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Perfume - The Story Of A Murderer [2006]


RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £4.44 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Based on Patrick Suskind's novel about a serial killer who hunts victims with his superhuman sense of smell, Perfume: Story of a Murderer is a florid, grisly portrayal of this historical drama set in 18th century France. Jean-Baptiste Grunuis (Ben Whishaw) is born under his mother's table at the fish market, onto a pile of muddy fish guts, establishing from the beginning his repulsion for putrid scents. A childhood of neglect and, later, a job at a tannery, encourage Jean-Baptiste to develop his olfactory sense rather than his verbal skills, so that an opportunity to prove his worth to Parisian perfumist, Giuseppe Baldini (Dustin Hoffman), results in his immediate hire into a promising new career. His successes in perfume mixing are negated by a blinding obsession for capturing the sublime beauty of human soul, which in his twisted logic requires the killing of young women to reduce their body fats to essential oils for the ultimate, cannibalised eau de parfum. An omniscient narrator tells the story with much sympathy for Jean-Baptiste's perverted psychology, making it, often, too obvious that his need for love justifies his murderous desire to capture misguided sexual attractions in a vile. Continuous close-ups of Grunius's nose, countered by close-ups of the places and objects he smells, enhance the viewer's understanding of his sensitivity. Repeated comparisons are made between the killer and dogs who aid, then expose his sick experimentation. The settings are fascinating, especially Baldini's perfumery and some later scenes in enflorage factories outside Provence. Whishaw's and Hoffman's performances are both grand. But Perfume unnecessarily spells out Jean-Baptiste's psychosis, squelching any chance for metaphor. This is unfortunate, considering the story's paradoxical nature. As this crude hunter navigates his way through a world of utmost delicacy, one craves ambiguity rather than explanation. --Trinie Dalton

Editorial
Synopsis

Author Patrick Suskind enjoys a career shrouded in Salinger-esque mystery. Suskind’s best-selling novel PERFUME was coveted by Hollywood for many years, and finally makes it to the screen in this production helmed by Tom Tykwer (RUN LOLA RUN). The film stays remarkably faithful to the author’s vision, perfectly summoning up the brooding ominousness of small-town life in 18th-century France, and getting the casting of its central character, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw), exactly right. Grenouille is an orphan whose sense of smell is extraordinarily acute. He impresses master perfumer Baldini (Dustin Hoffman) enough to work for him, and this sets Grenouille off on an epic quest to find the perfect scent. When he discovers that killing young women and bottling their essence is the only way he can achieve his dream, Grenouille is soon a wanted man with multiple murders to his name. However, when it comes to making one last kill--namely the attractive redhead Laura (Rachel Hurd-Wood)--the young perfumer may have met his match in her overprotective father, Richis (Alan Rickman). Tykwer’s film is an impressive achievement, not least because the subject of scent and the cinematic medium were always going to make uneasy bedfellows. Couple that with the weight of expectation caused by the millions of readers who have delighted in Suskind’s words, and it needed a brave director to take on such a project. Whishaw is a revelation in his first major screen appearance, and Tykwer made a wise choice in bringing in some older heads (Rickman, Hoffman) to support the younger actor. Visually, the film is stunning, and cinematographer Frank Griebe clearly worked hard to bring Suskind and Tykwer’s visions to life. But ultimately this is an ensemble piece, with cast and crew all pulling together to create a film that simmers with a hushed menace throughout.

wow!
Review date: 2008-06-05 Rating: 10 out of 10

I stumbled upon this film about half way through on Sky HD and was mesmorised throughout the remainder of it !This is the most captivating ,mesmorising film i have ever watched and i LOVED it!The scene when he goes to be executed and instead unleashes the worlds most perfect perfume on the crowd who hail him as an "angel" was one of the most electrifiying moments i have ever witnessed!The hairs on my arms actually raised as the scene unfolded! I absolutely recommend this film to be viewed in HD as it really compliments EVERY aspect of the film- makers skill and let yourself really get into it and it will stay with you forever!! Congragulations to everyone involved in its making !

