Angst in der Stadt (1964)

Angst in der Stadt: Directed by Jean-Pierre Mocky. With Bourvil, Jean-Louis Barrault, Francis Blanche, Victor Francen. Two police inspectors Triquet and Vergus launch their investigations to arrest a dangerous escaped forger named Mickey Le Bénedictin.

“A note about Belgian Jean Ray,who wrote u0026quot; La Cité De lu0026#39;Indicible Peuru0026quot;.His most famous works were the adventures of private detective Harry Dickson -that could make a wonderful TV series -and u0026quot;Malpertuisu0026quot; ,transferred to the screen in 1971.Rayu0026#39;s universe is horror,terror and if his explanations often dissatisfy,being too far-fetched,they sustain the readeru0026#39;s interest .u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFact :Mocky was told his original title was not commercial enough ,and he was ordered to change it for u0026quot;La Grande Frousseu0026quot; (the big fright);later he bought it back and re-edited it .u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNevertheless,he did not really capture Rayu0026#39;s atmosphere ;it is a burlesque farce ,which may be off-putting for the writeru0026#39;s fans .The precedent user hinted at u0026quot;twion peaksu0026quot; but actually,there are echoes of Prévert/Carnéu0026#39;s u0026quot;Drôle De Drameu0026quot; (1937).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe choice of Bourvil might seem amazing but not only the actor made several movies with the director,he also produced the movie (Raimbourg is Bourvilu0026#39;s name) .Bourvil is cast as a not-so-smart detective but thereu0026#39;s a curious alienation effect and the viewer sees him in a different light ;some well-known actors such as Raymond Rouleau,Jean-Louis Barrault (star of the aforementioned u0026quot;Drole De Drameu0026quot;) Jean Poiret or venerable Victor Francen seem almost disturbing,under a simple geniality.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe settings and the lightings are stunning and the atmosphere of a town from the Middle-Ages is perfectly captured .But if Mocky claims Rayu0026#39;s original title ,there is a contradiction:the writeru0026#39;s terrifying tales were not black humor (one of the Rayu0026#39;s weaknesses is his total lack of humor)and Mockyu0026#39;s lines are not really up to scratch anyway.”