DISSECTING THE DIRECTOR: Christophe Gans

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

“CHRISTOPHE GANS”

Using stunning visuals to tell his stories, Christophe Gans is what you would call an interesting director. He is the man who most recently gave us the Silent Hill adaptation. While his films don’t come around as often as I’d like, I can say that I enjoy them when they do. The man spaces out his work, seemingly taking the time to conceive his ideas and work through them. He has tackled different genres, putting his own unique spin on them each time. Before he started directing feature-length films, Gans made short films and founded a film magazine called Starfix. To say that he is a fan of cinema feels almost like an understatement. I can easily compare him to Lynch in that he does not spoon-feed his audiences. Rather, he makes them think and feel. He also entertains, and deep down as a film fan, this is what I want from films: to be entertained. I think the man is underrated, and frankly, I really dig his style.

BEST WORK

Get the Brotherhood of the Wolf DVD here!

One word: epic. That is the easiest way to describe his best film Brotherhood of the Wolf. The film runs for approximately 142 minutes, with the director’s cut being even longer. Now, the film’s running time is not the only part that can be considered ‘epic’. The story, the characters, the cinematography, I mean everything about this film is epic. The film is a loose adaptation of the book L’Innocence des loupes by Michel Louis. The book tells the story of real-life killings in 18th Century France believed to have been done by the beast of Gevaudan. The myths and stories the book was based on are true (the myths are myths, but they are actual myths), but Gans put his own spin on it. The film is narrated by an aged Marquis d’Apcher as he flashes back to the 1760’s where Gregoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) and his companion Mani (Mark Dacascos) investigate the mystery of the attacks and the beast.

The film is beautifully shot, with the locations, sets and costumes being so stunning and beautiful to look at. Gans really lets these visuals tell the stories, and in the case of the character of Mani (played brilliantly by Dacascos) he lets his actions speak for him as he has very little dialogue. Gans uses slow motion shots as well as certain camera angles to capture the moments, which while I was watching, I could see where Zack Snyder took his inspiration. The film boasts some great performances, particularly Vincent Cassel, who is truly frightening. This was the film that made me a fan. Of course, you also have the stunning Monica Belucci who can do no wrong in the film. Samuel Le Bihan is fantastic and he really made for quite a sympathetic lead. Gans has quite an eye for talent, and he did well with his cast. The film has some incredible fight scenes which are all truly breathtaking. The film does have a few flaws to it, as some of the effects haven’t aged too well (the film was made in 2001). Thankfully, these flaws are very few in number. For a film that clocks in at almost 2 and a half hours, it really only felt like a tight 90-minute film. That takes some real talent, and Gans knows how to pace his films. He likes to take the time to tell his stories, but they are so interesting that I hardly felt the time go by. Kudos, Gans.

WORST WORK

Get Necronomicon on VHS here!

Put it this way: Gans’ worst effort is still better than the best effort of Uwe Boll. That’s a testament to Gans’ talent, as I don’t think Gans really has made anything bad. However, the weakest of the bunch is his segment from the anthology of stories Necronomicon. Gans directs the first segment, which is a story that basically tells of the horrors of using the book of the dead. The actual film itself is about H.P. Lovecraft (played by Jeffrey Combs) who is looking for the book of the dead. He eventually finds the book and reads from it. Gans’ segment is called The Drowned, which was based upon the Lovecraft story The Rats In The Walls. The story is about a man named Edward, who inherits an old family hotel. There, he learns about his Uncle Jethro, who lost his family, but by using the book of the dead, is able to bring them back to life. The story eventually mirrors Edward’s situation, with some terrifying consequences. I’d rather not reveal too much, as it’s an interesting story and an equally-interesting watch. The acting is fine for what it is, the visuals are great and it certainly serves as a glimpse of things to come for Gans. The problem really lies with time. Gans could have worked this into a 90-minute feature, but instead he had around 25 minutes to work with. It feels more like something that could have been saved for a Tales Of The Crypt episode. The effort was there, and it isn’t a bad segment. Average yes, but bad? Not really.

TRADEMARKS

Get the Silent Hill Blu-ray here!
Get the Silent Hill DVD here!

As a director, Gans has developed a few frequently-used trademarks. Firstly, the man has style. Gans is a very visual director, preferring to tell his stories using interesting visions, sets and locations. He does not want to bore his viewers with what they are seeing, and he really sets the mood. He puts detail into every scene, into every costume, and into every creature. There is never a dull moment. He likes to use slow-motion for his action scenes, with some influence from the likes of John Woo, David Lynch, Mario Bava, Dario Argento and John Carpenter, to name a few. As I previously mentioned, Gans is one who likes the time to tell a story. His films aren’t short, but you know that they work, even at their longer-than-usual running times. He also wants the audience to feel, and he makes this evident in all of his films. Finally, Gans is known as an adaptation man, and in my opinion, it has worked for him. And, like many directors, he has used at least one actor in more than one of his films. In this case, I am talking about Mark Dacascos. Gans not only directs but he writes as well. A good 90% of the stuff that he’s directed he’s also written.

HIDDEN GEM

Get the Crying Freeman Import DVD here!

Crying Freeman is an interesting film, and it certainly defines the term ‘hidden gem’. This was a live action adaptation of the graphic novel and anime of the same name. The film had its fair share of distribution issues and it was not seen in the U.S. for quite some time. It tells the story of The Freeman (Mark Dacascos) who is an assassin for a Chinese organization. He is unique as a killer, as he sheds a tear of regret for each kill he makes (hence the title). During one of his jobs, he falls in love with a young woman named Emu (Julie Condra). While this is going on, there is a power struggle going on between organizations and the two are caught in the middle of it. Gans’ trademark as a visual stylist is best apparent here. There is so much going on in the film that it can be a little overwhelming. At the same time, the film is just so beautiful, and as strange as is it to say, but even the kills have a kind of grace to them. Again, Dacascos is fantastic. The man can act without the need to say anything. The rest of the acting and dialogue is a little weak, but with visuals and action this good, it kind of just fades away. This is a strange film, but I really enjoyed it. If you can find it, this one is worth a watch.

NEXT PROJECT

Gans is currently working on Fantomas, which is an adaptation of a crime serial about a master of disguise and killer. Recently, Vincent Cassel, who was attached to star in the film, dropped out of the project. Does this mean the film is going to be in pre-production forever? Gans does have a reputation for having films that stay in limbo, but there hasn’t been anything to suggest that this film will go that way. We shall wait and see, but this fan is hoping this gets one gets made.

OVERALL

Consider me a fan of Christophe Gans. I like his style, and I like the stories he tells. He has a unique vision, which typically captures my attention. Perhaps I’m a fan because I’m unfamiliar with the source material in many of his films. However, I think the point of those films is to find a wider audience, rather than serve as tributes to the established fanbase. Whether you are a fan of Gans or not, you can’t deny that the man has a vision. The art direction and cinematography used in his films are beautiful, and there’s nothing wrong with films using these visuals to tell the story. Bottom line, the man has style, but he also has substance.