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==Plot==
==Plot==
Jan (Mathieu Carrière), who is a young seaman, returns to land, and while searching for his childhood home, is mysteriously abducted. He awakens in an isolated old mansion called Malpertuis, where he find himself among various relatives, including his sister Nancy (Susan Hampshire), as well as a strange taxidermist and a resident madman called Lampernisse. The mansion turns out to be a [[labyrinth]] of corridors, staircases, and secret chambers, belonging to his family.
Jan ([[Mathieu Carrière]]), a young sailor, returns to land, and while searching for his childhood home, is mysteriously abducted. He awakens in an isolated old mansion called Malpertuis, where he find himself among various relatives, including his sister Nancy ([[Susan Hampshire]]), as well as a strange taxidermist and a resident madman called Lampernisse ([[Jean-Pierre Cassel]]). The mansion turns out to be a [[labyrinth]] of corridors, staircases, and secret chambers, belonging to his family.


His bedridden occultist uncle Cassavius (Orson Welles) is about to divide the estate to his heirs, but, as it turns out, only if they commit themselves never to leave the premises. They find themselves trapped in a mystery where they enact gods from [[Greek mythology]], which Cassavius believes them to be, while anyone who tries to escape is found horribly murdered. The plot remains obscure to the end, as Jan tries to unravel the mystery and seems to spiral into a dreamlike madness.<ref name="wwd">{{cite web|url=http://www.weirdwildrealm.com/f-malpertuis.html |title=Wild Realm Reviews: Malpertuis |work=weirdwildrealm.com |access-date=13 July 2017}}</ref>
His bedridden occultist uncle Cassavius ([[Orson Welles]]) is about to divide the estate among his heirs, but, as it turns out, only if they commit themselves never to leave the premises. They find themselves trapped in a mystery where they enact gods from [[Greek mythology]], which Cassavius believes them to be, while anyone who tries to escape is found horribly murdered. The plot remains obscure to the end, as Jan tries to unravel the mystery, and seems to spiral into a dreamlike madness.<ref name="wwd">{{cite web|url=http://www.weirdwildrealm.com/f-malpertuis.html |title=Wild Realm Reviews: Malpertuis |work=weirdwildrealm.com |access-date=13 July 2017}}</ref>


==Cast==
==Cast==
Line 41: Line 41:


==Versions==
==Versions==
The English language version of the film that premiered at the 1972 [[Cannes Film Festival]] was 100 minutes, as it had been edited by the American distributor from the original 1971 version, and retitled ''The Legend of Doom House''. It was subsequently edited further by other distributors. The [[Cinematek|Royal Belgian Film Archive]], together with director [[Harry Kümel]], worked to restore the uncut Flemish version of the film, which was released in 1973 as "the director's cut". This version is 20 minutes longer, containing some of the best scenes of the film, which had been edited out. Although this version is more complete, the original voice of Orson Welles is missing from it.<ref name="smith02" /><ref name="wwd" />
The English language version of the film that premiered at the 1972 [[Cannes Film Festival]] was 100 minutes, as it had been edited by the American distributor from the original 1971 version, and retitled ''The Legend of Doom House''. It was subsequently edited further by other distributors. The [[Cinematek|Royal Belgian Film Archive]], together with director [[Harry Kümel]], worked to restore the uncut Flemish version of the film, which was released in 1973 as "the director's cut". This version is 20 minutes longer, containing scenes of the film which had been edited out. Although this version is more complete, the original voice of Orson Welles is missing from it.<ref name="smith02" /><ref name="wwd" />


