The Triplets of Belleville

Amazon.com

Words cannot capture the delights of The Triplets of Belleville, an astonishing animated movie from the mind of French director Sylvain Chomet. In fact, there are only a few spoken sentences in the entire film; most of the soundtrack is a mix of squeaks, barks, and the jazzy music of Benoit Charest. A bicyclist is kidnapped from the Tour de France by mysterious gangsters; his grandmother travels to the city of Belleville (which has a sardonic version of the Statue of Liberty in its harbor), where she tracks him down with the help of a musical trio gone to seed, the Belleville Triplets. This hand-drawn movie is unlike anything you'll see from Disney; every scene mixes the silent comedy of Jacques Tati and Buster Keaton--in which the world of objects subtly fights with living beings for mastery--and the bouncy hop of Betty Boop. Unique and mesmerizing. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Insane yet piquant -- fun for all unless you are a frog!.......2007-09-09

This zany classic shows how the loyalty and determination of a widow, her son, and their dog, triumph over the evil forces of international gambling cartels and kidnappers with the help of the titular triplets. Well worth a watch if you like color, music, mayhem, and catch-as-catch-can cuisine.

Completely Original........2007-09-08

I can guarantee you will not have seen anything like this animated film. It's provocative, funny, intelligent, quirky, and artistically done. The funky musical soundtrack is memorable and will reverberate in your brain for quite a while. Be sure to watch the entire film through the credits because there is a fun little twist to the finale.

A great surprise.......2007-09-01

Yes, you won't find any dialogue on the movie, is not that the DVD doesn't come with subtitles... There is nothing to subtitle... There are a few words in French not really relevant in the movie, you get the idea... And you have to be patient and enjoy the movie, 'cause it's different than what you think about "French cinema"... A great animation, a wonderful story and great music, mixed with comedy and, of course, a little touch of our twisted reality... Take a chance in joining Madame Souza and the Triplets of Belleville, I hope you won't regret it

Great movie.......2007-08-29

We saw it in the theater several years ago and decided to purchase it so we could watch it again. The story is about a French cyclist who grandmother is his coach and crew in a race. If you know a little about the French obsession with cycling the story is very funny. Especily the car chase and the animation of the cars in the chase.

Non-stop entertainment.......2007-08-25

It takes a little time to get into the story, but the creative efforts are overwhelming! What a wonderful, quirky story of love and devotion. The dog is outrageous! This is an adult animation that makes you look at the world as a child again. It is terrific!

Les Triplettes De Belleville (Original French Version with English Subtitles) 2 Disk Collectors Edition Box Set

Average customer rating:

This is a must see for any animator!
The Art of Animation at its Best
Not what I expected, but that's a pleasant surprise!
What if Lynch did animation?
Just Short of Being a Classic

Les Triplettes De Belleville (Original French Version with English Subtitles) 2 Disk Collectors Edition Box Set
Starring: Béatrice Bonifassi , Lina Boudreau , Michèle Caucheteux , and Jean-Claude Donda
Director: Sylvain Chomet
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

ASIN: B0007W0AF6

Product Description

An orphaned boy, Champion, is raised by his grandmother, Madame Souza. Her gift of a tricycle starts a craze for cycle-racing that becomes the cornerstone of their life together. After years of relentless training, Champion makes it to the Tour de France, the toughest cycling event in the world. Alas, Champion and a handful of other top competitors are mysteriously kidnapped by a pair of sinister crooks with hangdog expressions. Supported by her faithful sidekick, her fat and flatulent dog Bruno, Madame Souza sets off to rescue her beloved Champion. An epic adventure leads them across the Atlantic to a vast seaport metropolis named Belleville, headquarters of the notorious French mafia. Lost and confused in the threatening darkness of the great city, Madame Souza and Bruno encounter the Belleville Triplettes, who, in their youth, were a glamorous close-harmony act. Now, these three batty old women are now a bizarre jazz combo. Mme Souza joins the band. At their very first gig, she discovers Champion is being held captive by the mafia Godfather himself! All hell breaks loose, and the chase is on! Do Mme Souza, her dim dog, and the Triplettes have what it takes to outsmart the ruthless French mafia and release poor Champion from its clutches?

