«Asterix - The secret of the magic potion»

Cinema Wednesdays - Jonas Follonier

The animated film Asterix - The secret of the magic potion is a great success. By bringing together all the elements of a children’s movie, it enchants even grown-ups. Here are a few thoughts.

A cartoon? Am I really going to the movies to see this? Those were, naturally, the thoughts running through the mind of the prejudiced person that I am. Fortunately, curiosity is always there too! And what a pleasant surprise I had once I sat down in front of the screen—what unfolded before me was not only a good time, but a real spectacle. As the people of Vaud would say, I was «pleasantly surprised.».

The Ingredients of a Good Animated Film

Going to see a cartoon is, in a way, like going to a destiny animated. Indeed, this successful animated film—as is the case here—features plenty of twists and turns, a riot of colors, and a host of characters. Asterix - The secret of the magic potion, which tells the story of the druid Panoramix leading the village on a quest to find a successor to his magical gifts, has the great advantage of maintaining a steady pace throughout. May certain contemporary works from a film industry still stuck in the New Wave take inspiration from it!

An animated film like the ones we love also has the merit of featuring high-quality instrumental music. The classical music that opens the prologue of’Asterix is worthy of the great Tom and Jerry. But at this point, you haven't seen anything yet—or rather, you haven't heard anything yet. Just wait until the opening credits roll. That’s when the various characters—Gauls, animals, and others—start performing a sort of hilarious dance routine, giving rise to what the French philosopher Henri Bergson defined as the essence of comedy: the stiffness of the mechanical where one would expect life.

Animals alone are laughable in and of themselves: when you really think about it, an animal is funny. It’s always funny. Especially in an animated film. For the simple reason that, in this genre of film, the animated animal resembles us, which guarantees an abundance of slapstick from the start: who would be pretentious enough to claim to be the equal of humans, who alone hold the key to language, reason, and—precisely—laughter?

Christian Clavier's voice alone is funny.

If you're still with me, let's take a look at the voices. off. A fundamental element in films of this type, the voices given to the characters undoubtedly have a major influence on the viewer and their emotional response. For Asterix, it was, of course, Christian Clavier who took on the role—he had played the Gaul in the films. It seems a bit ridiculous, you might think for a moment, considering the blond hair of the not-so-young character voiced by a not-so-young actor. But what a funny voice!

A cartoon makes us wonder even more about the uniqueness of the voice of the Frenchman who played Jacquouille in The Visitors than Claude Verneuil in What have we done to God?. And perhaps we can put our finger on one element: the pronunciation of the nasal diphthong «in», or «hein» if you prefer. Imagine Asterix, in the design so typical of today’s animated films, and throw in this line spoken by Clavier: «What’s with this weirdo? Is he from around here?» or: «He’s craaaazy!» So funny, so funny!

That is the power of animated films. And especially of’Asterix - The secret of the magic potion Directed by Louis Clichy and Alexandre Astier. It’s meant to entertain us—whether or not we figure out the film’s mechanics. In short, whether you’re a child or an adult. As for the messages the film might convey about the society we live in, why not just consider them secondary? Let’s have some fun—and eat some wild boar.

Write to the author: [email protected]

Photo credit: © Pathé Films AG