Review of Delicatessen (1991) by Peter H — 18 Mar 2013

Imaginative surrealist black comedy set in a dystopian future France where food is in short supply. A small local community revolves around a butcher (Jean-Claude Dreyfus) who supplies the town with the only meat still on offer.... human, which he acquires by posting advertisements for an odd job man in the local paper. Anyone lucky enough to get the job receives room and board - and a grisly death at the hands of the butcher. However when his latest tenant, former circus clown Louison (Dominique Pinon), arrives his daughter Julie (Marie-Laure Dougnac) becomes enamoured with him and is determined he doesn't end up on her father's chopping block.

In many ways it's a nostalgic film that echoes the Golden Age of Hollywood, a story of love in the face of adversity with touches of Buster Keaton slapstick and interludes of the cast demonstrating their talents for music or dance in the same way that Marx Brothers movies are intercut with Harpo playing the harp or Chico tinkling the ivories. A dark sepia toned palette and overall 1940s styling heighten the air of the past - in turn making the juxtaposition of the black plot and surreal fantasy characters even more pronounced and enjoyable. In equal parts comforting and horrific, there is no holding back on the blood and dark humour but with a warm carefree presentation. Held together by a small well-drawn cast of bizarre characters who occupy the butcher's apartment block, we glimpse their individual lives and foibles like the cast of an eccentric cartoon or sitcom. Each with their own stories or motivations, there is never a dull moment as they're all so odd and interesting. Dominique Pinon is wonderful as the rubber-faced former clown employing some expert physical acting but also the emotional tenderness to bring his relationship with the butcher's daughter believably to life.

'Delicatessen' is beautifully designed, with every set taking an imaginative spin on the 1940s - updating or contorting it in various ways. Almost entirely set inside the apartment block or underground, it's also very claustrophobic, with tight crops and close ups. This has the effect of capturing what it is to be confined to the dingy flats, but also reveals the fantastic attention to detail shown by the art department. The film's plot may be forgotten over time, but the odd dark dreamlike world it creates leaves a lasting impression. It's a wonderfully inventive film, and an utterly unique experience. Confident enough to just have fun in its bizarre universe, although perhaps not as accessible as Jeunet's other work, 'Amélie', it has countless pleasures to offer and is capable of entertaining anyone who is willing to be seduced by it.