Customer Reviews:

This is a must see for any animator!.......2007-08-08

This film is brilliant!

It's a modern classic, the style is unique and a welcome break from todays cookie cutter retro-retro look. Granted it's from '03. But it's still new to so many people.

If you're unsure about whether or not you should pick this flick up,rent it. In French please. Once you've seen it once, you'll be convinced of your need to have it.

The Art of Animation at its Best.......2007-08-04

I don't own many movies. There are few films I want to see more than once. I have watched this movie over & over again. I felt compelled to write this review because none of the others that I read mentioned the quality of animation in this film. If you appreciate the art of animation, this is the best example that I have ever seen. The "making of" bonus feature explains the technicalities of 3-D animation and the sound effects, but without even seeing this you will know that this picture is a unique study in animation. In addition to the rare & complex 3D images, there are several examples of animated characters watching non-animated films! Extraordinary! This movie is not about the plot, characters or anything that the other reviewers mentioned (in my opinion), it is a study in animation with an addictive sound track to boot!

Not what I expected, but that's a pleasant surprise!.......2006-06-20

From what little I'd seen or heard regarding the "Triplets of Belleville" I was expecting it to be a kooky Gaulic cartoon featuring the eponymous triplets; which it certainly does near the end of the film, but they aren't the central characters of the film, nor as prominent as I'd imagined. The film is also far more satirical than I had suspected, focusing instead on a young boy, Champion, and his grandmother, Mademoiselle Souza, and their close familial bond. "Triplets of Belleville" opens with an old clip (a movie within a movie) of the triplets romping through their song "Rendezvous" and as the camera pans back we are in a stylized version of de Gaulle's France. Rather than simplistic, "Triplets of Belleville" works on many levels; the desire of the grandmother to fulfill her young grandson's ambition of becoming a Tour de France cyclist, a goal he attains only to become captured by the French Mafia along with other cyclists and is whisked away to Belleville.

Belleville is the perfect amalgam of the worst of American and Americanized France. The satire here is writ large - literally! Mademoiselle Souza doggedly pursues Champion to Belleville accompanied by the family dog Bruno, who likewise plays a pivotal role in the action. Mademoiselle Souza is befriended by the triplets and is pulled into their strange existence. There the story gets to lampoon Francophiles as much as the Americans. This unlikely group eventually tracks down Champion at the Mafia's headquarters where he and the other cyclists are being used for the amusement of a large audience of gamblers. Here the satire is sharpest - a commentary on the nature of society, celebrity culture, and how disposable-natured we are. The cyclists are chasing an illusory dream and their machinery becomes the escape vehicle for them, the triplets, Mademoiselle Souza and Bruno in a hilariously funny getaway.

Those giving the "Triplets of Belleville" a surface read will think it's the oddest cartoon in years as it is punctuated with infrequent dialogue and the images or as distorted as a Picasso painting. Dig deeper and you'll find a much more rewarding movie as there's a great deal of symbolism and satire packed in 81 minutes! The "Triplets of Belleville" isn't easy watching; it's frequently puzzling, mysterious, and otherworldly. Satire is a tough sell but if you like a thinking person's cartoon then "Triplets of Belleville" is the one for you!

What if Lynch did animation?.......2005-10-08

I've seen a few animation films in my life, but "The Triplets of Belleville" is easily the weirdest of them all. There's something of Lynch about it that I just can't quite pinpoint. It is the perfect adaptation of the film-noir genre to the animation scene and the plot (or lack thereof) is developed under a gloomy, grim, dark and intriguing atmosphere.

The film seems to work on many layers and I honestly can't come up with a rational explanation for it, not on a single viewing anyway. I'd be interested in seeing it again, now that the initial weirdness is gone. But something tells me this is something to be experienced more than to be understood.

If you like out-of-the-ordinary stuff in unusual mediums, and in addition somewhat depressing, eerie cartoons somehow connected to the Tour de France sounds like a good idea, then this French animation film is for you.

