( "The City of Fear"), also known as ("The Les Nuls Movie"), is a 1994 French
comedy film
The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...
The Terminator
''The Terminator'' is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, written by Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd and produced by Hurd. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cybernetic assassin sent back in t ...
'', among others, are directly spoofed) and relies heavily on
pun
A pun, also known as a paronomasia in the context of linguistics, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from t ...
s and
word play
Word play or wordplay (also: play-on-words) is a literary technique and a form of wit in which words used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement. Examples of word play include puns, ph ...
, which makes it somewhat inaccessible for non native French speakers.
Synopsis
Odile Deray ( Lauby) is the publicist for the slasher movie ''Red is Dead'', which features a
serial killer
A serial killer (also called a serial murderer) is a person who murders three or more people,An offender can be anyone:
*
*
*
*
* (This source only requires two people) with the killings taking place over a significant period of time in separat ...
whose weapons of choice are the
hammer and sickle
The hammer and sickle (Unicode: ) is a communist symbol representing proletarian solidarity between industrial and agricultural workers. It was first adopted during the Russian Revolution at the end of World War I, the hammer representing wo ...
. She is invited to the
Cannes film festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
bodyguard
A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects an very important person, important person or group of people, such as high-ranking public offic ...
and self-proclaimed womanizer Serge Karamazov ( Chabat) to protect them. One by one, all the projectionists assigned to the movie are murdered, keeping ''Red is Dead'' in the spotlight. Meanwhile, detective Patrick Bialès ( Darmon) investigates on the murders and starts a romantic relationship with Odile.
Detailed plot
First day of the festival
The film opens with the last minutes of ''Red is Dead''. In their bloody house, Sandy ( de Fougerolles) and Ben (Farrugia) congratulate themselves on their defeat of Youri, the
communist
Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
killer who murdered their entire family, and who is now lying on the floor, apparently dead. Sandy goes to have a bath while Ben cleans the house in preparation for a dinner they have tonight. When Sandy comes out of the bathroom, she is attacked by a very alive Youri. Ben tries to protect her and accidentally kills her. He rushes out of the house and struggles to find the keys to open his
convertible car
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving ex ...
. When he finally succeeds, the killer is only a few feet away from him. Ben, however, remembers with horror that he has forgotten to turn the
vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner, also known simply as a vacuum, is a device that uses suction, and often agitation, in order to remove dirt and other debris from carpets, hard floors, and other surfaces.
The dirt is collected into a dust bag or a plastic bin. ...
off, and runs back to the house, knocking Youri into a conveniently placed
petroleum
Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring un ...
puddle with the car door. After turning the vacuum cleaner off, he runs back to the car, where a phone call warns him that Youri is standing behind him. Ben fights Youri with his car phone, and manages to send him back into the puddle before setting it on fire.
After Ben drives into the sunset, Youri triumphantly emerges from the puddle and the end credits roll.
In the theater, Odile Deray asks the viewers what they thought. Everybody leaves without a word, and she chases after a
critic
A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as Art criticism, art, Literary criticism, literature, Music journalism, music, Film criticism, cinema, Theater criticism, theater, Fas ...
and pleads with him to write a favorable article. He refuses on the grounds that the movie is "utter crap". We learn that Odile is the publicist for the movie, and that today is the first day of the
Cannes film festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
. Odile visits the projectionist ( Karyo) and briefly talks with him while he argues on the phone with his wife. After Odile leaves, the projectionist is murdered by a hammer and sickle wielding killer.
Second day of the festival
Odile is talking with the projectionist's widow ( Lemercier). While the widow mourns her husband and reminisces their last argument, Odile realizes she can use the murder for publicity, and decides to bring the film's star to the festival, and to hire a bodyguard.
In a hotel room, a man watches the news on television. A deputy was murdered, and the main suspect is a politician called Jean-Paul Martoni. When the projectionist's murder is brought up, the man turns the TV off.
In
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, Serge Karamazov unsuccessfully tries to talk his boss's secretary into letting him sleep with her. She ignores him and tells him to go in to talk to his boss. While playing various sports, Karamazov's boss reminds him that his job description does not include having sex with his clients, and instructs him to go to
Cannes
Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...
movie projector
A movie projector (or film projector) is an optics, opto-mechanics, mechanical device for displaying Film, motion picture film by projecting it onto a movie screen, screen. Most of the optical and mechanical elements, except for the illuminat ...
