Animal (1977) Online

One of the greatest films about moviemaking ever. Hundreds of extras running and fighting, a stuntman is jumping and falling down a 30 meter staircase again and again, getting hurt more and more, while the director is only worried about entertaining his leading role superstar bruno ferrari (what a name!), who's performance is getting worse and worse. And after take 15 the 1st AD whispers 'Dont you think take 1 was great, and if you want, you can mix it with take 3', and the director yells 'Okay, let's have lunch!

"The Animal" from 1977 and director Claude Zidi is amicable enough as a comedy romance and certainly wanted to capitalize on Jean-Paul Belmondo's previous successes as a swashbuckling ("Cartouche") or zany acrobatic and yet dumbfounded "That Man From Rio." "The Animal" seems certainly the sugar-coated "entertainment" big budgeted films feel are safe, yet even though Belmondo seems a bit washed-up and co-star Raquel Welch comes out better with quite a lot less to do, but then the producers have even altered the title in preference of Miss Welch's "abilities" and you may find this entry as "Stuntwoman." Yes, Belmondo and Welch play stunt people and even though at times it is all rather benign, when one looks at the end product, the discerning viewer will feel consistently like their balloon, repeatedly blown up and then let out, has nothing to do but burst. One can certainly feel bad for Belmondo as De Broca is clearly not at the helm, and the only real joys of the film was that it was a top-grossing film in France when it was released. A nice attempt at capturing the glories of the past in financially fueled numbness of our "new" entertainment, but it is only actually half-successful. At times it gets away with not insulting your intelligence, but ultimately you feel like an idiot for its sake.

Watchable little slapstick comedy about a stuntman (Belmondo), his stuntwoman girlfriend (Welch), how the film industry treats them, how they get by when out of a job, etc. Belmondo plays a double role, as a gay movie star and his look-a-like stunt double. He apparently has enormous fun playing both of them completely over the top (as the character of the film demands). For my taste though, his stunt character demands a bit too much love and attention from the audience; we are supposed to route for him getting the girl etc. and I found this somewhat patronising.

The film is at its best in moments of fast and furious comedy, for example a memorable scene has Belmondo creating havoc while wearing a Gorilla suit. However, these moments leave Raquel Welch (who looks fantastic in a wet blouse) a bit on the sidelines: slapstick is not quite her metier.

This movie is a lot of fun,i watched it when i was a kid when it came out in Europe and i remember laughing in several scenes.I don't know how Belmondo's style translates to American audiences but to the rest of the world he was a big star when this movie came out and made a fantastic duo with Raquel.Raquel Welch always had a good flair for comedy and this material allows her to show her abilities.Here she is supposed to be a stunt-woman,partnering stuntman Belmondo in films and wanting to get married and she is really a lot of guts and fun.Belmondo plays the stuntman and a second role as a gay film star who resembles the stuntman. Belmondo is on his turf here and delivers.There was a lot of publicity about the stunts in this movie.Almost all of them performed by Belmondo himself,especially impressive a flying stunt where Belmodo is standing on-top of a flying plane.This movie is a good showcase for both Belmondo and Raquel.

Claude Zidi has made comedies with all the best actors in France: Coluche, Thierry Lhermitte, Daniel Auteuil, Josiane Balasko; I imagine they sign on when they know he's directing. Here he has got Belmondo and Raquel Welch in an entertaining but not deeply probing picture(certainly not as deeply as Salut l'artiste, Yves Robert's film on stunt performers, with Mastroianni).

Belmondo has a lot of fun being physical, throwing his 44-year-old body down staircases and over moving cars. That stomach is still as flat as when he made Breathless with Godard, he's a marvel. Raquel Welch looks better here than I can remember her in Hollywood pictures, she's well lit and wears some great outfits by Scherer. She looks a lot better than she did in Mother, Jugs and Speed, or any of those junkfests. Finally, Aldo Maccione as the director is so easy to watch--and I've watched him in many pictures--he's like the perfect shady night club manager, married to the mob.

the movie is a favourite of my childhood, after watch and watch and watch again, it's become quite cheesy for me , not bored , just a feeling of "cheese".

