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Atlas Studio
“The lion does not associate with the cockroach.”
Amonbofis (Gérard Darmon)
In the early 2000s, armed with most of the Robin Hoods, his colleague from Les Nuls Chantal Lauby, and dear friends such as Christian Clavier, Gérard Darmon, Jamel Debbouze and Jean-Pierre Bacri, Alain Chabat took on the enormous challenge of the second part of the adventures of Asterix and Obelix. Beforehand, the director works hard on the script, costumes, sets, casting and so many other pre-production details to concentrate only on the essential during the shooting: the actors. He himself takes on the role of the famous Julius Caesar. In his own words, the idea came to him when Monica Bellucci agreed to play the famous Cleopatra. But if the director had a nose for his team, he had much less for the sets. Installed in Ouarzazate at Atlas Studios, Alain Chabat is confident. The shooting, planned for twenty weeks, is going well. The scenographic elements of Caesar’s palace were even built in three months, precisely the time frame imposed by Cleopatra on Edifis. Yet, problems are piling up. The weather intervened in the form of two sandstorms that paralyzed the shooting, one of them lasting more than eight hours. Impossible to shoot any scene. The warmth of the good days is not a real added value either.
During an interview with Thierry Ardisson, Gérard Darmon recalled a very special day: while it was nearly 55 degrees, the gold jewelry worn by his perfidious character became a problem. Under a tent where technicians and dazzling projectors are piled up, the finery has been transformed into cooking plates. No sooner had the actor placed his fingers on the ornaments than he literally burned himself. Finally, in addition to exhaustion, Alain Chabat had the unpleasant surprise of contracting traveler’s diarrhea. But in order not to waste any time, he sometimes directed several scenes… from the cabinets. The one that the team affectionately nicknamed “Cassecouillix tranquilix” had a providential hand from an experienced director. In an interview with Première,
Alain Chabat said that “Luc Besson asked me if he could come by one day because it was fun for him to take a camera while I was shooting. I asked him when he wanted to come and he said the day it’s the most complicated. He did some killer shots on the day of the 2,000 extras, the time we didn’t get the sandstorm…”. A providential help, by Toutatis.
The second film in the Asterix and Obelix saga drew 14 million spectators in theaters. Edouard Baer’s tirade about his situation as a scribe is one of the most famous lines. However, this one has totally improvised it! Like what, when one has the taste of the well made thing…
Five thousand sandals were used by all the actors and extras in the film.
Cinema Studio Atlas
Founded in the early 1980s, Atlas Studios is considered the center of the Moroccan film industry.
The colossal statues erected in front of the studios set the tone. Visitors don’t just enter any building but a piece of cinema history. Gladiator, Star Wars and Game of Thrones have all used the site’s sumptuous sets. The little extra? A guided tour of the studios allows you to observe, silently, celebrities in the middle of filming.
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Asterix and Cleopatra
Cleopatra makes a bet with Caesar that her people are still capable of great achievements. She orders Edifis to build a sumptuous palace for Caesar.
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By Damien Duarte
Passionné par la culture pop depuis son enfance, ses références vont de Donald Duck à Batman en passant par Marty McFly. Fantripper dans l'âme, voyager sur les traces de Ghostbusters, James Bond ou des héros de romans comme Cotton Malone fait partie d'un séjour idéal et réussi !