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Reviews


In answer to the question below...No!
Review date: 2008-05-31 Rating: 6 out of 10

Having watched the fabulous and amazingly kinetic Run Lola Run more by accident rather than design, it was a conscious decision on my part to seek out some more of Tom Tykwer's work, to see whether this young director was capable of replicating the stunning visual immediacy and comedic timing of his most famous work to date.
Perfume (that's what I am going to call it from now on rather than its official mouthful of a title) is the story of Jean Baptiste Grenouille (played with a sense of dislocation by Ben Whishaw), a child brought into this world by his uncaring mother atop a pile of fish-guts in a Parisian market place in 18th century France. Jean appears destined for a life of drudgery and toil, but he is born with one talent, the most amazing sense of smell, and it is this talent that leads him into the perfumery business as the assistant to Giuseppe Baldini, a man who has fallen on hard times, and played with just the right level of arrogance and condescension by an almost unrecognizable Dustin Hoffman. Needless to say, thanks to Jeans almost supernatural sense of smell, the perfumes he creates are soon the sensation of Paris. However, Jean has another altogether less healthy obsession, the desire to create the greatest scent ever known to man, an obsession that leads him down the road of murder, as he kills young women in his strange desire to capture their scent.
From this rather preposterous premise (it's based on a novel by Patrick Suskind, and many people, including Stanley Kubrick, considered it unfilmable) Tykwer has crafted what at first seems to be a dazzling and intriguing film. As we are first introduced to the young Jean-Baptiste, we are also introduced into his world were smell is the primary faculty by which he senses his world, something that you wouldn't think would be easy to convey using a medium that is based on sight and sound. However, through a series of lightning quick cuts, we the viewers are assailed by the images that Jean-Baptiste smells as he passes through the crowded and smelly streets of 18th century Paris. However, when Jean-Baptiste leaves Paris in order to fulfil his twisted dream, the film stumbles somewhat, and appears to loose its focus to a certain extent. In addition to this, whilst Jean-Baptiste is without a shadow of a doubt a dangerous psychotic with little or no sense of right and wrong, the film tries to force the viewer to sympathise with this damaged soul, rather than let them form their own sympathies, and utilises Jean-Baptistes obvious but never stated desire for affection as both a reason and to a certain extent as an excuse for his crimes. Whilst the film looks beautiful throughout (even the lingering shots as jean-Baptiste goes about his grisly work are never less than lovely, if a little voyeuristic), and Whishaw and Hoffman are both admirable in their roles, it is hard to really connect or feel any sympathy for any of the characters (even Alan Rickman's grieving father fails to really touch our hearts).
This is not a bad film by any means, but its lack of emotional subtlety robs it of much that could have made it great, and its sympathies are going to make some viewers uneasy. A brave effort, but does not hold a candle to Run Lola Run.


Beautiful....................
Review date: 2008-03-16 Rating: 10 out of 10

Born in the slums of 18th Century France in a fish market to a mother who immediately abandons him, Jean Baptiste is then left at an orphanage where he is treated with contempt by everyone there due to his oddness. He has no smell so no one can relate to him, but he has a hyper sensitised olfactory sense.

One day he smells the most beautiful scent he has ever experienced, and it becomes his obsession to capture and contain that fragrance forever.

I read the book first, and there is so much description of every aroma, from the stench of putrefaction in the slums, to the beautiful bouquet of summer blossom, that I suspected the film to be either dreadful or beautiful. It is definitely the latter.

Umm, yes!!
Review date: 2008-03-04 Rating: 2 out of 10

I saw the trailer and imagined this to be a good Art House style film. Had to stop the film half way through to the relief of myself and my husband. I watched the rest tonight, wish I hadn't bothered. Bizarre, and rather puzzling. Probably very close to the original novel, which I shan't bother to read.

Not my cup of tea and I definitely don't recommend this film for an entertaining evening in!

Dont bother!!
Review date: 2008-02-18 Rating: 2 out of 10

Totally weird, bizarre movie. My wife and I looked at each other at the end, open mouthed, not beleiving we had sat through and watched it all!!

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Dustin Hoffman
Rachel Hurd Wood
Alan Rickman
Ben Wishaw

Creators:
Dustin Hoffman (Primary Contributor)
Alan Rickman (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Pathe Distribution Ltd
Manufacturer: Pathe Distribution Ltd
EAN: 5060002835555
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: Anamorphic, PAL,
Release date: 2007-04-30
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 141 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2006
Language: English (Original Language)

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