Main Cast: Gérard Lanvin, Michel Piccoli, Marie-France Pisier, Bruno Cremer, Andréa Ferréol
Release Year: 1982
Country: FR
Run Time: 99 minutes
Plot
Despite a fast-paced story that slams the broadcast industry and lotto mentality, this sci-fi action thriller emphasizes action over anxiety, and so its hunt-and-kill premise is less exciting than it sounds. Based on a Robert Sheckley tale, the action is brought about by a television show invented by money-motivated executives with ratings on the brain. The idea is to choose someone from the vast sea of the unemployed and cast them as the "hunted," while five others are the "hunters." The prey receives a million dollars if he or she can outsmart the five hunters, and a hunter gets $100,000 for finding and killing their human target. François Jacquemard (Gerard Lanvin) is chosen to be the man who has to outsmart the five hitmen, and when he proves to be too good at it, the TV executives have to find a way to outsmart him. All the drama, from beginning to end, is played out under the watchful eyes of multiple TV cameras, on the ground and in the air, while blood-thirsty viewers stay glued to their sets like Romans watching the gladiators -- but unlike the Romans, they are regularly interrupted by those annoying commercial breaks. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
Julien Bukowski - Arnaud; Jean-Claude Dreyfus - Bertrand; Henri-Jacques Huet - Victor Segal; Catherine Lachens - Madelaine; Gabrielle Lazure - Marianne; Jean Rougerie; Jacques Chailleux; Steve Kalfa - Edouard
Credit
Serge Douy - Art Director, Jacques Fonteray - Costume Designer, Yves Boisset - Director, Michelle David - Editor, Elizabeth Guido - Editor, Vladimir Cosma - Composer (Music Score), Pierre-Wiliam Glenn - Cinematographer, Norbert Saada - Producer, Raymond Adam - Sound/Sound Designer, Yves Boisset - Screenwriter, Jean Curtelin - Screenwriter, Robert Sheckley - Short Story Author
The most popular television game show is one where everyday men or women volunteer to be hunted. They are hunted down and killed by professional killers. If they survive they will get an enormous cash prize. But no one has managed to survive... so far.
Our hero, a family man, needs the money, so he takes part in the game. He proves out to be very good, but things are not what they seem.
