ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE - ISSUE 5.8 - NOVEMBER 2000

Belphégor, The Renewed Legend
(continued from page 2)

From one episode to another, one will notice that Belphégor challenges people and situations all the time; one will conclude that he is a player, or a manipulator; or maybe that he behaves like an entomologist. He fits in with the history, with who Belphégor is, way before the book. He is a diabolical character who is also an enlightener of people's personalities. By provoking them, he makes them experience things that help them to grow, like in real life!

One episode, "La Vengeance de l'Etoile Bleue," [The Revenge of the Blue Star] gives away another essential trait of his personality. It was not possible to explain it literally, because the viewing audience is mostly children. However, we understand that Belphégor has suffered a bereavement that took away his reason for living. And instead of overcoming his mourning, or becoming insane, or an alcoholic, he steps aside and settles on the edge between life and death. He is constantly provoking life, as if he is waiting for a sign from her that might provoke an emotion within himself. Naturally, we could not translate these complex feelings in the film. So, we merely acknowledge the effects of the distance he puts between himself and rest of the world.

Belphégor's mark, the tanit sign is seen in the design of the floor. © Les Armateurs/ France 2/France 3/ Tooncan.

AT: Is it true that, in the antiquity, Belphégor was pictured in two quite different fashions: "as a beautiful naked woman and as a monstrous, bearded demon with an open mouth, horns, and sharply pointed nails. Belphégor was Hell's ambassador to France"?

GD: I don't know where this citation comes from. What's for sure is that, from the antiquity, the name, Belphégor [Baal-peor] refers to one of the avatars of the God Baal. And quite a few authors, including Machiavel, have portrayed him. At the beginning, Belphégor was a demon from an ancient civilization in the Middle East, and his name means "Demon of the mountain." Then, we track him to Carthage, hence the Tanit sign, which is Belphégor's mark. This is not clarified in the series, however the Tanit sign can be compared to that of Belphégor's imploring doll, with her arms up in the air, and to his music box. If both of them are superposed, their shape matches the Tanit sign. This doll is part of Belphégor's mystery. Obviously, it is a relic from the time when his frosty desperation arose.

AT: There are quite a few veiled references: Jacques Drouin, Gerard Majax.

GD: That's true. In one episode, people have the ability to go through the paintings at the Louvre museum -- it is the only time where the transgression of physical laws leads to this level of fantasy -- and I got the idea while thinking of one of Jacques Drouin's films Le Paysagiste (The Landscape Architect). Thus, I figured it was just fair to pay tribute to the author by naming the "magic painter" after him. But, apart from a few animation groupies like you and me, had we not mentioned it, who would have noticed? Same thing with Gerard Magix, a transparent allusion to Gerard Majax, a fearsome destroyer of telekinesis in the '70s. And there are many of them. But, in most cases, they are veiled messages to nobody. It's just that, at some point, you need to come up with a name. For instance, I named the main female character Sarah, and her surname is Kozminsky. Who knows why?

Don't forget to check back with us. Belphegor Quicktime clips are on their way!

Interview with Gérald Dupeyrot conducted in French and translated by Annick Teninge.

Annick Teninge is the general manager of Animation World Network. A French native, Annick began her animation career as Assistant Director at the Annecy International Animation Festival, a post she held for six years.

 

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