
Forbidden Paris
Seen it?1970 | 90 min | Documentary
Why it’s a Monday Morning Maybe
With a box office flop and almost no lasting buzz, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Aimed squarely at anyone who likes learning something new. Expect to bring it up in conversation afterwards.
- The mood
- Eye-opening.
- The pace
- Moves through the story clearly, at 1 hr 30 min. Done before bedtime.
- What might put you off
- It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1970: an older pace and style.
- Skip it if you want made-up drama tonight.
Paris interdit follows the pattern of the Italian mondo style documentaries which began in 1962 with MONDO CANE. The film jumps from one strange scenario to the next, including a woman who goes publicly nude on a bet, a family man wearing an anti-radiation suit in fear of the end of the world, a orgy-indulging cult with a kissing fetish, a role-reversal wedding of performing transvestites, a middle-aged man who gives striptease lessons to housewives, a self-absorbed loner who believes he’s a vampire, a ritualistic funeral procession involving the burning of a mannequin, a mass swimming pool baptism, etc. Probably the most fascinatingly grotesque bit, which at the same time is strangely touching, is when a woman has her beloved deceased medium sized dog stuffed by a pipe-smoking taxidermist (shown in graphic detail) and installed with an electronic barking device!
How it earned its rating
- CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerWeak
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
Not enough engagement data yet
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Cast & crew
Directed by Jean-Louis van Belle
- Ben-Ghou-BeyHimself
- Gene FennHimself
- Maelle PertuzoLa modèle du photographe (uncredited)

