We call it the city of love but for these films it was rather the city of horror: here are 6 times Paris became the scene of atrocities, whether of fantastic origin or simply catastrophic .
When our capital becomes the heroine of a horror film, it results in a shark in the Seine, zombies in the streets of Paris, an interview with a vampire, a female werewolf, a little haunted tour in the catacombs, and a deadly mist of unknown origin that you must do everything to avoid… Here are six horror films whose plot (or part of the plot) took place in Paris!
Sharks – “Under the Seine”
Netflix
Announced last year, Sous la Seine, is the latest French production from Netflix, signed Xavier Gens (Hitman, Frontière(s)), released on June 5 on the platform. The thriller tells the story of Sophia (Bérénice Bejo), a brilliant scientist, alerted by Mika (Léa Léviant), a young activist devoted to ecology, of the presence of a large shark in the depths of the Seine while the triathlon world championships will take place on the Parisian river for the first time, during our summer of 2024. The two women then have no other choice than to team up with Adil (Nassim Lyes), the commander of the river police to avoid a bloodbath in the heart of the French capital… If the feature film doesn’t have it all completely convinced, it remains an entertainment to try just for its ambition and its somewhat delirious side!
Zombies – “The Night devoured the world”
Eurovideo
First feature film – which also won the Special Prize at the Festival du Premier Francophone de la Ciotat in 2018 –, La Nuit a dévoré le monde is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Pit Agarmen, pseudonym and anagram of the writer Martin Page. In the film, which revisits French cinema with a zombie twist, we follow Sam (Anders Danielsen Lie) who wakes up the day after a party alone in the world while the living dead have invaded the streets of Paris. Terrified, he will have to protect himself and organize himself to try to survive. But is Sam really the only survivor? The result is a film which perhaps does not revolutionize the genre but which remains intense as can be desired. A bold and controlled bet.
Vampires – “Interview with a Vampire”
Geffen Pictures
We no longer present the cult film by Neil Jordan, adapted from the famous novel by Anne Rice, with Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst or even Antonio Banderas, which brought together critics and the public and has since become a classic of the genre. In the film, we are in San Francisco in the 90s. A young journalist talks in a room with Louis, an elegant man, with an aristocratic appearance and a pale face, who tells him very strange secrets about the world. of the night to which he belongs, a world made of blood, of eternity, where we flee the sun like the plague, a world of vampires please… who pass through Paris! Dark, baroque and captivating, with at its heart a trio of actors with impressive charisma, in addition to its superb sets and its sublime photography, Interview with the Vampire, is a pearl of cinema which gives the myth of the vampire pride of place that he deserves.
Werewolves – “The Werewolf of Paris”
Metropolitan FilmExport
Released in 1997 (and in 1998 here), The Werewolf of Paris, by Anthony Waller and co-written by John Landis and Tim Burns, is a horror comedy and the sequel (or almost) to the film The Wolf- Garou de Londres (1981) by the same director. In the feature film, Andy (Tom Everett Scott), Chris (Phil Buckman) and Brad (Vince Vieluf) are three Americans on a trip and in search of thrills passing through Paris who decide to spend the night at the top of the Eiffel Tower . However, it is this moment that Séraphine (Julie Delpy) chose precisely to end her life, she who suffers from a terrible syndrome, by throwing herself into the void. Andy barely saves her before the young woman disappears and he then has only one idea in mind: to find her. When he succeeds, she orders him not to see her again, under penalty of incurring serious danger… Holder of three prizes – including the Grand Prize for Anthony Waller – from the Gérardmer Fantastic Festival in 1998, The werewolf of Paris was not unanimously acclaimed but was applauded for its skillful blend of dark humor and horror.
The occult – “Catacombs”
Universal Pictures International France
Miles of winding catacombs lie beneath the streets of Paris, the eternal home of countless souls. When a team of explorers venture into this uncharted maze of bones, they discover the dark secret behind this city of the dead, sealing their fate forever. Where do these dark paths lead? Has someone disturbed the sleep of the dead? Who will survive to tell this story? With Catacombs (2014), a journey into the heart of madness and terror awaits you. John Erick Dowdle’s film with Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman and Edwin Hodge, which grossed $41 million worldwide against a budget of $5 million, has the distinction of being presented in the form of found footage. A sort of female Indiana Jones in a horror version, suspense is key. To be seen in the dark in a small locked room.
The Cataclysm – “Into the Mist”
Splendid Film
When a strange deadly mist overwhelms Paris, survivors must find refuge high up, whether on the top floors of buildings or on the rooftops of the capital. Without information, without electricity, without water or food, a family tries to survive as best they can… But the hours pass and a realization becomes clear: help will not come and they will have to try everything, and even try their own. luck in the mist… Ambitious and effective, In the Mist by Daniel Roby is an action film with impressive visuals which, in addition to relying on a solid storyline, benefits from the talent of a quality cast led by Romain Duris , Olga Kurylenko and Fantine Harduin. A real surprise, the 2018 action film is a successful “made in France” bet that created a surprise, successfully combining science fiction and French cinema.