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HENRI-GEORGES CLOUZOT'S INFERNOMovie Reviews
French language documentary about Henri-Georges Clouzot's aborted 1963 movie "L'enfer" (The Inferno). Cast:Romy Schneider, Bérénice Bejo, Serge Reggiani, Jacques GamblinDirector:Serge Bromberg, Ruxandra MedreaRelease Date:July 16, 2010DVD Release:April 12, 2010From:Flicker AlleyLength:1 hr 42 min
APRIL 12, 2010
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno, Very Good Reviews (Doc) Limited
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno played in limited release to very good reviews. • Stephen Cole wrote in the Toronto Globe & Mail, "...a triumphant realization... There are bits of cinematic wonder here, as Romy Schneider’s beautiful body is turned into an Electric Kool-Aid Acid Screen Test." • And John Powers said on NPR Fresh Air, "...offers teasing glimpses of the dreamed-of masterpiece..." More Reviews Below...
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (7 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...fascinating... ends, sadly, with a fizzle, as a work that could have been either a towering monument of cinema or a fascinating folly shrinks to a footnote."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 728 words, 07/16/10
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "...lost footage, a major focus of the documentary, turns out to be as singular as everyone hoped it would.... View the wreckage and marvel at what might have been."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 626 words, 07/30/10
J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "For all the irrationality that fueled Clouzot's project, it's reasonable to assume that the finished 'Inferno' would never have been any better or more evocative than this..."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 795 words, 07/14/10
Stephen Cole, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a triumphant realization... There are bits of cinematic wonder here, as Romy Schneider's beautiful body is turned into an Electric Kool-Aid Acid Screen Test."(See all of Stephen Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 396 words, 02/26/10
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Bromberg masterfully orchestrates the remnants, leading us through the dazzling test footage and reconstructing the surviving filmed sequences..."(See all of Ty Burr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 603 words, 09/17/10
John Hartl, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...more watchable than many a completed film.... demonstrating how Clouzot came up with a series of haunting compositions that drive the narrative."(See all of John Hartl's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 300 words, 12/17/10
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (6 Reviews)
J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "For all the irrationality that fueled Clouzot's project, it's reasonable to assume that the finished 'Inferno' would never have been any better or more evocative than this..."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 795 words, 07/14/10
Keith Phipps, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "While Bromberg and Annonier's film has shortcomings as a documentary, simply bringing Clouzot's lost work to light makes it a significant achievement."(See all of Keith Phipps's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 433 words, 07/15/10
Kevin B. Lee, Slant: VERY GOOD(cg) "...gives a satisfying and disturbing glimpse at how one man's obsessive, perfectionist drive to break new ground created a living nightmare for him and his crew..."(See all of Kevin B. Lee's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 544 words, 09/26/09
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...fascinating... ends, sadly, with a fizzle, as a work that could have been either a towering monument of cinema or a fascinating folly shrinks to a footnote."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 728 words, 07/16/10
Anthony Lane, New Yorker: VERY GOOD "Clouzot's film was unfinished, and perhaps unfinishable... on the slim side, but then they are dealing in forlorn fragments: a hundred and eighty-five cans of film..."(See all of Anthony Lane's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 630 words, 07/05/10
John Powers, NPR Fresh Air: EXCELLENT "...what makes this documentary so memorable is that it offers teasing glimpses of the dreamed-of masterpiece caught in the rubble of Clouzot's obsession."(See all of John Powers's reviews...)(Listen to the full review...) 293 seconds, 08/02/10
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "...lost footage, a major focus of the documentary, turns out to be as singular as everyone hoped it would.... View the wreckage and marvel at what might have been."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 626 words, 07/30/10
Todd McCarthy, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "Built around some fascinating, never-seen footage of tests and scenes shot before the picture shuttered three weeks into production... a must-see for curious film buffs..."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 891 words, 06/02/09
Stephen Farber, Hollywood Reporter: EXCELLENT "Bromberg tells an emblematic story of cinematic hubris with clarity and insight.... it's something of a film buff's dream from Clouzot's nightmare."(See all of Stephen Farber's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 589 words, 11/02/09
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "...lost footage, a major focus of the documentary, turns out to be as singular as everyone hoped it would.... View the wreckage and marvel at what might have been."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 626 words, 07/30/10
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...fascinating... ends, sadly, with a fizzle, as a work that could have been either a towering monument of cinema or a fascinating folly shrinks to a footnote."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 728 words, 07/16/10
8.7 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno's reviews are separated by an average 8.7 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno (17 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno's reviews cover 19.1% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 8,334 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 490 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 19 Days Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno's reviews on average broke 19 days before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno (17 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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