Where happily ever after is just a dream.|Aug. 17, 1995|Spain|108 Min.|R
Genre: Adventure;Fantasy;Science;Fiction
Description: Krank, a highly intelligent but malevolent creation of a missing scientist, suffers from an inability to dream, leading to rapid aging. Residing in an abandoned oil rig alongside the scientist’s other creations—six clones, a dwarf named Martha, and a brain in a vat called Irvin—he uses a machine to extract dreams from kidnapped children. The children are abducted by a cyborg cult known as the Cyclops, who trade their services for mechanical eyes and ears. Among the abducted is Denree, the younger brother of One, a carnival strongman.
After the carnival manager is murdered, One is recruited by a gang of orphaned thieves, led by conjoined twins called “the Octopus,” to help steal a safe. Although successful, One loses the safe in the harbor when he spots Denree’s kidnappers. Determined to rescue his brother, One teams up with Miette, a young girl from the gang, to infiltrate the Cyclops’ base. However, they are captured and sentenced to execution.
Meanwhile, the Octopus enlists Marcello, a circus performer, to retrieve One. Using his trained fleas, which induce uncontrollable aggression, Marcello incites chaos among the Cyclops guards, facilitating One’s escape. During the rescue, Miette falls into the harbor and is seemingly drowned but is saved by an amnesiac diver living beneath the water.
Miette later finds One and Marcello in a bar, drowning their sorrows. Upon seeing her alive, Marcello allows One to leave with Miette. However, the Octopus confronts them on the pier, using Marcello’s fleas to turn One against Miette. A dramatic chain of events, triggered by Miette’s tear, results in a ship crashing into the pier before One can harm her. Marcello arrives, setting the fleas on the Octopus, enabling One and Miette to escape and continue their search for Denree.
Cast director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Cast actor: Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon, Judith Vittet, Daniel Emilfork, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Geneviève Brunet, Odile Mallet, Mireille Mossé, Serge Merlin, Rufus
Original name: La Cité des Enfants Perdus