08 July,2022 10:44 AM IST | Mumbai | Shriram Iyengar
Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix. Pic Courtesy/asterix.com
Since Albert Underzo and René Goscinny created them in 1959, Asterix and Obelix have evolved from being a gag in a little French magazine to one of the most recognisable global icons. While they may pale alongside the behemoths of Marvel and DC, the bright hues of their glossy pages hold an attraction for fans. The slapstick gags and puns of these comics may feel childish, yet they carry a nostalgic value for their readers. Sadly, the record does not reflect well on live-action remakes of these comics. So far, the six films featuring names such as Gérard Depardieu and Roberto Benigni have failed to make an impact. The latest production - Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom - will release on February 1, 2023, and will star Vincent Cassel, Gilles Lellouche and Marion Cotillard. Listen in to what fans of the series are hoping from the latest rebirth of their Gaul heroes on screen.
As a child, Shinde discovered the comics through his local library. "The first thing which caught my eye was their descriptive names, like Dogmatix or Fullyautomatix and the useless nephew, Justforkix," he laughs. These linguistic puns and gags made the series attractive. This characteristic also makes it difficult to translate onto the movie screen, he adds. "People don't get the context of it. It was such a part of our formative years," Shinde explains. Another disadvantage is the lack of vibrancy in the movies. "With the movies, they tried to bring in realism. For us, the world of the comic was a buzzing village filled with bright colours." The new film holds little attraction for the long-time fan. Shinde hopes that while this film focuses on the Orient, it might some day return to stories from the original series. "I hope they bring in Cleopatra as well. It could become a hodgepodge of culture, which could be shown in the movie," he notes.
As an illustrator, Pereira was first introduced to reading the comic by her godfather, whose collection spanned the entire series. "At first sight, you are fascinated by the pictures and funny stories. It was only later that I came to realise how well they use the puns," Pereira reminisces. The names were part of the fun for a young child curious about the world, she adds. Getafix, Dogmatix, Vitalstatistix are silly and funny when you are a child, she tells us. The movies are different. "A lot of the humour comes from the way the prose is written. It is a nostalgic moment with repeating jokes and characters, difficult to recreate on screen," she explains about making real-life remakes of the comic series. The story of the Gaul heroes heading to China for a new adventure makes her laugh, but does not sound promising, she admits. "The story for the new film sounds far-fetched, but that's the style. My only wish was if they could go the way that Spielberg's Tintin adaptation or the animated Spiderman: Into the spiderverse film did," Pereira says.
A panel from the comic. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons
As someone who grew up on her father's collection of Asterix and Obelix, Putman believes that live-actions can never do justice to the characters. "They are supposed to be comics and not live-action remakes," she declares. As for the story, she would rather it was made into a series. "The journey to the Orient, from China, is an adventure that feels better suited for a series. It does promise a lot of action and elements of martial arts," she observes.
However, Putman believes it may affect the humorous gags that are key to the stories. "It doesn't matter how good the actors are. The gags don't work as live-action. It would lack something. I think that was the whole USP of the comic." Despite that, she says she might watch the film. "I'd be more eager if it was an animated series though. That would really be something," she exclaims.
1959
Asterix debuted in the French comic magazine, Pilote
