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Features: DVD
A box-office sensation in France, comic star Jean Dujardin stars as secret agent Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, a.k.a. OSS 117 who in the tradition of Maxwell Smart and Inspector Clouseau somehow succeeds in spite of his ineptitude. After a fellow agent and close friend is murdered, Hubert is ordered to take his place at the head of a poultry firm in Cairo. This is to be his cover while he investigates Jack's death, monitors the Suez Canal, checks up on the Brits and Soviets, burnishes France's reputation, quells a fundamentalist rebellion and brokers peace in the Middle East.
A blithe and witty send-up not only of spy films of that era and the suave secret agent figure but also neo-colonialism, ethnocentrism and the very idea of Western covert action in the Middle East.
"“… in the same conceptual ballpark as Austin Powers or 'The Naked Gun' series.”" Variety
" “An uproarious send-up. A lead actor who plays the role to clueless, arched-eyebrow perfection.” " LA Weekly
"“A very funny movie worth a look even if you think you're allergic to subtitles.” " SF Bay Guardian
"“Arguably the funniest spy spoof ever made.” " Box Office
Editor's Note
For those that like the spy action of the James Bond series shaken with a bit of humor, this French hit promises to be a tasty cocktail. OSS 117 is a popular French character who has appeared in hundreds of books, and OSS 117: CAIRO, NEST OF SPIES marks his ninth cinematic appearance. In this outing. Jean Dujardin (BRICE DE NICE) stars as a spy who approaches state secrets and seduction with equal seriousness.
| Features | Region 1 | | Keep Case | | Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35 | | Full Frame - 1.33 | | Audio:
| Dolby Digital - English | | Additional Release Material:
| Making Of | | Deleted Scenes | | Gay Reel |
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| Technical Info
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Release Information
|  | Studio: MPI |
| Release Date: 9/30/2008 |
| Running Time: 99 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2008 | | Catalog ID: 4000 | | UPC: 00030306400099 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: French | | Available Audio Tracks: French | | Available Subtitles: English | | Video: Color |
| Cast & Crew | Berenice Bejo | | Aure Atika | | Jean Dujardin | | Michel Hazanavicius - Adaptation | | Nicolas Altmayer - Producer | | Jean Bruce - Source Writer | | Ludovic Bource - Composer | | Kamel Ech-Cheikh - Composer | | Jean François Halin - Screenwriter | | Jean François Halin - Adaptation | | Eric Altmayer - Producer | | Guillaume Schiffman - Director of Photography | | Michel Hazanavicius - Director |
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| | Professional Reviews | Los Angeles Times
"OSS 117: CAIRO, NEST OF SPIES is a loving spoof of Cold War espionage thrillers, done with a spot-on-recreation of the look, sound and feel of a genuine 1950s Technicolor production." 05/09/2009Entertainment Weekly
"[T]he film does a witty job of replicating the hermetic, overlit shot language of '60s studio movies." -- Grade: B 05/23/2008 p.105 Premiere
"A spy movie spoof with a difference....Breezy, goofy, pastel-colored fun..." 05/12/2008 Total Film
4 stars out of 5 -- "[I]ts on-target mock-up of the '60s espionage aesthetic should raise chuckles with anyone with a fondness for the the Connery years..." 12/01/2008 p.60 Empire
3 stars out of 5 -- "Jean Dujardin plays the spy with a mix of vacuous suavity and condescension that makes his investigation of the murder of a comrade all the more hilariously inept." 12/01/2008 p.79 |
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