This film is currently unavailable
Delicatessen
Jeunet and Caro's endlessly inventive and wildly enjoyable post-apocalyptic black comedy, about a sinister butcher and the circus clown who becomes his nemesis.
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Overview
Writer-director team Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro burst onto the scene with this visually astounding, anarchically bonkers and brilliant black comedy. In a post-apocalyptic France where food is scarce, a butcher with a suspicious supply of meat, Clapet (Jean-Claude Dreyfus), has become a local kingpin. When circus clown Louison (Dominique Pinon) arrives in town, his skill with knives earns him a place at Clapet's table - until he unwisely falls for the butcher's daughter, Julie (Marie-Laure Dougnac).
With its blackly comic violence, cartoonish characters and eccentric musical interludes, Delicatessen's release in 1991 marked a breath of fresh air for French cinema, melding the visual sleekness of the contemporary 'Cinéma du look' scene with the warped, steampunk-style sensibility of Terry Gilliam. The result was a breakthrough hit in the UK, leading a path to Hollywood for director Jeunet (Alien: Resurrection) and earning the film's enduring cult reputation.
Contains suicide theme and strong comic horrorRelated
Project A Project A
Action and Adventure 1983 106 mins Director: Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan’s rip-roaring action-adventure about a coastguard hot on the trail of a ruthless band of pirates in late 19th century Hong Kong.
The Foul King The Foul King
Comedy 2000 112 mins Director: Kim Jee-woon
Kim Jee-woon’s hilarious comedy, starring Song Kang-ho (Parasite) as a wimpy bank clerk who turns his hand to competitive wrestling.
Tangerine Tangerine
Comedy 2015 88 mins Director: Sean Baker
A big-hearted film shot on a small phone, this LA tale of two transgender working girls out for vengeance fizzes with wild energy.
Cop Secret Cop Secret
Comedy 2021 100 mins Director: Hannes Þór Halldórsson
Two Icelandic cops forced to work together become more than just buddies in this enjoyably explosive send-up of action movies.
Armour of God Armour of God
Comedy 1986 99 mins Director: Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan takes inspiration from Indiana Jones as he becomes embroiled in a dangerous quest to retrieve a lost treasure.
Street Trash Street Trash
Comedy 1987 101 mins Director: Jim Muro
A deadly liquor rips through a community of vagabonds living in the junkyards of Brooklyn, in this outlandish 80s body horror.
Computer Chess Computer Chess
Comedy 2013 91 mins Director: Andrew Bujalski
Andrew Bujalski’s hilarious and surreal comedy about the birth of computer culture, set in an early 1980s conference where primitive programmers take on chess masters.
Whisky Galore! Whisky Galore!
Comedy 1949 83 mins Director: Alexander Mackendrick
Ealing's thirstiest comedy: "the longest unsponsored advertisement ever to reach cinema screens"?
Dogtooth Dogtooth
Drama 2009 93 mins Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Yorgos Lanthimos' scary, witty tale of a dysfunctional Greek family is original, ingenious and sadly relevant as a study of parent-child relationships
Unrelated Unrelated
Drama 2008 96 mins Director: Joanna Hogg
On a Tuscan break a fortysomething woman finds herself drawn to the company of a group of partying teens, including a young Tom Hiddleston (in one of his earliest roles).
Amour Fou Amour Fou
Period drama 2014 92 mins Director: Jessica Hausner
Jessica Hausner’s long-awaited follow-up to Lourdes is a devilish anti-Rom-Com in which a German poet seeks mates for a suicide pact.
La Grande Bouffe La Grande Bouffe
Comedy 1973 130 mins Director: Marco Ferreri
Marco Ferreri's provocative and controversial satire about four friends who retreat to a country mansion with the intention of eating themselves to death.
Police Story Police Story
Martial arts 1985 101 mins Director: Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan's mind-blowing, high-octane extravaganza of death-defying stunts and action comedy.
Hapkido Hapkido
Action and Adventure 1972 98 mins Director: Huang Feng
Two martial arts schools battle it out in Huang Feng’s action classic (aka Lady Kung Fu), starring long term collaborator and combat master, Angela Mao.
Project A Project A
Action and Adventure 1983 106 mins Director: Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan’s rip-roaring action-adventure about a coastguard hot on the trail of a ruthless band of pirates in late 19th century Hong Kong.
China O'Brien China O'Brien
Action and Adventure 1991 91 mins Director: Robert Clouse
Cynthia Rothrock stars as the tough city cop and martial artist on the trail of a local crime boss, in this action classic from the director of Enter the Dragon.
Jesus' Son Jesus' Son
Drama 1999 108 mins Director: Alison Maclean
Billy Crudup stars as a young drifter who gets hooked on heroin in this star-studded story of addiction, recovery and redemption.
The New Boy The New Boy
Drama 2023 96 mins Director: Warwick Thornton
Cate Blanchett is mesmerising as a feverish nun, in Warwick Thornton’s striking tale of spiritual worlds colliding in 1940s Australia.