Belphégor - Le fantôme du Louvre (Belphegor, Phantom of the Louvre) (Belphecor: Curse of the Mummy) (2001)

27% of users liked it
(1,286 ratings)

The story of a vengeful ghost (which spawned both a popular silent thriller and a mid-'60s TV miniseries that drew record ratings in France) returns to the big screen in this adaptation of the story by Arthur Bernede. A collection of artifacts from an archeological dig in Egypt are brought to the… More The story of a vengeful ghost (which spawned both a popular silent thriller and a mid-'60s TV miniseries that drew record ratings in France) returns to the big screen in this adaptation of the story by Arthur Bernede. A collection of artifacts from an archeological dig in Egypt are brought to the famous Louvre museum in Paris, and while experts are using a laser scanning device to determine the age of a sarcophagus, a ghostly spirit escapes and makes its way into the museum's electrical system. Museum curator Faussier (Jean-Francois Balmer) brings in a noted Egyptologist, Glenda Spencer (Julie Christie), to examine the findings, and she announces that the mummy inside the coffin was actually the evil spirit Belphegor. Lisa (Sophie Marceau), who lives across the street from the museum, follows her runaway cat into the museum after closing time, where she is accidentally given a shock that sends the stray spirit into her body. Soon, Lisa is disguising herself as Belphegor and making off with the rare Egyptian treasures on display at the museum, convinced that they are rightfully hers. When "Belphegor" proves more than a match for the Louvre's security forces, renowned detective Verlac (Michel Serrault) is brought out of retirement to find out why the museum's Egyptian collection has been shrinking. Belphegor: Le Fantome Du Louvre enjoyed the distinction of being the first feature film to be shot in part inside the world-famous museum. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Jean-Paul Salomé
Genres: Drama, Horror, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Aug 5, 2008
Studio: Bac Films

Critic Reviews

Sean Axmaker, MSN.com
A top French cast and the grandiose backdrop of the Louvre set off this silly ghost story like a gilt frame over a paint-by-numbers landscape.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Só há uma coisa boa com relação a este filme: suas cópias em DVD e VHS são vulneráveis ao fogo e a golpes de marreta.
Alex Ramirez, Cinenganos
Nunca vi los episodios de TV, pero parece que -definitivamente- hubiera sido mejor verlos en vez de meterme a la sala de cine y soportar esta cinta.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Luke B

Ghost of a Mummy haunts the Louvre. The CGI ghost is not very impressive at all, and since none of the characters can actually see it, it's pretty pointless. Just the audience are treated to poorly rendered effects. On top of that we have some bizarrely outdated, at times… More
Ghost of a Mummy haunts the Louvre. The CGI ghost is not very impressive at all, and since none of the characters can actually see it, it's pretty pointless. Just the audience are treated to poorly rendered effects. On top of that we have some bizarrely outdated, at times laughable, effects. A ghost on wheels to give the impression of floating. Running down the stairs with constant fade effects. This is the kind of stuff they used in silent movies. Effects aside, the story isn't much better. A phantom mummy haunts the Louvre in order to acquire the artifacts it needs to go into the afterlife. There isn't much going on in terms of character,and by the end it's hard to care what happens. Here is a spirit trapped in the world of the living, but it's a malevolent spirit that kills. Also, it only kills characters we don't know, so it's hard to connect. Simple and not very effective. Luckily, Marceau is beautiful.