Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (film)
| Perfume: The Story of a Murderer | |
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US theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Tom Tykwer |
| Produced by | Bernd Eichinger |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on |
Perfume by Patrick Süskind |
| Starring | |
| Narrated by | John Hurt |
| Music by |
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| Cinematography | Frank Griebe |
| Edited by | Alexander Berner |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by |
DreamWorks Pictures Constantin Film (Germany) Metropolitan Filmexport (France) |
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Release date
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Running time
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147 minutes |
| Country |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | $60 million |
| Box office | $135 million |
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a 2006 German fantasy thriller film directed by Tom Tykwer and starring Ben Whishaw, Alan Rickman, Rachel Hurd-Wood, and Dustin Hoffman. Tykwer, with and Reinhold Heil, also composed the music. The screenplay by Tykwer, Andrew Birkin, and Bernd Eichinger is based on Patrick Süskind's 1985 novel Perfume. Set in 18th century France, the film tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Whishaw), an olfactory genius, and his homicidal quest for the perfect scent.
Producer Eichinger bought the film rights to Süskind's novel in 2000 and began writing the screenplay together with Birkin. Tykwer was selected as the director and joined the two in developing the screenplay in 2003. Principal photography began on July 12, 2005 and concluded on October 16, 2005; filming took place in Spain, Germany, and France. The film was made on a budget of €50 million (est. $60 million), making it one of the most expensive German films.
Perfume was released on September 14, 2006 in Germany, December 26, 2006 in the United Kingdom, and December 27, 2006 in the United States. It grossed over $135 million worldwide, of which over $53 million was made in Germany. Critics' reviews of the film were mixed; the consensus was that the film had strong cinematography and acting but suffered from an uneven screenplay.
The film begins with the sentencing of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw), a notorious murderer. Between the reading of the sentence and the execution, the story of his life is told in flashback, beginning with his abandonment at birth in a French fish market. Raised in an orphanage, Grenouille grows into a strangely detached boy with a superhuman sense of smell. After growing to maturity as a tanner's apprentice, he makes his first delivery to Paris, where he revels in the new odors. He focuses on a redheaded girl (Karoline Herfurth) selling yellow plums, following her and repeatedly attempting to sniff her, but startles her with his behavior. To prevent her from crying out, he covers the girl's mouth and unintentionally suffocates her. After realizing that she is dead, he strips her body naked and smells her all over, becoming distraught when her scent fades. Afterwards, Grenouille is haunted by the desire to recreate the girl's aroma.
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