, throws up. Bialès wonders about the meaning of the letters found carved on the wall after both murders, an O and a D, and concludes that they spell " do", leading him to believe that the killer is a musician.
At the police headquarters, Odile is being interrogated in a scene parodying '' Basic Instinct'' (instead of smoking, Odile is eating
sauerkraut
Sauerkraut (; , ) is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferment the sugar ...
). As Commissaire Bialès tells Odile of his suspicion that she planned the murders as a
publicity stunt
In marketing, a publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized, or set up by amateurs. Such events are frequently utiliz ...
, another policeman comes in with a new piece of information: he found a piece of fabric on the scene of the crime.
Back in the unnamed man's hotel room, the man is once again watching the news, and as he passes in front of a mirror, his face is revealed.
Third day of the festival
At the Martinez, Odile instructs Karamazov and Simon to hurry and get ready for the
press conference
A press conference, also called news conference or press briefing, is a media event in which notable individuals or organizations invite journalism, journalists to hear them speak and ask questions. Press conferences are often held by politicia ...
, which starts in an hour. Upon realizing that Simon does not have anything to wear, Odile and Karamazov take him shopping in an obvious '' Pretty Woman'' parody.
Later, at the press conference, Odile scolds two women who are loudly gossiping, and the projection starts.
Meanwhile, Karamazov is in the projection room to protect the projectionist ( Bacri) against the killer. Karamazov, however, has
food poisoning
Foodborne illness (also known as foodborne disease and food poisoning) is any illness resulting from the contamination of food by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites,
as well as prions (the agents of mad cow disease), and toxins such ...
, and is passing foul gas, which prompts the projectionist to send him away to the bathroom. On his way, Karamazov meets an old flame, and they make awkward small talk. In the projection room, the projectionist is murdered.
Karamazov sees the killer run away, and chases after him. However, he is stopped by a group of
mime
A mime artist, or simply mime (from Greek language, Greek , , "imitator, actor"), is a person who uses ''mime'' (also called ''pantomime'' outside of Britain), the acting out of a story through body motions without the use of speech, as a the ...
s protesting against
sound film
A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, bu ...
s, and the killer gets away.
Fourth day of the festival
Odile is making preparations for the next projection, while Karamazov demonstrates his new hi-tech
metal detector
A metal detector is an instrument that detects the nearby presence of metal. Metal detectors are useful for finding metal objects on the surface, underground, and under water. A metal detector consists of a control box, an adjustable shaft, and ...
and Simon tries on outfits. Everybody gathers around the TV when a report about ''Red is Dead'' is shown on the news. It features an interview of Odile and Simon at a party held in the honour of the murdered projectionists, during which Simon, once again, throws up.
Later, at the Martinez, Odile meets Bialès for dinner. Odile talks about her life before ''Red is Dead'', and as sexual tension quickly builds up between the two, they leave for Bialès's apartment.
At a night club, Simon finds Karamazov completely drunk and ranting about his inability to seduce Odile.
Meanwhile, at Bialès's apartment, the two have just had sex, and Odile accidentally discovers the killer's costume in a wardrobe. Horrified, she rushes to the night club, where she finds Karamazov enthusiastically insulting her.
The next scene starts with a disclaimer stating that, because of budgetary limits, it will be entirely dubbed by the crew, including
sound effect
A sound effect (or audio effect) is an artificially created or enhanced sound, or sound process used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media.
In m ...
s. Amidst arguments and chit chat by the dubbers, the fourth projectionist ( Mitchell) is killed, and the killer accidentally cuts his own finger. Another disclaimer then informs the viewer that the dubbed scene is over.
Fifth and last day of the festival
At the hotel's restaurant, Odile is briefing Simon about his scheduled interviews. Karamazov arrives, and Odile tells him she has found the next projectionist, who will be joining them. They argue about Karamazov's behaviour in the night club, and Odile reveals that she thinks Bialès is the murderer. Karamazov muses about the letters left by the killer: they are now O, D, I and L. Karamazov wonders if it spells
Lido
Lido may refer to:
Geography
* Lido (Belgrade), a river beach on the Danube in Belgrade, Serbia
* Venice Lido, an 11-kilometre-long barrier island in the Venetian Lagoon, Venice, Italy
* Ruislip Lido, a reservoir and artificial beach in Ruisl ...
, and theorizes that the killer may be a
cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...
dancer. He then proceeds to explain that the murderer is probably a
serial killer
A serial killer (also called a serial murderer) is a person who murders three or more people,An offender can be anyone:
*
*
*
*
* (This source only requires two people) with the killings taking place over a significant period of time in separat ...