==Reception==
==Reception==
{{expand section|date=July 2018}}
{{expand section|date=July 2018}}
Neil Smith of ''[[BBC]]'' gave the film 2/5 stars, calling it "Bizarre, lurid and baffling".<ref name="smith02">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/07/05/malpertuis_1971_review.shtml |title=Movies - Malpertuis (1971) |work=bbc.co.uk |access-date=13 July 2017}}</ref> Michael Barrett from ''[[PopMatters]]'' rated it 7/10 stars, calling it "ragged and dizzy, full of sharp zooms and frantic cuts."<ref name="barrett07">{{cite web |last1=Barrett |first1=Michael |title=Malpertuis - PopMatters |url=https://www.popmatters.com/malpertuis-2496220981.html |website=PopMatters.com |publisher=Michael Barrett |access-date=11 July 2018}}</ref> On his website ''Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings'', Dave Sindelar called it "[a] disorienting, slightly disturbing and sometimes infuriating movie"<ref name="sindelar03">{{cite web |last1=Sindelar |first1=Dave |title=The Legend of Doom House (1971) |url=https://fantasticmoviemusings.com/2015/08/05/the-legend-of-doom-house-1971/ |website=FantasticMovieMusings.com |publisher=Dave Sindelar |access-date=11 July 2018}}</ref>
Neil Smith of the [[BBC]] gave the film 2/5 stars, calling it "Bizarre, lurid and baffling".<ref name="smith02">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/07/05/malpertuis_1971_review.shtml |title=Movies - Malpertuis (1971) |work=[[BBC]] |access-date=13 July 2017}}</ref> Michael Barrett from ''[[PopMatters]]'' rated it 7/10 stars, calling it "ragged and dizzy, full of sharp zooms and frantic cuts."<ref name="barrett07">{{cite web |last1=Barrett |first1=Michael |title=Malpertuis|website=[[PopMatters]] |url=https://www.popmatters.com/malpertuis-2496220981.html |date=1 August 2007 |access-date=11 July 2018}}</ref> On his website ''Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings'', Dave Sindelar called it "[a] disorienting, slightly disturbing and sometimes infuriating movie"<ref name="sindelar03">{{cite web |last1=Sindelar |first1=Dave |title=The Legend of Doom House (1971) |url=https://fantasticmoviemusings.com/2015/08/05/the-legend-of-doom-house-1971/ |website=FantasticMovieMusings.com |date=5 August 2015 |access-date=11 July 2018}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
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==External links==
==External links==
* {{Allmovie|101056|Malpertuis}}
* {{Allmovie|101056|Malpertuis}}
* {{Imdb title|id=0067386|title=Malpertuis}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0067386|title=Malpertuis}}
* {{Rotten tomatoes|malpertuis_the_legend_of_doom_house|Malpertuis: The Legend of the Doom House}}
* {{Rotten tomatoes|malpertuis_the_legend_of_doom_house|Malpertuis: The Legend of the Doom House}}
* {{tcmdb title|82505|Malpertuis: Histoire d'une maison Maudite}}
* {{tcmdb title|82505|Malpertuis: Histoire d'une maison Maudite}}

{{Jean Ray}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Malpertuis (Film)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Malpertuis (Film)}}
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[[Category:1970s avant-garde and experimental films]]
[[Category:1970s avant-garde and experimental films]]
[[Category:1970s fantasy films]]
[[Category:1970s fantasy films]]
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[[Category:Belgian films]]
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[[Category:French films]]
[[Category:West German films]]
[[Category:West German films]]
[[Category:Belgian avant-garde and experimental films]]
[[Category:Belgian avant-garde and experimental films]]
[[Category:Belgian horror films]]
[[Category:Belgian horror films]]
[[Category:Belgian fantasy films]]
[[Category:Belgian fantasy films]]
[[Category:Dutch-language films]]
[[Category:1970s Dutch-language films]]
[[Category:English-language Belgian films]]
[[Category:English-language Belgian films]]
[[Category:English-language French films]]
[[Category:English-language French films]]
[[Category:English-language German films]]
[[Category:English-language German films]]
[[Category:French-language films]]
[[Category:1970s French-language films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Georges Delerue]]
[[Category:Films scored by Georges Delerue]]
[[Category:Films directed by Harry Kümel]]
[[Category:Films directed by Harry Kümel]]
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[[Category:Films based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Films based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Films based on horror novels]]
[[Category:Films based on horror novels]]
[[Category:Films set in country houses]]
[[Category:French supernatural horror films]]
[[Category:French supernatural horror films]]
[[Category:Surrealist films]]
[[Category:Surrealist films]]
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[[Category:Films shot in Bruges]]
[[Category:Films shot in Bruges]]
[[Category:Films shot in Belgium]]
[[Category:Films shot in Belgium]]
[[Category:1971 multilingual films]]
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[[Category:Belgian multilingual films]]
[[Category:French multilingual films]]
[[Category:German multilingual films]]
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[[Category:1970s French films]]

