The Creator (Le Créateur in French) is a 1999 French film directed by Albert Dupontel.
Darius is a playwright whose first play Intimate Distress is a success. However, his alcohol issues lead him to a 6-month recovery. When he comes back, he discovers that his next play is announced, but he forgot he had to write it. Having very little time to write the second play, he discovers that he's able to write when his subconscious takes over. Specifically after he accidently killed his neighbour's cat.
While the setting is different from Dupontel's previous film Bernie, The Creator focuses less on social commentary, and more on the struggle of being creative, as well as coming up with a second work (this is Dupontel's second film).
Not to be confused with the 2023 American film of the same name.
This Film Provides Examples Of:
- Accidental Murder: Darius plans to kill Simon, the stage manager. Simon tries to persuade Darius to not kill him, until he falls off the stage and ends up stabbed by a barrel full of pikes.
- Black Comedy
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: This is what Simon, the theater manager, does for most of his time.
- Cain and Abel: Darius and his brother Gildas have a hateful relationship. The Abel/Cain analogy is more evident by the fact that Gildas is a priest.
- The Cameo: Terry Jones plays the role of God.
- Chekhov's Gun: The musician hobo.
- Cringe Comedy
- Deteriorates Into Gibberish: When Darius explains his new play for the first time, he stutters more and more with each sentence.
- Downer Ending: Darius kills Victor, the original author of the plays who was about to write the ending of The Return, kills himself, and the play is left unfinished.
- Fisheye Lens
- Foreshadowing: When Darius is struggling to write, he pushes off a trolley where Momo the cat is sitting. The second time it happens, Darius does it accidently and it throws the cat off the window.
- Holding the Floor: Darius, when he explains what his play is about for the first time.
- This happens a second time when Simon persuades Darius to not kill him by inventing a story for the new play.
- In-Universe Camera: While Darius' computer doesn't have a camera, there are shots of Darius seen from its screen.
- Lame Last Words: The hobo, after Darius complains that his music is disturbing him, is later killed by Darius and says: "That much?" before dying.
- Literal-Minded: When Pierre asks Darius what the name of the new play is, he replies:Darius: I forgot!Pierre: I forgot? That sounds like a great name!Darius: No, I really forgot!Pierre: I really forgot? You better be sure, we have to be careful with the font.
- No Ending: While the movie has an ending, the play that Darius was supposed to write is left unfinished.
- Perpetual Smiler: Pierre.
- P.O.V. Cam: A few shots are seen from the eyes of Momo the cat. His vision is black & white, even though cats can see some colours.
- Other scenes show the POV of Darius during various scenes, including a nightmare where he confronts his audience.
- The Pollyanna: Pierre, despite the issues Darius has with writing his play, remains enthusiastic about what's coming up next.
- Trash Talk: Simon severly hates Chloe and keeps talking about how he hates her high attitude.
