/Daughters of Darkness, the most stylish vampire/kinky sex movie ever made, and I love its sly wit and arresting visuals. Malpertuis is not as effective, alas, and I put that down to an overly-complicated story weighed down by too many classical references taken from the novel. Lampernisse, standing in for Prometheus, just doesn't work as a character. Why introduce the Erinyes, the three women who punished offenders against blood kin, when they don't advance the story? It's not an easy thing to watch a movie with a handbook of classical mythology by your side.

Having said this, I will add that it is wonderful to watch film that shows a great visual sophistication (crowd shots that evoke an Ensor painting, or that wonderful twisting staircase in the house) and never needs F/X. We have lost a great deal by the subservience to CGI today.