LES DOUZE TRAVAUX D'ASTERIX (The Twelve Taskes of Asterix)

Director : René Goscinny, Henri Gruel, Albert Uderzo, Pierre Watrin.

Release Date : 20 October 1976 (France)

With : Astérix & Obélix ;P

Genre : Animation

SUMMARY : When Julius Cesar fears, that he will probably never be able to defeat the gaulic village of Asterix and his friends, he has the idea of offering the Gauls a deal: if they are able to solve twelve tasks that he selected, he will hand over the Roman empire to Abraracourcix, their own chief. If not, they have to submit. Caius Pupus, impartial judge, will guide them and testify if they succeed or not. The twelve tasks are :

Run faster than Asbestos champion of the Olympic Games (Battre Merinos à la course,

Throw a Javelin farther than Verses, the Persian (Lancer le javelot plus loin que Kermès, le Perse),

Beat Cilindric the German (Vaincre Cylindric, le Germain, lors d'un combat),

Cross a lake (Affronter les prêtresses de l'Île du plaisir),

Survive the hypnotic gaze of Iris, the Egyptian (Soutenir l'insoutenable regard d'Iris, le magicien venu d'Égypte),

Finish a meal by Mannekenpix the Belgian (Manger le repas préparé par Mannekenpix le Belge, le cuisinier des Titans),

Survive the Cave of the Beast (Pénétrer dans l’antre de la Bête),

Find Permit A38 in "The Place That Sends Yo Mad" ("La Maison Qui Rend Fou"),

Cross a ravine on an invisible tightrope, over a river full of crocodiles(Traverser un ravin sur un fil invisible, au-dessus des crocodiles du Nil),

Climb a mountain and answer the Old Man's riddle (Escalader la plus haute montagne et répondre à l'énigme du Vénérable du Sommet),

Spend a night on the haunted plains (Dormir sur la plaine des Trépassés),

Survive the Circus Maximus (Participer aux jeux du cirque Maxime).

OPINION : What I like ? Lovely story and Original interpretation of the twelves labours of Hercules. Moreover, it's really funny. Personally, it's a big part of my childhood !

Best tasks (scenes) : Find Permit A38 in "The Place That Sends Yo Mad" ("La Maison Qui Rend Fou"), finish a meal by Mannekenpix the Belgian, beat Cilindric the German, run faster than Asbestos champion of the Olympic Games, ... And the first scene (with the narrator).

Worst task (scene) : Cross a lake (Affronter les prêtresses de l'Ile du Plaisir).

Best lines : "Le gros monsieur d'abord ? Je n'suis pas gros !", "Caius Pupus !", J'ai faim... D'autant plus qu'il est 12h12 !", "Il ne me reste plus rien dans ma cuisine", "Et voici le petit toast qui va avec", "Papapapapapapapapapapapapapa Samba !".

What I dislike ? If I have to choose someting : The beautiful Sirens' drawing.

MARNIE (Pas De Printemps Pour Marnie)

Director : Alfred Hitchcok

Release Dates : 22 July 1964 (USA)

With : Sean Connery, Tippi Hedren

Genre : Mystery, Romance, Thriller

SYNOPSIS : Marnie Edgar (Hedren) is a troubled young woman who has an unnatural fear and mistrust of men, thunderstorms, and the color red. She is also a compulsive thief. She uses her charms on Sidney Strutt (Martin Gabel) to get a job without references. Then late one night, she steals the contents of the company safe and disappears.

Mark Rutland (Connery), a widower who owns a large printing company, is a good customer of Strutt's. He learns about the theft from the victim, and remembers the woman. So when Marnie applies for a job at his company, he is intrigued. He is robbed too, but unlike Strutt, Mark manages to track Marnie down. Instead of handing her over to the police, he blackmails her into marrying him.

On their honeymoon, he finds out about her frigidity. At first, he respects her wishes, but her undisguised hostility to him incites him to rape her. The next morning, she tries to commit suicide, but Mark finds her in time.

He attempts to discover the reasons behind Marnie's behavior. In the end, Marnie and Mark learn that her mother, Bernice (Louise Latham), had been a prostitute. When Marnie was six years old, one of her mother's clients (a sailor played by Bruce Dern) had tried to calm her after she became frightened by a storm. Bernice thought he was trying to molest her daughter and began attacking him. Seeing her mother struggling with the man, Marnie struck him with a fireplace poker, killing him. The bloodshed led to her fear of the color red. Once the origin of her fears is revealed, Marnie decides she wants to try to make her marriage work.

OPINION : What I like ? sophisticated scenario with the great idea to focus on another color (instead of red). So, this "bad" color is emphasized, actors play so well - especially Tippi Hedren (who wasn't supposed to be an actress), the atmosphear is perfect and... SEAN CONNERY. Personnally, I was so young when I discovered this movie, I was nively amazed.

Best scenes : Mark Ruthland playing "psychologist" with Marnie.

When Marnie is remembering what happened when she was younger and so why she is so afraid of red color and men.

What I dislike ? What if I was afraid of Yellow ? ;))