the most amazing thing about the movie is the score composed by vladimir cosma , the score got a nomination by the french film academy--Cesar's highbrows (note: Cesar like any other academic "elite" groups , never have given a commercial movie a chance , but this time. they made an exception. however it unluckily but inevitably lost to Miklós Rózsa's Providence in which I swear I didn't hear any music except some noise from some factories) , I guess the score must be the easiest listening music of all time, hands down! (best enjoy it at summer)

the second most wonderful thing(close to the first) is naturally belmondo, mike is drop dead hot. he is shining and spreading everywhere,his smile, his gesture, his walk, he is really a lovely man as for Bruno, belmondo showed his another side----his traditional acting talent....

the third thing is the french supporting cast Charles Gérard,Mario David, Julien Guiomar,Dany Saval,Raymond Gérôme,Aldo Maccione,and of course Claude Chabrol who resembles a panda as himself, well, no one tries to steal the show, though everyone has the ability to do..

I care least for Raquel Welch, who although has done her best is replaceable, but I admit they have good chemistry. and as an American actress she has something different..

this is also director Zidi's best film, his other films(including"The Wing and the Thigh", "Ripoux") failed completely, i recommend his 4 films with charlots bros and 2 films with auteuil, they are not magnificent, but at least very amusing

Michel Audiard ,the respectable dialog writer also should be given some credit for his collaboration

film buffs! give yourself a break , watch this picture like ordinary people do

This picture hit the movie screens on October 17th 1977 overseas in France. Starring in this film is the beautiful and gorgeous Raquel Welch who plays the role of Jane Gardner and Jean Paul Belmondo who plays the role of Mike Gaucher. The picture opens with Mike climbing the side of a burning building to rescue Jane Gardner from the fire. While talking about there up coming wedding which is the next day the producer remains Mike that the car crash scene is to start at 10am. Jane stands here ground and said no until her and Mike compromise and agrees to get married right after the scene is done. While in the car doing the crash scene for the second time the brakes in the car give out leaving the couple hanging over a bridge. The car gives and goes straight down putting both Mike and Jane in the hospital. With both of them in the same room the Justice of the Piece shows up to marry the couple. However, Jane changes her mind and throws the Minister out of the room. Then she takes a pair of scissors, then pulls her bed over to Mike's and tries to stab him with the scissors. After both Mike and Jane injuries heal Mike still wants to marry Jane but Jane wants nothing to do with the two time loser. After having no work Mike gets a call to go to Paris to do stunt man job for one of the local movie stars. When the stunt woman walks of the set its up to Mike to find a replacement and who's his first choose none other then Jane. So Mike follows Jane to a big party where he tries to convince Jane to work with him on this job or his finished. After running around and acting crazy Jane says yes just to get him away from her. What makes matters worst is Jane decides she going to marry one of the movie directors from Paris. Now Mike has to do anything and everything if he wants to keep Jane to himself. This wasn't a bad movie and if it wasn't for the beauty of Raquel Welch this movie wouldn't even be worth watching. The best seen is where there near the water and Raquel gets her on piece suit wet and she's shows of her beauty with style. I give this picture 10 weasel stars just for that scene alone.

As he had already proved in other films, Jean Paul Belmondo is possibly the closest European equivalent to Jackie Chan in terms of the stunts and acrobatics he is willing to do (another candidate: Terence Hill). In "L'Animal" he is in peak form and takes some life-threatening risks (including standing on the top of a flying bi-plane!), and, playing two different characters (a stuntman, brave but with a knack for screwing things up, and a movie star, popular, spoiled and gay), he shows his comic talents as well. Raquel Welch does her share of physical stuff, and, needless to say, she is a total babe. This is not a great comedy by any means, and you'll find no substance whatsoever here, but it's still enjoyable enough, especially if you like the two leads. (**1/2)

It all starts with an ugly animated credit sequence focusing on a funky lion. Would that be the Animal in the title? OK, but it's hardly relevant with the character played by Belmondo.

The comedy aims to be wild with Belmondo hamming his double-part full-throttle. It may be funny to a 5-year old; for a grown-up it looks like tired jokes with heavy-handed direction in gross situations (the gay movie-star, the crooked and clumsy stunt double). Raquel Welch is beautiful and quite a relief compared to her partner.

Overall it smells like a big budget dilapidated into big stunt jokes, in turn dwarfed by the would-be burlesque tone. Somehow Claude Zidi must have been thinking the Marx Brothers had become famous for silly over-the-top gags devoid of any subtlety...