Le Démon de Laplace

The story is a smart, steady paced suspense mystery told with claustrophobic, well thought out shots that frame the contrast between light and shadow beautifully. The characters, though not completely actualized, are both intriguing and familiar characters. They are the ideal fashion of indulgent self worth and intellect one expects to find gathered at such an outlandish, and Gothic deathtrap on an island in the middle of the sea.

The writing and dialog is clever, concise banter, super smart theoretical explanatory summary, that makes the film elevated concepts approachable and comfortable for the "everyman", and is entertaining. The scenes are stunning and the special effects are so cleverly done. Not to mention that "The Laplace's Demon" utilizes, so creatively, one of the best props to create such effective moments of suspense- a dollhouse. Overall this is a great, modern day revival of classic horror.

I'd seen a review online of this movie,which I'd not heard of. It took me a while to find a copy,but I was intrigued enough to keep hunting. I will say it's not the best paced movie and there are a few moments when it feels bogged down. Although saying that,there's also enough of a mystery to make you want to watch until the end.

Some fabulous visuals,and while the acting isn't Hollywood standard, for the budget it holds it's own. The set design in the house and sounds are wonderfully foreboding, and it all ties up nicely. If you like a Ten little Indians type thriller,but with a twist,then this could be right up your street.

Marquis Pierre Simon Laplace was one of the most notable French intellectual of the 18th century whose work influenced the scientific fields of mathematics, physics and astronomy. Laplace is widely known for his -almost theological- faith in the purely deterministic nature of the existing world, where an intellect capable to comprehend and analyse the position of all "items of which nature is composed" would find the future no more mysterious than the past. This is a theory that nowadays, in the light of modern approaches especially in the quantum mechanics, seems obsolete, even irrelevant, but this fact doesn't prevent it from being a totally compelling premise for an intriguing film which transcends a number of different genres such as science fiction, crime fiction, horror and others. ''Laplace's Demon'' begins when a number of young scientists are invited by a mysterious super-researcher in his mansion, literally in the middle of nowhere in order to participate in a self-invented experiment which aims to show that everything, including the diverse human behavior, can be totally predicted by a mathematical formula. When they enter the -terrifying- estate they soon realize that they were invited there in order to be killed one by one by an uknown force which takes the form of the chess piece of regina. Gradually, realizing the terrible truth behind the bizarre invitation by the shady professor, they will have to find a way to move as unpredictable as possible, thus to deconstruct and finally destroy the experiment itself. This is a movie that is shot in black and white, a fact that adds to the gloomy and grotesque feeling that permeates the story as a whole. There is also some great dialogue regarding fundamental philosophical and scientific questions about the possibility of a world where free choice is nothing more but a mere illusion, a concept created by the human need to believe that himself is the sole agent of his actions. ''Laplace's Demon'' is a film that every true cinephile should add to his collection and it is really a shame that this little masterpiece is so little-known outside the Italian frontiers. This film who also certainly appeal to the physics as well as the philosophy scholars who prefer to watch movies that truly broaden their horizons in understanding the great world, a little better. This is a solid 5/5 star rating. Not to miss!

I write from Italy and I do it proudly after witnessing this good Italian product. Certainly you can breathe the air of the most famous films played by Karloff in the glorious past years and this script cannot be compared to those wonderful masterpieces. Nevertheless I can say that overall the film of this film has many points in its favor: the well-represented Gothic style, the cleanliness of the images helped by CGI, the play of light and shadow and the wonderful work on sound surrounded by beautiful music. still make it a great product. The suspense is not lacking, not even the mystery and the viewer is kept with the right tension for the duration. Certainly the interpretations are not those of the American sacred monsters and some holes in writing are noted, as well as the lack of special effects. All in all my assessment of this little gem remains high and makes me feel proud to be Italian.

A glass in free fall. Have you ever thought if it is possible to calculate into how many pieces it can break into? After numerous experiments, a team of researchers succeeds in doing just this apparently impossible task. Attracted to their experiment, a mysterious professor invites the scientists in his isolated mansion to know more about their studies.

This film was intriguing before the first frame because of its name: "The Laplace's Demon". Anyone who knows philosophy or physics will recognize Laplace as a strong promoter of classic mechanics and therefore determinism. His "demon" could theoretically predict the future because all atoms move in a set pattern. Not unlike LaMettrie, his ideas strongly suggested a predictable, deterministic world was not just theory but reality. And, sure enough, this factors into the film at hand.

The concept of being able to accurately predict how many piece a glass will shatter into has some physics potential, but it has even more philosophical potential. And we see this when the scientists reach the mansion – as they have seemingly achieved a limited understanding of determinism, it is fitting that they themselves become pawns (literally) and their every move is predicted by forces unknown.

Due to the philosophical nature of the film, and its monochrome cinematography, it is being compared to the original "Twilight Zone". This is a fair comparison, and indeed it would fit in well alongside some of Rod Serling's finest scripts. But another fair comparison is to the work of Guy Maddin. Somehow we find ourselves in a rather timeless world, much like Maddin's throwbacks to Eisenstein. We know the film takes place in modern times because of the computers and such, but the look still has something of a retro or antiquated feel. The mansion itself would fit in well in a "dark house" film of the 1930s.

Going any further might risk giving too much away. The film does have some odd quirks about it, such as an Italian man named Jim Bob. Really? But all things considered, this is a great film and one that will make the brain wrinkle a little bit more than usual. "Laplace's Demon" screens July 21, 2017 at the Fantasia International Film Festival.