À l'ombre de la canaille bleue (Pierre Clementi, 1986) | Duke Experimental Film Society

À l'ombre de la canaille bleue (In the Shadow of the Blue Rascal)
(Pierre Clementi, 1986, 84 min, France, French with English subtitles, DCP)

Introduced by Benjamin Crais (Fordham University)

“Pierre Clémenti’s sole feature as a director is a dystopian crime story, inspired by William S. Burroughs, set in the underbelly of “Nécrocity.” In this fictionalized Paris, fueled by heroin and paranoia, an insurgent group (played by Clémenti’s inner circle) tries to keep one step ahead of the grip of state power, whose mastermind is a villainous military leader played by Clémenti himself … Drenched in neon lights and leather, In the Shadow of the Blue Rascal evokes the New York No Wave scene while giving “the most punk, the most urban, and the most willingly chaotic portrait of Paris in the late 1970s” (Philippe Azoury).” – MoMA

“In Necrocity, 300 kilos of heroin are missing, the police jump to action. Here, the state is merely a means to efficiently impose cruel police brutality and arbitrary violence, and an underground of club-goers indulge in drugs, parties, and sex. A murderer is on the loose in this dystopian future city, and crime is about to rise to a fever pitch.” – Clinton Street Theater

“A harsh icy descent into the depths of hell.” – Close-Up Film Centre

Courtesy of the Cinémathèque française and Balthazar Clementi.

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