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IMDbPro

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

  • 20062006
  • RR
  • 2h 27m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
248K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,749
280
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
Home Video Trailer from Paramount Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:33
1 Video
78 Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Fantasy
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born with a superior olfactory sense, creates the world's finest perfume. His work, however, takes a dark turn as he searches for the ultimate scent.Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born with a superior olfactory sense, creates the world's finest perfume. His work, however, takes a dark turn as he searches for the ultimate scent.Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born with a superior olfactory sense, creates the world's finest perfume. His work, however, takes a dark turn as he searches for the ultimate scent.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
248K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,749
280
  • Director
    • Tom Tykwer
  • Writers
    • Andrew Birkin(screenplay)
    • Bernd Eichinger(screenplay)
    • Tom Tykwer(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ben Whishaw
    • Dustin Hoffman
    • Alan Rickman
Top credits
  • Director
    • Tom Tykwer
  • Writers
    • Andrew Birkin(screenplay)
    • Bernd Eichinger(screenplay)
    • Tom Tykwer(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ben Whishaw
    • Dustin Hoffman
    • Alan Rickman
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 620User reviews
    • 230Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 15 wins & 20 nominations

    Videos1

    Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
    Trailer 2:33
    Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

    Photos78

    Ben Whishaw in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Dustin Hoffman in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Dustin Hoffman and Ben Whishaw in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Alan Rickman and Rachel Hurd-Wood in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Ben Whishaw in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Alan Rickman in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Ben Whishaw in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Rachel Hurd-Wood in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Ben Whishaw in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Alan Rickman and Rachel Hurd-Wood in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Ben Whishaw in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Alan Rickman and Rachel Hurd-Wood in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ben Whishaw
    Ben Whishaw
    • Jean-Baptiste Grenouilleas Jean-Baptiste Grenouille
    Dustin Hoffman
    Dustin Hoffman
    • Giuseppe Baldinias Giuseppe Baldini
    Alan Rickman
    Alan Rickman
    • Richisas Richis
    Francesc Albiol
    • Court Officialas Court Official
    Gonzalo Cunill
    • Guard 1 Dungeonas Guard 1 Dungeon
    Rachel Hurd-Wood
    Rachel Hurd-Wood
    • Lauraas Laura
    Andrés Herrera
    Andrés Herrera
    • Door Guardas Door Guard
    Simon Chandler
    Simon Chandler
    • Mayor of Grasseas Mayor of Grasse
    David Calder
    David Calder
    • Bishop of Grasseas Bishop of Grasse
    Richard Felix
    • Chief Magistrateas Chief Magistrate
    Birgit Minichmayr
    Birgit Minichmayr
    • Grenouille's Motheras Grenouille's Mother
    Reg Wilson
    Reg Wilson
    • Customer Fishmarketas Customer Fishmarket
    Catherine Boisgontier
    • Woman Fishmarketas Woman Fishmarket
    Núria Casas
    Núria Casas
    • Woman 2 Fishmarketas Woman 2 Fishmarket
    Carlos Gramaje
    • Police Lieutenant Fishmarketas Police Lieutenant Fishmarket
    Sian Thomas
    Sian Thomas
    • Madame Gaillardas Madame Gaillard
    Michael Smiley
    Michael Smiley
    • Porteras Porter
    Walter Cots
    • Driveras Driver
    • (as Walter Cots Wangüemert)
    • Director
      • Tom Tykwer
    • Writers
      • Andrew Birkin(screenplay)
      • Bernd Eichinger(screenplay)
      • Tom Tykwer(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Fish Market scenes were shot in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter. Two and a half tons of fish and one ton of meat was used over the course of the shoot, and people as far away as six miles reported a bad smell in the air.
    • Goofs
      The method of enfleurage that Grenouille is first seen practicing is called cold enfleurage - placing live botanicals in a layer of lard or tallow set in a frame. However, this method of enfleurage was not developed until the 1800's. The movie is set in the mid 1700's.
    • Quotes

      Narrator: He still had enough perfume left to enslave the whole world if he so chose. He could walk to Versailles and have the king kiss his feet. He could write the pope a perfumed letter and reveal himself as the new Messiah. He could do all this, and more, if he wanted to. He possessed a power stronger than the power of money, or terror, or death - the invincible power to command the love of man kind. There was only one thing the perfume could not do. It could not turn him into a person who could love and be loved like everyone else. So, to hell with it he thought. To hell with the world. With the perfume. With himself.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Painted Veil/Miss Potter/Perfume: The Story of a Murderer/Notes on a Scandal/The Curse of the Golden Flower/Pan's Labyrinth (2007)
    • Soundtracks
      Tarentelle
      (Traditional)

      Performed by Saboï and its Members

      Asta Coulomb, Christian Coulomb, Sebastien Coulomb, François Hecquet, Bertrand Mercier, Nicolas Pillard,

      Edo Pols, Jocelyn Raulet, Simon Staelens, Remi Tran-No

      By arrangement: Christian Coulomb

    User reviews620

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    The critics are wrong - Brilliant!
    With "The Perfume" it's like with any blockbuster movie: if the critics praise it, it's horrible - if the critics hate it, it's brilliant.

    I had the chance to watch a preview of "The Perfume" tonight and I was very surprised: this movie is really good! Okay, it can't actually make you smell all the scents and odours, but the images and the music allow you to experience the atmosphere and the emotions Grenouille is feeling when he takes in the scents of his environment. You couldn't have done this much better without the use of real scents at theatres.

    Although much of the story is told by a narrative voice (mostly quotes from the novel), the movie is still thrilling and exciting all the way. It's a very good adaption of Süskind's novel, sticking to the original plot concerning the major events, leaving away unnecessary subplots (although it's a pity that funny "lethal gas"-plot was cut out!) and shortening long passages. The result is well-constructed movie that is worth seeing.

    The actors, especially Whishaw who plays Grenouille, have done a very good job. Like in the novel, Grenouille is an ambivalent character and you never know whether to love him for his genius talent or to hate him for his cruel murders. Whishaw's half-crazy, scary gaze made me shiver. Dustin Hoffman as old and unsuccessful parfumeur Baldini was very convincing... I loved the way he talks to Grenouille arrogantly although he recognizes how much more talent the young man has. Baldini is always good for a laugh.

    The only thing to criticize is that the movie is not as brutal as the novel. I think they wanted to avoid the FSK 16 rating and so didn't show much violence, which in my opinion would have been necessary if you wanted the movie to have the same shocking impact on the audience as the novel. For example I was really shocked by the end of the novel - in the movie you hardly see what happens.

    However, it's really a thrilling story visualized excellently - go to the movies and watch "The Perfume"! You won't be disappointed.
    helpful•521
    158
    • Naurya
    • Sep 13, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 5, 2007 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Germany
      • France
      • Spain
      • United States
      • Belgium
    • Official sites
      • Le parfum
      • Official site (Russia)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Perfume
    • Filming locations
      • Grasse, Alpes-Maritimes, France
    • Production companies
      • DreamWorks
      • Constantin Film
      • Bernd Eichinger Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $60,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,223,293
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $37,079
      • Dec 31, 2006
    • Gross worldwide
      • $135,039,924
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 27 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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