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At face value, Delicatessen is all about survival and finding the next meal, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The film goes the extra mile by seeking out comedy in the darkest corners of a world that’s falling apart. Directors Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro give viewers a post-apocalyptic narrative that’s equal parts eerie and absurd. In the process, they transform the bleak future of a decrepit apartment building into a bizarre stage for quirky, unforgettable characters. From the sinister butcher who runs the place to the oddball tenants who call it home, every moment is a blend of grotesque comedy and numbing suspense.
At the center of this chaotic world is Louison (Dominique Pinon), a former clown who unsuspectingly moves into an apartment in a cannibal-filled building. The character is portrayed with a certain charm and innocence that sharply contrasts the dystopian reality they live in. To make things more interesting, he catches the eye of an unlikely paramour adding layers of drama and tension to the film. With a mix of cannibalism, slapstick humor, and unlikely romance, Delicatessen takes things up a notch — it doesn’t just ask how far people will go to survive, it also explores how far they’ll go to stay entertained.
How ‘Delicatessen’ Uses Humor to Normalize Violence
Delicatessen’s reality is undoubtedly as twisted as they come; however, it’s a special flavor of twisted that keeps things lighthearted. Jeunet and Caro create humor-filled moments to soften the edges of their portrayal of life in a cannibalistic society. Rather than leaning into gruesome gore, Delicatessen keeps a playful edge to every sinister scene, transforming violence into something not only surreal but oddly endearing. This is evident in small elements like the quirky residents in the decaying apartment building. As a whole, they’re an eccentric mix of characters who have accepted that their predicament is the new normal. From Frog man living in a waterlogged room who’s taken to raising frogs and snails as if it were the most natural thing to Marcel Tapioca (Ticky Holgado) who’s always crafting odd little inventions to make life easier — or at the very least, more amusing. These outlandish moments inject a sense of warmth that makes the “rough around the edges” world of Delicatessen easier to process.
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Even cannibalism, which is the pillar holding up the entire narrative is handled so comically that it’s hard to feel genuinely terrified. Delicatessen shies away from the gore and leans more into elements like comedic timing; an example of this is the cleaver-wielding butcher lurking around the corridor like a cartoon villain. So, while the horrors aren’t completely eclipsed, there’s a certain ridiculousness to it thanks to slapstick timing and visual gags.
The Need to Survive and Ethics Battle it Out in ‘Delicatessen’
The notion of survival in Delicatessen is more than just a backdrop, it’s a major test of ethics. Altogether, the film creates this gloomy, resource-scarce world where living to see another day involves making incredibly difficult, and dare we say, odd choices. At the center of it all is Clapet (Jean-Claude Dreyfus), the run-down building’s landlord/butcher, who keeps the supply of mystery meat flowing. It’s a delicate situation where everyone knows that the meat comes at a dire price, but chooses to look the other way. To them, Clapet’s ways are a necessary evil as is evident in Madame Tapioca’s (Anne-Marie Pisani) actions. On one end, she’s keen on going out of her way to avoid rocking the boat because her survival is dependent on keeping her head down. Then, Louison comes into the mix, bringing with him much-needed moral complication. Unlike the others, he has this contagious gentleness and kindness that makes people confront their decisions.
Technically, he’s on the menu, but his mannerisms pose a subtle rebellion against the group’s blind acceptance of this twisted food chain. It’s not all in vain, since he wins a few people over and that includes Julie Clapet (Marie-Laure Dougnac), the butcher’s daughter. She instantly takes a liking to the former clown and through their connection, starts questioning the community’s dark compromise. By placing Louison’s ethics side by side with the residents’ actions, the film serves up a dark yet funny take on how personal values can be reshaped, or even erased, in a world turned topsy-turvy.
Delicatessen
- Release Date
- April 17, 1991
- Director
- Marc Caro
- Cast
- Dominique Pinon , Marie-Laure Dougnac , Jean-Claude Dreyfus , Karin Viard , Ticky Holgado , Pascal Benezech , Edith Ker , Rufus , Jacques Mathou , Chick Ortega , Jean-François Perrier , Silvie Laguna , Howard Vernon , Dominique Zardi , Anne-Marie Pisani , Maurice Lamy , Patrick Paroux , Marc Caro , Eric Averlant , Dominique Betenfeld , Jean-Luc Caron , Bernard Flavien , Raymond Forestier , Robert Baud , Sylvain Plaine
Delicatessen is currently available to stream on Hoopla in the U.S.
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