IMDb RATING
5.9/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
He is a revenge-obssessed stevedore whose sister was brutally raped and murdered. She is a wealthy, elusive woman. They try hard to get together... or do they?He is a revenge-obssessed stevedore whose sister was brutally raped and murdered. She is a wealthy, elusive woman. They try hard to get together... or do they?He is a revenge-obssessed stevedore whose sister was brutally raped and murdered. She is a wealthy, elusive woman. They try hard to get together... or do they?
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
- Director
- Writers
- Jean-Jacques Beineix(scenario)
- Olivier Mergault(scenario)
- David Goodis(novel)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Jean-Jacques Beineix(scenario)
- Olivier Mergault(scenario)
- David Goodis(novel)
- Stars
- Awards
- 1 win & 4 nominations
Videos1
- Director
- Writers
- Jean-Jacques Beineix(scenario)
- Olivier Mergault(scenario)
- David Goodis(novel)
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
- All cast & crew
Storyline
In Marseilles, a woman commits suicide after she is raped in an alley. Nightly, her brother Gerard broods at the scene hoping to catch the rapist. He lives with his lover Bella whom he neglects, an alcoholic brother who lurks about, and his father who's stayed drunk since the daughter's death, ignoring work and his own companion. At a seedy bar, Gerard meets a wealthy, nihilistic hedonist and his beautiful sister. Gerard flips for her and thinks she's his ticket out of the slum. Bella warns him otherwise and also, in jealousy, sets two thugs on him. Then Gerard thinks he's found his sister's rapist. These emotional crises force Gerard to choose what's most important. —<jhailey@hotmail.com>
- avenge
- astronomical object in title
- rape and revenge
- character repeats someone else's dialogue
- woman in a shower
- 54 more
- Genre
- Certificate
- R
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaAfter completing the director's cut of 37°2 le matin (1986), Jean-Jacques Beineix approached Gaumont with a request that he do the same thing for La lune dans le caniveau (1983). The studio however informed Beineix that all the unused scenes from the film had been destroyed. Beineix has said that the original cut of the film was 4 hours long.
- Crazy creditsPre-credits title: "We're born in the gutter ... where the stars gleam in the water."
- Alternate versionsThe version released theatrically in US was 11 minutes shorter than the original released in France.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Cannes... les 400 coups (1997)
Top review
The introverted family member of Diva
La lune dans le caniveau is definitely different in comparison to director Beineix's much more straightforward crime film Diva (1981). It is more like an introverted, dramatic family member. We observe a man who tries to deal with his mistress and his alcoholic brother, and wants revenge for the death of his sister. Is this story very interesting? I wouldn't say so. Most scenes are long and tedious (the film has a two hour runtime). Only real fans of either Beineix or the actors will keep their concentration until the very end.
The pleasure for the viewer lies elsewhere: the stylistic, colorful cinematography. The film has playful use of lights EVERYWHERE. It is visually incredibly detailed for a film from begin 80's, which were usually bleak on purpose. Both films from Beineix, Diva and this one, weren't praised for its renewal. On the contrary: they were equally bashed by the critics. Style over substance, they said. Which, as an argument about film, seems always ridiculous to me. Isn't cinema BY DEFINITION about style? It is not a book on screen, after all. How is a film as 8 1/2 not style over substance?
While I'll think Beineix was quite adventurous with his colorful style, perhaps even ahead of its time, as films have become more style over substance ever since (take for example V for vendetta, Spring Breakers, Ixjana, City of lost children, The strange color of your body's tears). Also quite modern are these out of the ordinary female characters, played wonderfully by Victoria Abril and Natassja Kinski. Depardieu's acting perhaps seems a bit shallow but he is in fact right in tone with the introverted style of the film. This was a period (begin 80's) in which he excelled in playing lead characters (Danton, Le chevre, Le dernier métro, Buffet froid). I rate this film 7/10. Despite the visual feast, I'm just too impatient to enjoy a film at such a slow pace. An one-hour cut would do magic for this film.
The pleasure for the viewer lies elsewhere: the stylistic, colorful cinematography. The film has playful use of lights EVERYWHERE. It is visually incredibly detailed for a film from begin 80's, which were usually bleak on purpose. Both films from Beineix, Diva and this one, weren't praised for its renewal. On the contrary: they were equally bashed by the critics. Style over substance, they said. Which, as an argument about film, seems always ridiculous to me. Isn't cinema BY DEFINITION about style? It is not a book on screen, after all. How is a film as 8 1/2 not style over substance?
While I'll think Beineix was quite adventurous with his colorful style, perhaps even ahead of its time, as films have become more style over substance ever since (take for example V for vendetta, Spring Breakers, Ixjana, City of lost children, The strange color of your body's tears). Also quite modern are these out of the ordinary female characters, played wonderfully by Victoria Abril and Natassja Kinski. Depardieu's acting perhaps seems a bit shallow but he is in fact right in tone with the introverted style of the film. This was a period (begin 80's) in which he excelled in playing lead characters (Danton, Le chevre, Le dernier métro, Buffet froid). I rate this film 7/10. Despite the visual feast, I'm just too impatient to enjoy a film at such a slow pace. An one-hour cut would do magic for this film.
helpful•40
- tony_le_stephanois
- Jun 11, 2015
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Der Mond in der Gosse
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime2 hours 17 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was La lune dans le caniveau (1983) officially released in Canada in English?
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