Product Details

• Actors: Christian Clavier, Gerard Depardieu, Roberto Benigni, Michel Galabru, Daniel Prévost
• Directors: Claude Zidi
• Producers: Asterix and Obelix Versus Caesar
• Format: PAL
• Language: English
• Region: Region 2 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Run Time: 106 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B000A13CBS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #289,252 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: Asterix and Obelix, the French comic book heroes created by René Goscinny and Albert Underzo (their adventures have sold 280 million copies to date in Europe), are brought to the big screen in their first live-action adventure. Set in 50 B.C., Asterix (Christian Clavier) and Obelix (Gérard Depardieu) are a pair of comedic heroes living in a small but well-protected village in Gaul, where a magic potion concocted by Druids turns the townsfolk into mighty soldiers. When Roman troops carve a path through Gaul to reach the English Channel, Caesar (Gottfried John) and his aide de camp Detritus (Roberto Benigni) discover the secret elixir and capture the Druid leader who knows its formula, and Asterix and Obelix are sent off to rescue them. Shot in Brittany, Bavaria, and Arpajon, Asterix et Obelix Contre Cesar brings these cartoon characters to life on a grand scale; it was reportedly the most expensive French-language film ever, at a cost of 274 million francs ($48 million).
SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Ceasar Awards, ...Asterix and Obelix Versus Caesar

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Those indominatable Gauls..., May 14, 2009

By 

Trevor Willsmer (London, England) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Asterix and Obelix Versus Caesar [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - United Kingdom ] (DVD)

For those not in the know, the Asterix books are a hugely successful series of comic books about a village of indomitable Gauls who resist Caesar's invasion thanks to a magic potion that renders them invulnerable supermen. There have been several animated features (only one of them, The Twelve Tasks of Asterix really capturing the wit and spirit of the books despite being an original screen story) before a perfectly cast Christian Clavier and Gerard Depardieu took the lead roles in two live action adaptations that proved colossally successful throughout Europe but made no impression whatsoever in the English-speaking world (Clavier would wisely opt out of the third live action film, Asterix at the Olympic Games).

Asterix et Obelix Contre Cesar is one of the few foreign films that actually benefited from dubbing thanks to a witty dubbing script by Terry Jones that added jokes the French writers omitted. Seen in its French version (not included on this DVD, which only includes the dubbed version), the pleasures of the film are mainly visual - the perfect casting of Christian Clavier and Gerard Depardieu, the gorgeous recreation of the comic books' village and Tony Pierce Roberts beautifully rich color cinematography perfectly capturing the hues of the original drawings. The cartoonish special effects, much copied in Kung Fu Hustle are perfect as well, but for the jokes you'll have to see the follow-up, Asterix et Obelix: Mission Cleopatre.

Pathe's UK DVD offers a good 2.35:1 transfer with the dubbed English soundtrack, but the only extra is a brief trailer.