Latest revision as of 22:22, 15 May 2024

Malpertuis
Film poster
Directed byHarry Kümel
Written byJean Ferry
Based onMalpertuis
by Jean Ray
Produced byPaul Laffargue
Ritta Laffargue
Pierre Levie
StarringOrson Welles
Susan Hampshire
Michel Bouquet
Mathieu Carrière
Jean-Pierre Cassel
Daniel Pilon
Walter Rilla
Dora van der Groen
Charles Janssens
Sylvie Vartan
CinematographyGerry Fisher
Edited byRichard Marden
Music byGeorges Delerue
Production
companies
Distributed byPremier Releasing
Release date
  • 1971 (1971)
Running time
119 minutes
CountriesBelgium
France
West Germany
LanguagesDutch
French
English

Malpertuis (released in the US as The Legend of Doom House) is a 1971 Belgian fantasy horror film directed by Harry Kümel, based on the 1943 novel of the same name. It was selected for the official selection and was presented "in competition" at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival. A Flemish "director's cut" version was released in 1973.[1][2]

Plot

[edit]

Jan (Mathieu Carrière), a young sailor, returns to land, and while searching for his childhood home, is mysteriously abducted. He awakens in an isolated old mansion called Malpertuis, where he find himself among various relatives, including his sister Nancy (Susan Hampshire), as well as a strange taxidermist and a resident madman called Lampernisse (Jean-Pierre Cassel). The mansion turns out to be a labyrinth of corridors, staircases, and secret chambers, belonging to his family.

His bedridden occultist uncle Cassavius (Orson Welles) is about to divide the estate among his heirs, but, as it turns out, only if they commit themselves never to leave the premises. They find themselves trapped in a mystery where they enact gods from Greek mythology, which Cassavius believes them to be, while anyone who tries to escape is found horribly murdered. The plot remains obscure to the end, as Jan tries to unravel the mystery, and seems to spiral into a dreamlike madness.[3]

Cast

[edit]

Versions

[edit]

The English language version of the film that premiered at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival was 100 minutes, as it had been edited by the American distributor from the original 1971 version, and retitled The Legend of Doom House. It was subsequently edited further by other distributors. The Royal Belgian Film Archive, together with director Harry Kümel, worked to restore the uncut Flemish version of the film, which was released in 1973 as "the director's cut". This version is 20 minutes longer, containing scenes of the film which had been edited out. Although this version is more complete, the original voice of Orson Welles is missing from it.[4][3]

Reception

[edit]

Neil Smith of the BBC gave the film 2/5 stars, calling it "Bizarre, lurid and baffling".[4] Michael Barrett from PopMatters rated it 7/10 stars, calling it "ragged and dizzy, full of sharp zooms and frantic cuts."[5] On his website Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings, Dave Sindelar called it "[a] disorienting, slightly disturbing and sometimes infuriating movie"[6]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Malpertuis". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  2. ^ "25ème Festival International du Film - Cannes". cinema-francais.fr (in French). Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Wild Realm Reviews: Malpertuis". weirdwildrealm.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Movies - Malpertuis (1971)". BBC. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  5. ^ Barrett, Michael (1 August 2007). "Malpertuis". PopMatters. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  6. ^ Sindelar, Dave (5 August 2015). "The Legend of Doom House (1971)". FantasticMovieMusings.com. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
[edit]
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