by 
French Steampunk:
Set in 1911,The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec is a French Steampunk film based on Jacques Tardi’s comic book series. If you dislike subtitles, you can watch an English dubbed version, which I didn’t watch because I heard it was badly dubbed and takes away from the movie.
If there’s one thing I like about French films, it’s that they let whimsy and satire play out as whimsy and satire. This film is delightful, fun, and probably more for adults than children, although children would enjoy it.
The Trailer:
Brief Summary:
Adele Blanc-Sec, an eccentric French explorer and adventuress, sets out to steal and resurrect an Egyptian mummy in order for the mummy (the pharaoh’s doctor) to heal her sister who is near death after having a rather bizarre accident. While Adele is busy stealing the mummy, the scientist who is going to revive the mummy has caused a pterodactyl egg to hatch. The pterodactyl causes a few problems for the Paris PD. In the end, thanks to resurrected mummies, who think the Louvre is beautiful but could be improved by adding a pyramid in the courtyard, things do work out.
My Response:
This movie is a Steampunk feast. It’s pure whimsy with outrageous characters, plenty of satire, tongue-in-cheek humor, and a delightful protagonist. Adele Blanc-Sec, played by Louise Bourgoin, is lovely. The cast of characters could have stepped from the pages of J. W. Jeter’s Infernal Devices. They are at once freaky, comic, and delightfully gruesome, almost ghoulish.
Really what story that makes fun of the French Belle Époque (Beautiful Time), which corresponds with the Victorian and Edwardian periods, wouldn’t be fun. In addition, the film has ridiculous officials and police officers, crazy scientists, an even crazier adventuress, a pterodactyl, reanimated mummies who are very polite and proper, and love—it is after all set in Paris.
As you can see from the trailer, this movie pokes a little fun at almost everything, including American iconic films.
Sometimes American Steampunk movies tend to take themselves a little too seriously or err on the side of being too Hollywood or find it difficult to balance the absurd and satire. This film doesn’t suffer from any of those problems.
Do yourself a favor, find a copy and watch it. It’s on Netflix.
This is a cover from one of the comics. Apparently, the comics haven’t been translated into English, but if you read French and like Steampunk, you should probably check them out.
The Usual Reminders:
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