, and that he has designed a giant
mousetrap
A mousetrap is a specialized type of animal trap designed primarily to catch and, usually, kill Mouse, mice. Mousetraps are usually set in an indoor location where there is a suspected infestation of rodents. Larger traps are designed to catch ...
to catch him.
His explanations are interrupted by the arrival of the new projectionist, the unnamed man who was seen watching the news all throughout the movie: it is Émile Gravier ( Karmann), an old friend of Odile's with extremely bad breath. The camera dramatically zooms on Émile's finger, which is wrapped in a bandage.
Odile and Émile reminisce about their youth, the latter much more enthusiastically than the former.
Later, the awards ceremony is about to start, and Odile, Karamazov, Simon and Émile are in a limousine, getting ready to climb the famous stairs to the Palais des festivals. Odile offers Émile chewing gum, which prompts him to remember, in a flashback, the way Odile always neglected him for her boyfriends, while he was secretly in love with her.
The four get out of the car and make their way up the stairs. Suddenly, Jean-Paul Martoni, who has been convicted of the deputy's murder, arrives and, threatening the crowd with a gun, runs into the building. Émile, under enormous stress, passes out.
Once inside, Odile panics about Émile's unconsciousness, which leaves her with no projectionist. Simon reveals that he can project ''Red is Dead'', having been trained as a projectionist, and adds "because, you see, I'm not really an actor!".
While Simon prepares to start projecting the movie, the crowd is getting impatient. Odile instructs Karamazov to distract them, and he and Bialès launch in an "improvised" musical number about the
Carioca
Carioca ( or ) is a demonym used to refer to residents of the City of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil and their culture.
Like other Brazilians, ''Cariocas'' speak Portuguese. The ''carioca'' accent and sociolect (also simply called "''carioca''", ...
, which the public loves.
The movie starts playing, and they get off the stage. Bialès is reminded of Martoni's presence inside the building, and goes after him.
In the projection room, Simon is attacked by Émile, who reveals that he killed all the previous projectionists in an attempt to get Odile's attention. After Simon offers Émile some chewing gum, the two struggle and knock the projector around.
In the theater, Odile is horrified to notice that the wrong reel has been launched, and instructs Karamazov to go check on Simon. Karamazov finds Émile and Simon in a struggle, and exclaims "Simon, so it was you all along! I knew it!", letting Émile escape. A frustrated Simon explains that Émile is the killer.
Simon and Karamazov chase after Émile, only to discover him caught in Karamazov's giant mouse trap. Odile and Bialès arrive and learn the killer's identity. Odile inquires about the costume she found in Bialès's apartment, but his explanation is covered by loud music. The two reconcile, but suddenly, Martoni storms in and takes Odile
hostage
A hostage is a person seized by an abductor in order to compel another party, one which places a high value on the liberty, well-being and safety of the person seized—such as a relative, employer, law enforcement, or government—to act, o ...
. After shooting Bialès in the knee, Martoni is knocked out by Émile, who managed to get out of the trap. Émile starts to explain himself, but is shot by Martoni. As he lays dying, Odile offers him chewing gum.
Martoni is arrested and Bialès is carried away on a gurney; he reassures Odile that he will be able to walk again, but she tells him she is only worried about her movie.
Outside, Karamazov once again wonders about the letters, O, D, I, L.
Odile, Simon and Karamazov walk away. When Simon says that he is hungry and would be happy to eat Chinese, Karamazov and Odile agree to go to an Italian restaurant.
Eddy Mitchell
Claude Moine (; born 3 July 1942), known professionally as Eddy Mitchell, is a French singer and actor. He began his career in the late 1950s, with the group Les Chaussettes Noires (The Black Socks). He took the name ''Eddy'' from the American ...
as the fourth projectionist
*
Dominique Besnehard
Dominique Besnehard (; born 5 February 1954) is a French actor, film producer, casting director, writer and talent manager. He has appeared in more than 80 films and television shows since 1975. He starred in the 1983 film '' À nos amours'', wh ...
as the journalist
* Sophie Mounicot as the journalist
A number of celebrities make cameo appearances as themselves, including
Rosanna Arquette
Rosanna Lisa Arquette (; born August 10, 1959) is an American actress. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance in the TV film '' The Executioner's Song'' (1982) and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for th ...
The film was number one at the French box office for two weeks.
Some lines from the film have become cult in France and have been reused in various media.