Category: Animation

Year: 2010

Rating: 7.8/10 (1,259 votes)

Director: Sylvain Chomet

Country: UK

Language: English

Runtime: Germany: 90 min (Berlin International Film Festival)  | France: 80 min

Release Date: 16 June 2010 (France) See more »

Writers: Sylvain Chomet (adaptation), Jacques Tati (original screenplay)

Movie Storyline
Details the story of a dying breed of stage entertainer whose thunder is being stolen by emerging rock stars. Forced to accept increasingly obscure assignments in fringe theaters, garden parties and bars, he meets a young fan who changes his life forever.

Cast:
Jean-Claude Donda - The Illusionist / French Cinema Manager (voice)
Eilidh Rankin - Alice (voice)
Duncan MacNeil - Additional Voices (voice)
Raymond Mearns - Additional Voices (voice)
James T. Muir - Additional Voices (voice)
Tom Urie - Additional Voices (voice)
Paul Bandey - Additional Voices (voice)

Sound Mix: DTS

Color: Color

Filming Locations: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Official Site(s): Official site |

Trivia:
Setting of Tati's original script was Prague, but Sylvain Chomet moved it to Edinburgh, where he lives and has his animation studio.

Crazy Credits:
At the end of the final credits, there's a short bonus scene.

User Review:

Failing to walk in the footsteps of a genius. , rated: 1/10
Despite its good intentions, with its original touching story adapted from the influential comic master Jacques Tati, this animated film may well alienate much of its audience with its melancholy slow pace. With the changing of time the once famous illusionist who is the hero of the movie is forced, in the late 1950's, to leave the theatres of Paris to find new opportunities elsewhere as one generation is gradually replaced by more modern, fresher emerging artists. Thus the once famous out of luck magician, who is no longer young or in fashion is found, after an unsuccessful stint in London, settling in a small Scottish village ... There, he meets Alice, a young woman who will change his life by breaking his solitude when a surrogate father daughter relationship (although at times it could be anything) evolves between the two strangers.

From a hopeful opening the movie thereafter is guilty of plunging the viewer into deep lethargy, which ultimately turns into an indifference towards ether of two the main protagonists. What develops for much of the remainder of the movie is a near silent drawn out trudge punctuated by the most ridiculous take on Gaelic whose sole achievement is to accentuate its own irritation to the audience. Unfortunately after an hour the craftsmanship of The Illusionists visuals are not enough to draw a meaningful response to its intended sad conclusion other than being grateful that your own suffering has thankfully ended.

In conclusion The Illusionist falls far short of the promised masterpiece that was expected from almost a decade in production and illustrates the limitations of Sylvan Chomet as a noteworthy features Director.

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