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IMDbPro

La machine

  • 1994
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
766
YOUR RATING
Gérard Depardieu in La machine (1994)
HorrorSci-FiThriller

The psychiatrist Marc Laxroix is a studious scientist of the brains of criminals. He has an unhappy and loveless marriage with his wife Marie Lacroix and they have a boy, Léonard Lacroix. Ma... Read allThe psychiatrist Marc Laxroix is a studious scientist of the brains of criminals. He has an unhappy and loveless marriage with his wife Marie Lacroix and they have a boy, Léonard Lacroix. Marc has also a mistress, Marianne, who is also his confidante. Marc has secretly built a ma... Read allThe psychiatrist Marc Laxroix is a studious scientist of the brains of criminals. He has an unhappy and loveless marriage with his wife Marie Lacroix and they have a boy, Léonard Lacroix. Marc has also a mistress, Marianne, who is also his confidante. Marc has secretly built a machine to study the mind of a person to another one in his old house, but he has not tested... Read all

  • Director
    • François Dupeyron
  • Writers
    • René Belletto
    • François Dupeyron
  • Stars
    • Gérard Depardieu
    • Nathalie Baye
    • Didier Bourdon
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.4/10
    766
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • François Dupeyron
    • Writers
      • René Belletto
      • François Dupeyron
    • Stars
      • Gérard Depardieu
      • Nathalie Baye
      • Didier Bourdon
    • 13User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos1

    View Poster

    Top cast18

    Edit
    Gérard Depardieu
    Gérard Depardieu
    • Dr. Marc Lacroix
    Nathalie Baye
    Nathalie Baye
    • Marie Lacroix
    Didier Bourdon
    Didier Bourdon
    • Michel Zyto
    Natalia Wörner
    Natalia Wörner
    • Marianne
    Erwan Baynaud
    • Léonard Lacroix
    Claude Berri
    Claude Berri
    • Hugues
    Marc Andréoni
    Marc Andréoni
    • Le gardien
    Alain Azerot
    • Un infirmier
    Wilfred Benaïche
    • Le patient
    Christian Bujeau
    Christian Bujeau
    • Martial
    Julie Depardieu
    Julie Depardieu
    • Une infirmière
    Patty Hannock
    • Marie-Thérèse
    Arsène Jiroyan
    Arsène Jiroyan
    • Le réceptionniste
    Christian Pereira
    Christian Pereira
    • Le docteur fabricant
    Christian Ruché
    • Cédric
    Pascal Ternisien
    • L'automobiliste
    Aude Thirion
    • Une infirmière
    Alexis Nitzer
    • Director
      • François Dupeyron
    • Writers
      • René Belletto
      • François Dupeyron
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews13

    5.4766
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    Featured reviews

    8ccthemovieman-1

    Surprisingly-Good Movie

    This was one of those rare cases in which the opposite occurs: a movie that should have been stupid and hokey but turned out to be well-done and a good thriller. Yes, a very pleasant surprise.

    A man invents a machine which can switch the inward beings (at least the brain) of two humans so....the doctor winds up being a killer while the killer becomes him, the doctor in actions and thoughts. This "fact" is hidden because the two people still have the old face and body of the person they used to be, so no one else can see the two people have switched "identities.""

    Anyway.....there is very good suspense in this film as the good guy tries to save his wife and family from being killed by the deranged human. Yeah, I know....it sounds confusing and stupid, but it isn't. The film also boasts a few shocking scenes and twists at the end. Recommended.
    8whitef_67

    superb !

    this film is superb. I found the idea excellent and do not remember having seen something like it. Depardieu is brilliant as usual one would say; he deserves very special acknowledgment for this film where his talent is more than useful and very well utilized. Didier Bourdon is also very good in a part quite different from what he usually does; he shows in this film that he can be much more of an actor than what he has be doing for years with Les Inconnus on the funny side (although this was very good too); Nathalie Baye is a good an actor as she is beautiful, and the little boy (Erwan Baynaud) should not be forgotten; he was only 11 when he played this film. This film should be much more famous and appreciated. I first saw it around 1995 when it first came out, and saw it again today (feb 2005) with the same pleasure. It definitely is one of the 12 best films I know.
    7Varlaam

    If your husband starts calling your son "rat-boy", maybe he's not your husband

    Dr. Lacroix (Depardieu) has constructed a machine which will allow him to exchange personalities with one of his patients, a misogynistic multiple murderer (Bourdon).

    This thriller is a variation on the Frankenstein theme with the monster as a serial killer's mind unleashed in a psychologist's body. The film is under-budgeted and reliant on dialogue as many French films are. It can all seem a little overwrought and contrived at times, but still it's fairly good.

    Depardieu is convincing in the different personalities he has to affect. He is united with his frequent costar Nathalie Baye, although her role is a small one this time. There is even a very faint echo of the "What makes a marriage?" theme from their earlier film Le retour de Martin Guerre. So faint you probably won't notice.
    8claudio_carvalho

    Creepy Experiment

    The psychiatrist Marc Laxroix (Gérard Depardieu) is a studious scientist of the brains of criminals. He has an unhappy and loveless marriage with his wife Marie Lacroix (Nathalie Baye) and they have a boy, Léonard Lacroix (Erwan Baynaud). Marc has also a mistress, Marianne (Natalia Wörner), who is also his confidante. Marc has secretly built a machine to study the mind of a person to another one in his old house, but he has not tested it yet, and Marianne is the only person who knows. When the serial-killer Michel Zyto (Didier Bourdon) is sentenced to life in the institution where Marc works, he decides to study the mind of the psychopath. Then he brings Zyto to use the machine and their minds are exchanged. When Marc asks Zyto to press a green button to restore their minds, Zyto refuses and uses Marc's body to lock up Marc trapped in his body in the institution. Further, he goes to Marc's house to stay with his family. Will Marc retrieve his body?

    "La Machine" is a dark film with a creepy and tense story that could be darker with a different and less commercial conclusion. The plot holds the attention of the viewer until the ending and the direction and performances are top notch, highlighting Gérard Depardieu. Unfortunately this film was only released on VHS. My vote is eight.

    Title (Brazil): "Memórias do Mal" ("Memories from Evil")
    8kosto

    Where is my mind

    A psychiatrist (Gerard Depardieu) and his woman-stabbing patient accidently exchange minds with a machine (the machine) he developed. The maniac overthrows him before the transfer-back process and stays in the body. Now the psychiatrist is locked away in the clinic and the madman is at home with the psychiatrist's wife and child.

    Queer sounding story but nevertheless a fascinating, exciting "mind-exchange" movie.

    8/10

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    Storyline

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • November 30, 1994 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Germany
    • Language
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Ondskans bödel
    • Filming locations
      • Berlin, Germany
    • Production companies
      • France 2 Cinéma
      • Hachette Première
      • M6 Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 36m(96 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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