Just Short of Being a Classic.......2005-02-26

If you're going to watch "Triplettes," watch the original French version--without subtitles, if possible. You don't really need them, as this is virtually a silent film, and what little dialogue there is is confined to announcers, newscasts, and the odd word here and there. I'm not sure if Mme Souza or Champion ever speak, except in the closing moments of the film. But the language is there, and the rhythms of the French original add to the overall effect of this charming film. You also need to hear the catchy closing song in the original, since the English version included in the "music video" extra is as awful a translation of any song I have ever heard, even a largely nonsensical one like this.

And of the film itself? It's extremely absorbing visually; in fact, you probably will want to watch it at least twice, to catch all of the little details loaded in each scene. There are dozens of brief moments that contribute largely to the film's appeal, even if the plot seems to go nowhere and feels a lot longer than 80 minutes. In order to appreciate this film--which is essentially a "search and rescue" film like the other major animated feature from 2003, Finding Nemo--you must accept it at its own leisurely pace, savouring the many asides and set-pieces (including a hilarious cabaret act performed by the titular Triplets on a fridge rack, newspaper, and vacuum cleaner) and seeing them as essentially a series of loosely connected shorts. The one hole in the film, then, is the central character of Champion, a blank slate who seems totally unaffected by the fact that he has been stolen away from his home and forced to live in slavery in a bizarre gambling sport. Not only does he not appreciate Grandma's considerable efforts to rescue him, he doesn't even seem to notice she's there. The film isn't really about him at all, which makes most of the last act seem superfluous.

But do see this film, for the marvellous characters of Mme. Souza, her oversized dog, Bruno, and the Triplets themselves. And see it for the great visuals and the fabulous jazz score. And if you still want an edge-of-your-seat rescue plot, watch Finding Nemo again.

Average customer rating:

Awe!
Not what I expected, and that's OK!
Astounding!
A beautiful story

The Triplets of Belleville
Starring: Michel Robin , Béatrice Bonifassi , Jean-Claude Donda , Mari-Lou Gauthier , and Monica Viegas
Director: Sylvain Chomet
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0001OKTLK

Customer Reviews:

Awe!.......2007-07-09

This cartoon breaks all language barriers and turns into the most endearing cartoon you'll see. The animation is so unique and fitting to the characters.

Not what I expected, and that's OK!.......2006-06-20

Astounding!.......2005-02-28

This is a film so highly creative and unique, it draws you in and captivates you from start to finish, then leaves you feeling as though you have just witnessed something revolutionary in the film industry. At a glance it looks to be a remake of an older French animation film, however it is new (2003), and French-Canadian writer/director Sylvain Chomet uses this unique, comical and exagerated 1930-ish cartoon style to perfection. The story itself is equally entertaining. If you don't "parlez vous Francais", don't worry - there are only about 10 words spoken in the entire film. It is a visual masterpiece!

A beautiful story.......2004-06-27

The Triplettes of Belleville is the funniest and most inventive animation I have ever seen. This is a triumph that can be enjoyed countless times!

Average customer rating:

Insane yet piquant -- fun for all unless you are a frog!
Completely Original.
A great surprise
Great movie
Non-stop entertainment

The Triplets of Belleville
Starring: Michel Robin , Béatrice Bonifassi , Jean-Claude Donda , Mari-Lou Gauthier , and Monica Viegas
Director: Sylvain Chomet
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

ASIN: B00011FXHS

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Insane yet piquant -- fun for all unless you are a frog!.......2007-09-09

Completely Original........2007-09-08

A great surprise.......2007-09-01

Great movie.......2007-08-29

Non-stop entertainment.......2007-08-25

Les Triplettes de Belleville / The Triplets Of Belleville (2 pack) + Original Motion Picture SoundTrack CD

Average customer rating:

Les Triplettes de Belleville / The Triplets Of Belleville (2 pack) + Original Motion Picture SoundTrack CD

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000GE204O

Average customer rating:

Not what I expected, and that's a good thing!

The Triplets of Belleville [Region 2]
Starring: Michel Robin , Béatrice Bonifassi , Jean-Claude Donda , Mari-Lou Gauthier , and Monica Viegas
Director: Sylvain Chomet
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00009ZT9F

Customer Reviews:

Not what I expected, and that's a good thing!.......2006-06-20

DVD:

DVD

DVD