Stories like that give the fairytale character that is Grenouille a little more plausibility. For example, the pharaoh Hatshepsut was laid to rest with perfume, and scientists were very interested in recreating the fragrance. Though it sounds over-the-top, people have long been obsessed with capturing certain scents.
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The story does become absurd, but Grenouille’s definitely an interesting and unique serial killer character. Then again, he’d also surely long to smell the manure stench of a farm. Grenouille is a character who lets his senses control him, to the point where he is captivated by every scent he can experience He’d wish to experience breathing in the most polluted air, at least once, so he’d head off to a city. On the flip side, they are also what can keep someone alive. In fact, throughout all of the horror genre, the senses play a big role in making people victims. Or, how about the Giant from Jack and the Beanstalk, who famously declares, “Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!”
More generally, one might think of sharks that can smell blood from great distances (also reminiscent of forensic psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter). It reminds me a bit of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Telltale Heart, wherein a man’s driven to madness due to his acute senses, also with murderous and maddening results. The strongest aspect of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is the basic premise that scent can create a monster. In fact, it becomes easy to accept that Grenouille has developed a close bond with smells and that his superpower takes him down a strange and deadly path (what one might consider his “skills”). There weren’t moments that seemed too out-of-place or too modern.
That means this film probably isn’t that realistic, so you might never become standard research material for a facility that studies criminal psychology.Īlthough I’m not the foremost historian of 18th century France, I would say this film might successfully capture the aura of that era.
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However, something lends this movie that fairytale element, so my own assumptions pretty much melted away, and my perception went wherever the story took them. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY (Via OlyDrop)Ĭonventionally, with a film like this, you expect some amount of police to show up, and you’d (probably) want the killer arrested.
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Los Angeles, CA, USA Ben Whishaw accepts the award for supporting actor in a limited series or movie for his role in ‘A Very English Scandal’ during the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer almost transcends normal criticism Still enchanted by her fragrance, Grenouille attempts to pursue that masterful scent again in future victims.
In an attempt to silence her screams, he covers her mouth, killing her (apparently by accident). Obsessed with smells, he follows a redheaded girl (Karoline Herfurth) around, freakishly sniffing her scent. Growing up as a tanner’s apprentice, Grenouille has a super-powered sniffer, which ultimately gets him into huge trouble. In France, the story follows Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw), an orphan born (almost appropriately) at a fish market. Let’s just say it could have been called Scent of a Woman had that title not been taken (Hoo-ah!). This movie seems like a somewhat overlooked, bizarre thriller with quasi-fairytale elements, though I’d personally say this film is difficult to place into any one genre. Yes, this movie is pretty weird and, of course, might not be for the squeamish. Tom Tykwer’s Perfume: The Story of a Murderer offers up a different kind of killer: One who kills women to capture their scents.