Le pacte des loups (2001)

Director:

Christophe Gans

Writers:

Stéphane Cabel (adaptation) &
Christophe Gans (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

31 January 2001 (France)

Genre:

Action | History | Horror | Mystery

Plot:

In 18th century France, the Chevalier de Fronsac and his native American friend Mani are sent by the King to the Gevaudan province to investigate the killings of hundreds by a mysterious beast.

Plot Keywords:

Beast | Conspiracy | Native American | Mysterious Beast | Supernatural

Awards:

3 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Samuel Le Bihan	...	Grégoire de Fronsac
Vincent Cassel	...	Jean-François de Morangias
Émilie Dequenne	...	Marianne de Morangias
Monica Bellucci	...	Sylvia
Jérémie Renier	...	Thomas d'Apcher
Mark Dacascos	...	Mani
Jean Yanne	...	Le Comte de Morangias
Jean-François Stévenin	...	Henri Sardis
Jacques Perrin	...	Thomas d'Apcher (old)
Edith Scob	...	Geneviève de Morangias
Johan Leysen	...	Beauterne
Bernard Farcy	...	Laffont
Hans Meyer	...	Marquis d'Apcher
Virginie Darmon	...	La Bavarde
Philippe Nahon	...	Jean Chastel

Also Known As:

Brotherhood of the Wolf (Canada: English title) (USA)
Lupus dei - Le pacte des loups (France) (original script title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and gore, and sexuality/nudity.

Runtime:

142 min | 152 min (director's cut)

Country:

France

Language:

French | German | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:14 | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Hungary:16 | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Philippines:R-18 | Canada:R (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Château de Roquetaillade, Mazères, Gironde, France

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

De Fronsac travels on a ship aptly named "Frère loup", French for "Brother wolf".

Goofs:

Continuity: The young Marquis d'Apcher is wounded on his right arm during the fight with the beast. Later, it is his left arm that is bandaged.

Quotes:

Sylvia: Do you know how Florentine women ensure their husbands come home? Every morning they slip him a slow poison, and every evening the antidote. That way, when the husband spends the night away, he has a very bad night.
Gregoire De Fronsac: You needn't resort to that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Irréversible (2002)

Soundtrack:

Once

A Rainy Day Extravaganzza

When it is cold and wet and foreboding outside, leaving one to fend for a good escape into fantasy and a time gone by, then this movie DELIVERS. Say whatever you want about miniscule "holes" in the story, or the tedium applied to the cinematography or the excessive use of slow camera effects in the fight sequences, THIS IS ENTERTAINMENT.

This movie carries the viewer into a whole new world- not like the one inhabited by Hobbits and Elves, and other creatures that obviously DO NOT exist- but rather a world of old France where the people are stranger than fiction and the times are changing. Fables meet their demise AND their verification in this film.

It's not a movie I would call a "favorite", but it IS a movie that I consider a "guilty pleasure" on a day that affords me three hours to slip out of my existence and follow a satisfying and well-presented fantasy. Every millimeter of every frame is a work of art, and that alone is worth getting lost in.